Trip To Montreal, Quebec, Canada (Day 2, Part 4)

"Have a big dinner.
Have a light snack
If you don't like it, you can't send it back"
- Weird Al Yankovic, "Eat It"


(I usually like to begin my blogs with more thought provoking lyrics, but I haven't found a rock song about barbecue, so this will have to do)


Well, it was time for dinner on this unseasonably hot Saturday in Montreal. I know, I can't stop stressing the fact that it was hot. Does it ever get this warm up in Canada? Has it ever gotten this warm up in Canada? I know it is not eternal winter up here but I did figure summer/early fall temps would be a lot more mild than they are in the States. Still, I decided to don a black Iron Maiden t-shirt for this trip to downtown. My wardrobe decision ended up making my trip a lot more memorable, but more on that later!


I haven't been to as many local establishments as I would have liked on this trip so far. Typical American, I ended up going with the familiar instead of the local. To be honest though, if you are not familiar with the area, chances are you will frequent the establishment with the fewest question marks. I've had many a bad moment travelling when I would try something a little "too different" cuisine wise i.e. Greek food in New York City (no disrespect, my stomach raised on Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine just did not agree with it). Still, there was a place I have been dying to visit since I first heard about it via a YouTube channel that sparked my interest in the city to begin with: The Bar-B-Barn.


The name of the establishment tells you all you need to know. Barbecue. I'm down. I'm there. Ribs and a cold beer are just what the doctor ordered.


It is very easy to find the Bar-B-Barn if you follow the instructions by legendary Montreal DJ Ralph Lockwood: on Guy St, between Dorchester and St. Catharine downtown. So, going on that old commercial, I took the Metro to the Rue Guy station, and looked for St. Catherine St. Once I found it, I just walked until I saw the sign marking the location of the Bar-B-Barn.

Once inside, I loved the down home and friendly atmosphere of the place. I loved the decor with its wood paneled walls and lots of pictures of Montreal sports legends everywhere. I felt right at home there from the minute I stepped in. For the first time since my trip began, I did not feel like a stranger. I felt like I had just walked down the street to the local bar at home.

The lady at the bar was very friendly and took care of me right away. I ordered a ribs and chicken combo platter to be washed down by a bottle of Labatt 50. Yes, I know, I did not order a micro, but I like Labatt's and I always wanted to try the classic Labatt 50. Solid little brew. Besides, I was in Canada!

While I was waiting for my order to arrive, a man who was eating at another table asked about my t-shirt. It spawned a great conversation about music and the rich musical scene that Montreal is known for. He is a regular at the Bar-B, and lives in the Montreal suburb of Valleyfield, but has purchased some land near Sherbrooke and is building a home there. He shared stories on when he was on the stage crew at the Montreal Forum for a veritable Who's Who in music. You name it, he was there on the stage crew for the show, from Bryan Adams to ZZ Top. To the best of my judgment he was not bullshitting me, and the lady who was tending bar confirmed that he was telling the truth. Such an amazing dude, but I cannot for the life of me remember his name. I told him about my own band and about what we have done, and how Montreal is one of the cities we would love to do a show in eventually.


While I ate, we continued the conversation and he shared his political opinions as well. When he asked what I thought of our current president, I politely said "No comment" because being a foreigner I didn't want to get into a "my country is better than yours" pissing match. However, he was also no fan of the current Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau. My acquaintance was a very well spoken and sensible dude, who knew music and current events, but was also very middle of the road. He also gave me a tip on where to get the best poutine in the city.


How was the food at the Bar-B? Well, it was not the best I ever had, but it was still pretty damn good all of the same, and the friendly atmosphere and the great people put the experience over the top for me. Before I left, I went over and shook his hand and thanked him for the wonderful conversation, and that I hoped to run into him again. After that, it was back out into the sauna.


However, despite the heat, the evening was pleasant enough for me to walk around St. Catherine St and just take in the vibe of this excellent neighborhood. Went into a few sporting goods stores to see if I could find some Canadian Football merchandise, but was unsuccessful. Plenty of NFL gear though. which I can easily get at home! I'm in a city that is home to a CFL team! Where's the merch for the Montreal Alouettes?

The heat was starting to wear me down, so I decided to head back to the hotel. There is a rock club near the hotel and there were many punkers and metalheads donning their black leather and jeans even in this humidity. Must be a show going on. However, since I look more like a dweeb and less like a proper rocker, I decided not to check out the show. Air conditioning, snacks from the depanneur, and the CFL game on the TV kept my attention for the rest of the night before I dozed off.


Day 2 all in all was a fantastic day, and Sunday appeared to be more of the same. Well, it was at first...


To Be Continued...