The Beaver Club: One-time glory
If there were only one iconic restaurant in Montreal that has witnessed this city’s long historic development with an eye on culinary traditions, it might well be the historic Beaver Club. This high brow restaurant in the most elegant Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel has stories to tell, and a history that dates as far back as far as the 18th century. In those days explorers and fur traders even gathered here to tell the stories of their exploits and dangerous journeys through the then still-wild bush.
But it has always been a place where ‘society’ has gathered. Guests in the early days of this one-time exclusive club included the likes of John Jacob Astor, Benjamin Franklin or Washington Irving. My memories – or second-hand memories of The Beaver Club – are nestled in modern-times through the tales of my one-time employer, the former Montreal art dealer, Paul Kastel. This octogenarian bore witness to a thriving Beaver Club from as early as the 60s and 70s, perhaps this restaurant’s modern-day heyday. It was here where the Montreal elite gathered. When I was invited for a taste of the fare here, I knew who to call to join me.
While the sumptuous food does not disappoint and the service is true to the restaurant’s distinguished roots – it is the atmosphere and the modern décor that follows a refurbishment in 2003 that is truly disappointing. After all, this is a traditional restaurant and famous landmark of the city, and it seems to have been somewhat diminished.
The back end of the restaurant is inhabited by a smallish open designed kitchen. Reversed pyramidal lamps shed soft tangerine yellow hues throughout the elegant space, resulting in a subdued atmosphere. Several uninspiring contemporary art-works adorn the walls haphazardly. There is nothing – with the exception of the unusually high prices – that gives away the fact that this was once the most coveted restaurant in Montreal. There is little that hints at the past. Over the years the restaurant has been reduced in size, and annoyingly the tables rumble pretty consistently as trains come and go at the station which is smack underneath.
The culinary offer and old-style elegant service at The Beaver Club remind us of the importance and one-time nobility of the space. The forty years of service of some the waiters did not go unnoticed. The hot foie gras starter from St Louis de Gonzague, pan fried on forest mushroom ravioli and truffle broth rivals the world-famous Hungarian Gundel restaurant. And that is not said lightly. It is tender with slightly crispy edges, and melts on first contact with your mouth just the way it should. The presentation of the Navarin of lobster and vegetables was stunning, and the rack of piglet was as tasty as the lobster looked.
The Beaver Club
in the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth
Address: 900, René Lévesque Blvd West
Phone: [514] 861 3511
URL: http://www.beaverclub.ca
City, Province: Montreal, Quebec
Neighborhood: Downtown
Hours of Operation: Thursday to Saturday, 6pm to 10pm
