The New York Times has died and gone to “rotisserie chicken heaven” in a new article bestowing heaps of praise on Montreal’s BBQ chicken scene.
“Looking for rotisserie chicken heaven? It’s in Montreal,” opens the piece from New Orleans-based food reporter Brett Anderson, who places it alongside poutine, smoked meat and bagels in the pantheon of Canadian culinary classics (all Montreal-centric, of course).
Anderson covers Little Italy’s Rôtisserie La Lune, the more formal spot from the venerated Mon Lapin team, but he also shares a few words on the iconic bird slingers, from the “snug booths” at the pine-panelled Chalet Bar-B-Q in N.D.G., the defunct Laurier BBQ (without including its failed dalliance with celeb-chef Gordon Ramsey) and the rise of the mega chain St-Hubert BBQ.
The Times also delved into the Portuguese influence on our chicken, with nods to Plateau-Mont-Royal staples Coco Rico and Romados.
Montrealers reacted to the piece.
“Montreal has the best food scene in the world right now. And it’s not even close,” said Shopify’s Harley Finkelstein on X. He called La Lune “one of my favorite restaurants on the planet.”
“In Montreal even the rotisserie chicken is amazing!” said Leslie Roberts, Montreal city councillor for Peter-McGill.
Americans also shared their thoughts. Vulture’s Rebecca Alter said on X: “It really is a rotisserie culture up there. Way more Portuguese cultural influence, plus national chains like Swiss Chalet and St-Hubert, for which there are no American equiv(alent)s (boston market is a very different thing).. in case you were wondering…”
La Lune received a Bib Gourmand recommendation, given to restaurants of “good quality, good value” in last year’s inaugural Michelin Guide for Quebec and Montreal.
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