La Belle & La Boeuf — Review by Randy Santel

The Dishes

The star of the day was undoubtedly the Spank Me Burger Challenge, featuring an impressive 800 grams of Canadian Angus beef cooked to a perfect medium rare. The burger came towering with eight slices of cheese, eight strips of bacon, eight tomato slices, fresh lettuce, pickles, and onions. What truly set this burger apart was the generous topping of poutine directly on the patty, complete with gravy and cheese curds that helped everything go down smoothly. The hot sauce and spicy mayo on the bottom bun added perfect flavor without overwhelming the quality beef. Randy described the beef as delicious and praised the bun for being substantial without being excessively heavy.

Beyond the main challenge, Randy also sampled the Montreal grilled cheese sandwich, which featured smoked meat, lots of cheese, pickles, and mustard. He noted that while the restaurant had an epic ladder burger challenge available with peanut butter, he wisely chose to skip it given his current diet. The meal concluded with the restaurant's famous Kool-Aid pickles in cherry flavor, which Randy found sweet and delicious, noting it was the first cherry variation he'd tried despite having seen similar pickles made by other competitive eaters in the past.

The Experience

La Belle & La Boeuf provided an energetic atmosphere with lots of friends and supporters showing up for the challenge. The restaurant is conveniently located near the Bell Centre where the Montreal Canadiens play, making it an accessible spot for locals and visitors alike. The staff were accommodating, grilling the burger to Randy's exact specifications of medium rare without adding excessive mayonnaise. The challenge is structured as a one-sitting time limit designed as a spectacle, particularly encouraged when crowds are present. There's a Wall of Fame where successful challengers get their name and photo displayed. The restaurant features a massive menu beyond just the burger challenges, with multiple TV screens throughout the space.

Value & Pricing

The Spank Me Burger Challenge costs approximately $70 CAD, which converts to around $50 USD. It's structured as a pay-to-play challenge where you pay regardless of success or failure. Winners receive a commemorative T-shirt and their name and photo on the Wall of Fame. The restaurant operates 19 or more locations throughout the Montreal area, making it widely accessible. For those not attempting challenges, the regular menu items appear reasonably priced given the quality and portion sizes.

Notable Moments

That burger was one of the best burgers I've ever had in Montreal.

Not only did the chef cook it medium rare like I wanted, but also they didn't add an obscene amount of mayonnaise on the bottom bun. So I'm actually able to enjoy everything.

Randy completed the challenge in 24 minutes and 58 seconds, beating Adam Beard Meats Food's previous time of 18 minutes and 42 seconds. Fellow challenger AC or Alandro had finished in 22 minutes. The restaurant's famous Kool-Aid pickles became a fun talking point, with the staff explaining these are served on all their burgers and can be enjoyed as dessert.

The Verdict

La Belle & La Boeuf is a must-visit destination in Montreal for burger enthusiasts and food challenge competitors alike. Even if you're not attempting one of their famous challenges, the massive menu offers plenty of delicious options including various grilled cheeses, poutine variations, and other entrees. The quality of their Canadian Angus beef combined with Montreal-specific items like smoked meat and poutine makes this a uniquely local experience worth seeking out. With 19 locations throughout the Montreal area, accessibility is excellent. Randy wholeheartedly recommends the restaurant and expressed interest in returning for other menu items or challenges in the future.