Barroco vs. L'Orignal - help me choose?

[4theLoveOfMeatballs]

I will be in Montreal next week and have been asked to select the restaurant for our Monday night dinner. Based on menus, location, reviews, and my desire for a quaint bistro, I've narrowed it down to Barroco and L'Orignal. Can anyone help me decide? There will be 4 of us - we are colleagues and friends in our mid-30s, who love good food, and a great atmosphere. Thanks in advance!

[custo]

L'Orignal, no question. Though it isn't the "best" restaurant in Montreal it is excellent and my personal favorite

[porker]

So whats on tap?

[silversnake]

I have never been to L'Original but I absolutely love Barroco. I always try to bring my friends / relatives when they come visit to that restaurant. I love the atmosphere and I find the food to be absolutely delicious. The steak and short ribs are amazing. Obviously the expensive part will be the alcohol but it's hard to imagine not having a great time. Make sure you reserve and if do it in advance and try to ask for the booth.

[trisheeb100]

l'originale has outstanding food, and great, great ambience too. drinks are amazing, and my vote is definitely for l'originale.

[SnackHappy]

I haven't been to either, but on thing for sure is that neither is a "quaint bistro". They are flashy Old Montreal restaurants full of young professional types. "Quaint bistros" are not Old Montreal's forte. You'll be better served if you go a bit uptown into the Plateau.

[Fintastic]

This is a very good point. If you'd prefer to stay within Old Montreal, then almost every quaint bistro option is off the table. Barroco, Bremner, or Osteria may be as close as you you'll come, but they really don't fall into the category IMO. I hope it doesn't come across that we're being unnecessarily restrictive, but the good restaurants in this part of town are almost all large and/or loud.

As you're probably aware, however, many restaurants in Montreal are closed on Mondays so the options are fairly limited even elsewhere in the city. If you're willing to travel a little, several great places that are close to the metro orange line are 3 Petit Bouchons, Pintxo, Monsieur B, Quartier General, Laloux, L'Express (the latter 2 are less quaint and more like French brasseries, but both are very charming).

[4theLoveOfMeatballs]

Yes, I've run into many great options that are closed on Mondays. Thanks for the suggestions, I will check them out. When I refer to a "quaint bistro", for a crew from Calgary this really means a smaller place with a bit of character, and since it's Montreal, a bit of history (i.e. stone walls) is nice too :).

[cherylmtl]

There's always Holder for bistro food in Old Montreal. It's large, but usually solid, food-wise.

[4theLoveOfMeatballs]

...or an entirely different suggestion? :)

[porker]

Actually, I haven't been to L'Orignal, so can't make a comparison.
We did eat at Barroco a while back. The ambiance and service is hipster cool. What I do remember (this is maybe 18 months ago) is the cocktails: although pricey (~$15 ea), they use fresh fruit when mixing some interesting and delicious concoctions. The food, although not bad, wasn't standout (otherwise I'd remember). The jet set (bejewelled 20 somethings) arrived sometime around 10:00pm. However, I don't know if my description is current.
Not quite sure of the "quaint bistro" requirement, but seeing your username, have you given thought to Osteria Venti - Italian resto in the neighborhood with pretty good food.
http://www.osteriaventi.com/home

[catroast]

$15 for a cocktail...better have 3 ounces of liquor, not fresh fruit. ;)

[4theLoveOfMeatballs]

Thanks for your review, very helpful! I was in Montreal in January and stumbled upon Osteria Venti, and absolutely loved it, meatballs included. We didn't have a reservation but they gladly sat us at the bar and moved us to a great table when available. Loved the tiramisu served in a little jar, and the olive oil they provide with the bread there is worth the trip alone! I was asked to find something "french" for Monday, but plan to slip into Osteria Venti while there.