Le Biftheque

Earth calling Le Biftheque (Cote-​de-​Liesse) or further referred to as CDL, if ever you decide to re-​open your branch one more time, I strongly suggest have a go at the Boucherville branch to see how your customer’s experience should be!!!
Going back 20 or so years ago when le Biftheque was a roaring night out for steak, long lines out the door were a true symbol of it’s success. Of the three branches that existed at the time, CDL up north at St. Sauveur or Boucherville, the latter always won me over for the impeccable service that I attributed the customers who were most likely very particular and unforgiving of their expectations. So when these locations closed a few years ago I was disappointed but not surprised since my last time at CDL was not the best.
Fast forward to the re-​opening of both CDL & Boucherville I was wanting a pleasant return. You can read my CDL review, er, should I say post mortem? With that in mind I could not wait to try Boucherville at some point which did happen a few weeks ago. Not sure if they are the owners of the previous location on the east side of highway 20.
A friend had helped a better part of the day moving furniture to and fro, so at the end of the day we were both tired & famished, no sandwich or salad would have been justified. Realising Le Biftheque was just on the other side of the Lafontaine tunnel I was salivating for a rib steak! I am happy to say they nailed it on so many aspects. From the point of our arrival to the finish I kept shaking my head at the dichotomy of how a restaurant brand can differ so much between two locations. Foremost the décor is a world away from the dark CDL setting. The brightness of the lighting and colours gave an air of freshness and confidence. Our waitress, Lawrence was superb and charming having no issues switching to English when my friend was unsure of something, a far cry from what happened at CDL. We both ordered the rib steak special arriving tableside cooked to perfection with the best grill hatch marks I have ever seen. Only upon arrival did I have one regret not asking for the steak to be seasoned prior to cooking, but the ‘naked’ one I enjoyed allowed me to taste the perfect crust and tender pinkness au naturel.
My wine of choice was a glass of the «William» red from the Rivière du Chene winery in St. Eustache, a perfect option instead of my usual favorite Beaujolais-​Villages from Georges-​DuBoeuf.
I would not hesitate a return since not only my new residence does not allow BBQs on the balcony, but will come back since I know the chances of a good dining experience are possible.