Must try: Moishes' three hours to midnight menu

My favourite steakhouse happens to be a small chain in the States called STK. I've been to the one in South Beach and Manhattan, and the quality of the meat itself and its preparation blew me away. I'm mentioning STK here because a) it has become the gold standard by which I measure all other steaks and b) the restaurant's catchphrase is "not your daddy's steakhouse". In fact, it's one of those places that's as much about the "scene" as it is about the cuisine. Moishes, on the other hand, used to be a steakhouse that was very much your daddy's – or even granddaddy's – steakhouse. The keywords, however, being "used to be", because when I dined there a couple of weeks ago on a Friday night, such was not the case. Indeed, Moishes' dining room received a gorgeous facelift several months back, and though the the new room still has elements of an old-world steakhouse (the place has been around since 1938!) it now feels less stuffy and more "fresh". I've got to give them major credit for this as it would've been a pity to see such a storied Montreal establishment become modernized to the point of losing all touch with its roots.

Not settling on revamping the decor alone, Moishes' renaissance extended to its menu, which now includes a 3 hours to midnight special. For the sum of $25, one can indulge in an appetizer, a main course and a coffee or tea. Pretty good, eh? And indulge we did – starting with the complimentary coleslaw and crunchier than crunchy pickles for which the eatery is well known for. To start, we sampled the organic salmon tartar and a house salad. Our other options were chopped liver (not a fan) and Caesar salad (too heavy with meat). The portions were on the smaller side and not particularly awe-inducing, but the tartar was light, fresh and well seasoned. Similar adjectives can be used to describe the house salad, but honestly, what more can you really expect from a house salad?

The stuff legends are made of – Moishes' pickles and coleslaw, and lots of butter.

Perennial favourite salmon tartar was light, fresh and well seasoned

Coming off my experience with Milos' limited 10 p.m. special, I was pleasantly surprised by how many main course options there were at Moishes – 12 – and a whole hour earlier! I was also pleased to see so many people taking advantage of this incredible deal. Upon walking in at 9 p.m., my friends and I witnessed a whole slew of golden agers filing out, only to be replaced with a younger crowd – a restaurant version of changing of the guard if you will. Okay, back to food... I opted for the filet mignon, as did my friend, while our other friend ordered the famous chicken breast. My steak paled in comparison with STK's juicy and tender filet mignon, but it was good nonetheless. And, hey, for $25 bucks... I'll know for next time to order it medium-rare, since medium was a little too well done for my liking. Meanwhile, my friend's chicken was very juicy and flavourful. To accompany our mains, we had the option of choosing either a Montecarlo potato which is basically mashed potatoes placed in a baked potato shell with chives and lots of yummy seasoning, or french fries. The fluffy Monte Carlo is pure-potato bliss, while the fries were lackluster and definitely needed more seasoning and crunch.

Petit Filet. Steak lovers can get steak frites, rib steak or kobe burger too

You guessed it – chicken! 

Amazing Monte Carlo potato and ho-hum fries. 

By the end of the meal we were beyond stuffed; it goes without saying the pickles and coleslaw didn't help matters. We were also totally impressed by how much food the special entailed, and the quality of the service. Our waiter was an older gentlemen who was super attentive, professional and polite. It seemed as though our presence was genuinely valued and we weren't just the "late night" crowd. This is key to making these types of deals work, and explains why Lemeac, and now Moishes are packed, while Milos' special isn't filling the house. Needless to say, I'll be back – appetite in tow.