This is not my first time visiting Brodeur’s, for their blend of Montreal and New Orleans cuisine (the only one of its kind in BC, that I am aware of). And truthfully my original visit was so lack lustre that at the time I had no plans of returning. So now I am glad that I did and have a new found opinion on this place. Although worth noting was that my original visit was during Covid’s up and down restaurant closures and indoor seating regulations, and the quality of restaurants in general was inconsistent as best. Therefore, I am beyond happy to have had this redemption meal to be able to report them as a great stop for any meal when visiting Abbotsford,
Walking into this apprehensively we started with frozen spiked beverages to set the mood. My guest went for the Frozen margarita with your choice of strawberry or lime, he went with the lime. Espolon Blanco Tequilla, Cointreau, and lime for a cheek sucking, lip pinching tartness.
I went sweet with the White peach Bellini. A fun classic with Captain Morgan white rum, Veuve du vernay, and peach schnappes, topped with red sangria. It reminded you of the sour that transitions to sweet when you have a fuzzy peach candy.
The menu is meant to satisfy. It is a page turner with French Canadian classics, dishes that you’d expect from a Southern restaurant menu (minus the Barbecue); and all the familiar, casual chain and bar staples in between. After you narrow down your entree choices, you then have to figure out what side you want to pair with it. Each dish comes with your choice of sides that you pick from 27 possible options. Some of which are smaller versions of the mains, so you can really maximize and try a lot of what they offer between 2 people. We went for the French Canadian and New Orleans inspired entrees and paired each with the side that would partner best flavour profile wise. And I must say, we did an amazing job at it.
The Brodeur’s cordon bleu is a whole chicken, stuffed with Montreal smoked meat and smoked Gouda. Baked and smothered in a Cajun Alfredo sauce. We wanted to try their Montreal style smoke meat, but both are not fans of having it piled high and layered heavy in a sandwich. Here, it was a nice surprise at the centre of supple white meat, adding saltiness and the familiarity of a nice ham and cheese combination. It also came with some crusty garlicky crostini as a break and a base for a sandwich-like vibe when eaten with the meat and cheese.
For its side we went with the Asparagus sautéed with garlic butter. Here, we needed the freshness of a vegetable to balance thing out. Especially as the cordon blue cheddar cheese sauce was so heavy. A nice additional dollop of a sour cream would have also helped.
This is a Quebcois classic: Tourtiere a meat pie with pork, beef, mushrooms, and onions. It was as heavy as it sounds. Typically when I have this, I do so with ketchup for contrast and to counter balance with acidity. Here, they offered a side salad, but it was not enough. The side of tomato soup we ordered below, did it for me.
This we turned into a feast with the side of white cheddar mashed potatoes done chunky thanksgiving style, accompanied by plenty of classic gravy. The additional side of cornbread was a nice surprise. It was dense with its familiar crumble, further sweetened with the side of creamed butter for spreading,
We got a bit more Montreal smoked meat by way of their Pierre’s Cuban with Montreal smoked meat, chicken, bacon, Swiss cheese, tomatoes, and chipotle heat sauce. This was a nice deli sandwich with crisp and salty meat and cheeses.
Naturally, the best pairing for this is a Spiced tomato bisque. The overly spicy and salty punches of the cuban is given new life with the creamy tomato soup and the crunchy pickle skewer. This was my favourite of our well curated pairings.
And if you are thinking New Orleans, you have to look to the Blackened catfish lightly spiced with pico de gallo, accompanied by their Cajun creole sauce and Cajun rice. A southern staple that ate as exciting as it read. There was so much flavour in the spice rub. The regular side of a less creamy slaw helped to brighten up the dish, and the crunchy pitas made for a nice base or break in between bites, as well as absorbing some of the extra grease from the fried fish. Honestly, I did not expect this pita to be this good.
We made the right call in choosing the rice as our elective. The fish needed a more absorbent base and the gently flavoured rice helped make for the ideal flavour profile. Softened fish and firm rice is so nice.
And for dessert we could not say no to the Mini beignets. Fried nuggets of doughnut-like dough in a crispy shell, partnered with a maple syrup dip. The combination of liquid sweetness and powdered sugar causes an enjoyable explosion in your mouth. Definitely end your dinner with this sweet note.
In closing, everything we had was so flavourful and so comforting. The fun is in choosing the right side to extend your meal. I truly appreciated been given the opportunity to get a second shake of the place. There is nothing else like this in BC, making it a must visit when you are next coming into or passing through Abbotsford.
Brodeur’s Bistro
550 Mount Lehman Rd, Abbotsford, BC V4X 2M9
(604) 746-5900
bbistro.ca
