Holder occupe un vaste espace industriel caractérisé par de hauts plafonds et des briques apparentes qui définissent son atmosphère animée. La cuisine se concentre sur les classiques de la brasserie française avec une emphase particulière sur la précision technique. Les préparations signatures incluent un tartare de bœuf coupé à la main et assaisonné avec expertise, accompagné de frites dorées et croustillantes. Les moules sont servies en portions généreuses, cuites à la vapeur dans des bouillons aromatiques qui soulignent la salinité naturelle des mollusques. Les convives explorent un menu varié qui équilibre les techniques traditionnelles avec des présentations contemporaines. Les grandes banquettes circulaires et les boiseries polies favorisent un environnement propice à la dégustation de favoris culinaires classiques. Cet établissement maintient une réputation constante pour offrir des plats robustes et savoureux ancrés dans les principes fondamentaux des traditions européennes.
Holder est largement reconnu comme une institution du Vieux Montréal, offrant une atmosphère accueillante et une cuisine de bistro français de haute qualité. Les clients saluent fréquemment des plats emblématiques tels que la joue de bœuf braisée, le canard confit, la soupe à l'oignon et les fruits de mer frais, tout en soulignant le service exceptionnel fourni par un personnel professionnel et attentionné. Bien que le restaurant soit souvent animé et puisse devenir bruyant, de nombreux convives estiment que cela contribue à son énergie authentique et charmante. Malgré quelques rares commentaires concernant des irrégularités dans les plats ou le niveau sonore, la grande majorité des avis met en avant une expérience culinaire mémorable qui fait de cet établissement une recommandation incontournable, tant pour des sorties décontractées que pour des occasions spéciales.
Well, this was a very happy choice for a second-last meal in Montreal. The space is a lovely, classic & grand dining room that also manages to have a cozy & warm feeling. The service was perfect & the food really was delectable. The braised beef cheek really stands out - so buttery, meltingly tender & extremely tasty. Overall, this resto is a definite recommend!
It's one of my favorite restaurants around Square Victoria neighborhood. Great place for having a business lunch, 5à7 (happy hour), or dinner. My favorite dish is confit de canard, but I also recommend pasta, risotto, sea food... another option for lunch is the menu of the day (midi express). The dessert options are also very good! Great wine & sparkling wine menu.
My experience at Holder was truly delightful! From the moment I stepped into this charming establishment, I was captivated by its classic French bistro ambiance. The ambiance exudes warmth & authenticity, setting the stage for an unforgettable dining experience. The food at Holder is not only delicious but also beautifully presented, a testament to the culinary artistry of the chefs. Each dish is thoughtfully crafted & plated with precision, adding to the overall charm of the dining experience. Moreover, the servers at Holder are among the friendliest in Montreal, enhancing the dining experience with their attentive & welcoming demeanor. Their genuine hospitality truly makes guests feel at home. For anyone who appreciates French cuisine & the ambiance of a classic bistro, I wholeheartedly recommend Holder. It's a culinary gem in Montreal that never fails to impress. ----- Mon expérience chez Holder a été vraiment délicieuse ! Dès que je suis entrée dans ce charmant établissement, j'ai été séduite par son ambiance de bistrot français classique. L'ambiance est chaleureuse & authentique, ce qui ouvre la voie à une expérience gastronomique inoubliable. La cuisine du Holder n'est pas seulement délicieuse, elle est aussi magnifiquement présentée, ce qui témoigne de l'art culinaire des chefs. Chaque plat est élaboré avec soin & présenté avec précision, ce qui ajoute au charme général de l'expérience gastronomique. De plus, les serveurs du Holder sont parmi les plus sympathiques de Montréal, rehaussant l'expérience gastronomique par leur attitude attentive & accueillante. Leur hospitalité authentique permet aux clients de se sentir comme chez eux. Pour tous ceux qui apprécient la cuisine française & l'ambiance d'un bistro classique, je recommande de tout coeur Holder. C'est un joyau culinaire de Montréal qui ne manque jamais d'impressionner.
