With the exception of the excellent on-site butcher for take out, we are not fans of the West Island’s 40Westt. In the handful of times we have been over the years, our experience has always been similar: the dining room is impressive and over the top opulent, the food is decent, but the prices are exorbitant and the service is a bizarre combination of aloof and pretentious, which leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
40Northh has the same opulent feel and solid food, but the staff are accommodating and welcoming, and the whole vibe is much more laid-back. Maybe it’s because they spend their days dealing with tourists as opposed to regulars, or just because the out-of-town locale lends itself less to arrogance.
We arrived for lunch with our kids in tow, and the hostess didn’t bat an eye, graciously seating us in a quiet corner. Since it was lunch we opted for a meal for appetizer plates rather than mains, which the waiter had no problem accommodating. The oysters were so fresh that we ordered a second round; the tuna tartare was excellent; the beef tartare was the only real disappointment – it was under-seasoned and lacked the texture and bite of roughly cracked pepper; the crab cakes were perfectly cooked to a golden crust and molten middle. This is traditional steak house cuisine, not out-of-the-box, but extremely well executed. Wine service was professional and the selection was well balanced and priced, even by the glass, which is especially rare in steakhouses. Service was attentive, without being intrusive, and very crisp.
In a nutshell: if you are up North and feel the need to be spoiled, 40Northh is money well spent.
