Joe Beef, originally named Charles McKiernan who “never refused a meal to a poor man”, died in 1889, but his tavern stayed opened until 1982. Today, the authentic building still sits at the corner of De la Commune Street and De la Callière Street, in Old Montreal. Seventeen years later, the new Joe Beef restaurant comes to the city like a salty breeze from the ocean. Close to the Saint-Laurence canal, Joe Beef dropped the anchor on Notre-Dame, right across the street from the Corona Theater, in a modest neighborhood called “Petite Bourgogne”, next to Saint-Henri.

“The neighbourhood changed a lot these past few years,” said Jean, a native from Petite Bourgogne, owner of one of the many antiques stores that surrounds Joe Beef restaurant. Divided between the old memories of the street and the revitalization created by the demand of trendy-hungry-for-vintage-people invading every week-end, one thing everyone will agree on, is that the business is going well and Notre-Dame street is now a “must see” in Montreal. Mr. David McMillan, former chef of Rosalie, said this is exactly why they decided to open their new restaurant right here, away from downtown and the many resto-friendly streets.

After a decade of building voluminous restaurants in hip areas, it was time for a change. Joe Beef has only 28 seats and Mr. McMillan enjoys that. “It’s intimate, that way we can take better care of our customers.” The second reason why Mr. McMillan and his associates, (formerly from Globe) chose that spot, is the closeness to the Atwater market. “I love the fact that I can just walk to the Atwater market and pick what’s fresh and new, so we can serve market cuisine.”

Every night the choice of four appetizers and four main courses are written with chalk on a blackboard. First things first; I suggest for the appetizers from the unique “Raw bar”. A long wooden bar overflowing with ice and where you get to choose from three to four different kinds of oysters, clams, crabs or lobsters ($8 to $18). “The raw bar was a common thing in restaurants, back in the 1800s” says McMillan. Foie gras is mastered differently every night and is always a good option.

Mains consist of choices between tripe-a beef, fresh fish or classic, traditional Montreal cuisine is always offered to the customers ranging from $18 to $25 and can go up to $40.