12 févr. 2024
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During my visit to Montreal, eating at a French bistro was at the top of my to-do list. Appearance-wise, the restaurant looked like a typical French bistro but a lot bigger than the average one. When we sat down, we were famished & waiting to be attended to. Service, however, was mediocre at best, as servers were not very attentive & seldom checked up on us. It took a while before the servers took our order & a long time for food to arrive. When the server arrived, we ordered the salmon tartare, the beef tartare, the grilled salmon filet with beurre blanc, & the duck confit. For appetizers, the beef & salmon tartare were under seasoned & could use more acidity to bring out their freshness. For mains, the salmon was cooked well but bland while the duck confit was dry & sat on top of a mountain of underdressed arugula. The finger potatoes that went with the confit were seasoned well & delicious, but there were too few of them (5 pcs) as compared to the mountain of arugula. Overall, Holder fell short of my expectations from a French bistro in Montreal & I'd recommend eating elsewhere for French cuisine.
Food was absolutely scrumptuous! I had a glass of tawny porto, the duck confit served with little potatoes & a wonderful dessert some sort of Brownie topped with some sort of strawberry mouse topped with a beautiful tuile. I am salivating just writing this review & thinking about my dinner. One old couple complained about the music which for some reason they disliked... I thought it was wonderfull a mix of modern jazz. It was spot on. I highly recommend trying this place! I will certainly go again. La nourriture était absolument délicieuse ! J'ai pris un verre de porto tawny, le confit de canard servi avec de petites pommes de terre & un merveilleux dessert - une sorte de brownie surmonté d'une sorte de mousse à la fraise & d'une belle tuile. Je salive rien qu'en écrivant ceci & en pensant à mon dîner. Un vieux couple s'est plaint de la musique qu'ils n'ont pour une raison quelconque, pas appréciée... Moi je trouvais que c'était merveilleux, un mélange de jazz moderne. C'était parfait. Je recommande vivement d'essayer cet endroit ! J'y retournerai certainement.
Delicious food, plates are small but this is to be expected. Everything I tasted is something I'd recommend: „carpaccio de ayla betray jaune, sauce ran troh" (salmon carpaccio), Huîtres / Fresh oysters, „Ravioli au homard, beurre blanc à l'huile de ruffe" (lobster ravioli), Tartare de saumon au yaourt & caviar de Mujjol..Salmon tartare with yogurt & Mujjol caviar (salmon tartare), & goat cheese. The only thing worth it would probably would have been the goat cheese & salmon tartare.
Holder has great atmosphere & a great menu, fantastic service. Definitely call ahead for reservations, ideally not the same day. We called earlier on a Saturday & the earliest available was 9:30pm. The salad with parmesan flakes is great. For cold appetizers, highly recommend the gravlax with yellow beets. For a hot appetizer, try the warm goat cheese dish, or the calamari. The tilapia entree was perfectly cooked & well seasoned. For dessert, the Bulgarian yogurt with honey & nuts is different but a good choice of something new.
The Great:
The staff is professional, attentive & efficient while being friendly in a way that feels deliberate. The service was exceptionally quick.
The Good:
The duck confit paired with a glass of Pinot was delicious & had the right balance of tastes & flavor. Crème Brûlée was good.
Not So Good aka Disaster:
Whenever I visit French restaurants, I always order the onion soup, a staple that done well sets the expectation for the other courses. In this instance after ordering the waiter came back to say due to something unexpected, the kitchen would not offer onion soup tonight. I was disappointed until someone else brought the onion soup & said it was on the house for the confusion.
The French onion soup was a sloppy hot mess. I could not hide my disappointment & cannot recommend anyone try that slop. This maybe the standard for this restaurant but the cooked pot of chopped onions in broth really lets down the amazing duck confit!
Summary:
Don’t have the onion soup. Go for the service & other French classics. Despite the weird soup, they have at least earned a return visit to try some of the other flavors.
I have been here a few times now in the past year, most recently 2 weeks ago, & it has always been excellent. The food is delicious & I would recommend the duck confit, lobster ravioli & beef tartare. The service has always been top notch as well. It makes for a perfect evening dinner.
