Friday, March 16, 2012

The Insider's Guide to Ye Olde Orchard Pub & Grille in Pointe Claire




Ye Olde Orchard Pub & Grille in Pointe Claire is located in the historic 1850 Canada Hotel, one of the oldest buildings in Pointe Claire.

First settled in 1698 as an outpost along fur trading routes, the historic village of Pointe Claire lies on Montreal's comfortable West Island.  In 1713, Pointe Claire became a Catholic parish, and, in 1854, a municipality. Today, this charming town is made up of mostly English speaking, middle- to upper-middle income residents, who live in single-family homes built on spacious, wooded lots.

As a tourist, sometimes you want gourmet food. At other times, you want something simpler, a burger perhaps, but definitely not fast food.

Enter the Ye Olde Orchard Pub & Grille. This local chain started in 1996 on Rue Montagne in downtown Montreal and has grown rapidly in its 19 years of existence. The franchise added a second pub on Prince Arthur, a third in the borough of Notre Dame des Grace (NDG). In 2010, the Ye Olde Orchard Pub & Grille took up residence in Pointe Claire's historic 1850 Canada Hotel along Lakeshore Blvd. At the time, some townsfolk expressed concern that a pub was not compatible with the village's sedate profile.


The pub grub is great at this Celtic-themed eatery. Start with a house or Caesar salad, French onion soup or sweet potato fries, which can be had for $5.99 each. (All amounts are in Canadian dollars. Prices may not be current prices.) Add vegetable crudites at $8.99 or garlic cheese bread for $6.99. The pub offers a standard pub menu, plus international favorites such as nachos, Cajun chicken nachos, samosas, curry poutine (Yes, I said "curry poutine!") and fried Calimari. 

The specialties are varied. Jumbo capon wings or chicken fillets come with a choice of honey garlic sauce or cider BBQ sauce in medium, spicy or kick-ass hot. The wings are served in four to 12 pieces, priced between $7.99 and $12.99. The chicken fillets are served in four or six pieces at $8.99 and $11.99. Fans of Celtic cuisine would love the County Louth Irish Stew or the Beef and Stout Stew at $13.99.
 

This reviewer loves the Beef and Stout Stew,  the Pub Cheeseburger at $10.99 and the blackened Cajun salmon at $16.99. For beer, the locally brewed McAuslan St. Amboise pale and the Griffon blonde are among the top local craft beers.

In Pointe Claire, Ye Olde Orchard Pub & Grille in is located at 322 Chemin du Bord-du-Lac-Lakeshore (322 Lakeshore Blvd (t) 514.694.5858) The servers don Celtic attire, with female servers wearing kilted skirts. The pub hosts sports on its TV.

It also features excellent Montreal micro brews. Most reviews on Urban Spoon and Yelp rate Ye Olde Orchard Pub very highly. The pub would be wise to consider larger locations, since the popularity of this restaurant chain frequently results in a packed house. The location in Pointe Claire is small. Expect a wait on weekend evenings. A new location in the Laurentian ski village of St. Sauveur opened recently.

$$ 



Locations for Ye Olde Orchard Pub & Grille:

322 Lakeshore Blvd (t) 514.694.5858
 20 Prince Arthur W (t) 514.845.7772
 1189 de la Montagne (t) 514.874.1569
5563 Monkland Ave (t) 514.484.1569
173 Rue Principale, St. Sauveur des Monts (t) 450.227.888



Copyright © The Insider's Pocket Guide to Montreal, Kathryn Esplin 2006 - ad infitum Photos copyright © Kathryn Esplin 2006- ad infinitum. All rights reserved.  

3 comments:

  1. I like this blog post. I often go to Irish pub west island for some enjoyment and try different food.

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    Replies
    1. Oh, must try Irish pub on West Island. Thanks for enjoying.

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  2. I must go to the one Ye Olde Orchard on Prince Arthur. Lived in the Plateau (Dawson/McGill days) for several years. Love Irish, too. Must try Irish Pub West Island. In Boston, we have lots of Irish. And Scots, and everybody.

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