Special Burger Review: Le Foubrac

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: January 27, 2018
Location: Gatineau, QC.
BurgerTours Rating: 7.9/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Great	Some Drip	$11-$15	Restaurant/Bar	Veggie, Patio, Liquor

Website
 

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Drew's Review

If you're looking for a really authentic Canadian meal, Le Foubrac is where you should be going. They have the fries you're looking for and the burgers to set them apart from other local restaurants. Le Foubrac offers a broad range of creative homemade burgers, poutines and desserts at good prices.

Le Foubrac first made its impact in Hull in 2013 when entrepreneur Daniel Morissette and his group invested in the site of a small café that recently closed down in the heart of Wrightville. Shortly after a concept and a refurbishment, Le Fourbrac opened with the attention focused on friendly service and a menu that revolves around sandwiches. The key is to do it right, use good ingredients and blend the flavours to come up with interesting dishes. That's exactly what Le Foubrac does.

The place was easy to find and they have a small parking lot. It can accommodate about 6-7 cars. However, I'm certain that there are a lot of street parking nearby.

We entered the restaurant/café shortly after 8pm on a Saturday night and it was packed. The seating is a little tight as the space is very small. Especially at the entrance as we had to stand and wait with another group for up to 20 minutes. You’ll also find when the winter comes they put up a black curtain to try and stop the cold wind from blowing in, which limits the space even more.

Le Foubrac/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

I ordered the signature, Le Foubrac – 100% beef topped with cream cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, caramelized onions, mushrooms and “Foubrac mayonnaise”. The patty was much thinner than patties at other restaurants, but I liked it that way, since I could actually taste all the different components of my burger instead of just having a bite of meat. My only criticism is the bun, good enough and they are homemade and would be great for a sandwich, but not soft as I would like them for a burger. I ended up spending less than 15$ on my meal and I couldn't even finish it.

On the side I ordered beef stew, and it was a great side option, especially in the winter.

As a restaurant that specializes in Burgers, this is a hit. Le Foubrac has great dynamic ambiance and the staff is very friendly and bilingual. The joint is small and cozy and can be absolutely full at certain times, but the food makes up for any wait times. Also, don't hesitate to choose a soup of the day instead of fries if you want a healthier meal. Will go back and I can't wait to try all their specialty poutines. I recommend this for anyone in the area looking for a tasty meal.

7.3/10

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Mark's Review

It’s 2018! And we’re back with another special edition burger tour. To start the year off, we travel 5 hours outside of Toronto to the city of Gatineau. This small city in Quebec, just across the Ottawa River is home to Le Foubrac.

Le Foubrac is known for their quaint and relaxed atmosphere where they invite people to enjoy a homemade burger or dessert with a glass of wine or draft beer, without hurting your wallet! Walking inside the restaurant, you are presented to paintings and sketches from local artists that adorn the interior. Something to keep yourself entertained while waiting to be seated or waiting for your meal. We visited on a busy Saturday night, from the looks of the crowd waiting to be seated, but we were able to acquire seats no longer than 30 minutes.

They offer a French and English menu, which was a plus for us non French speakers. Their products are always made fresh from local markets. Moulin de Soulanges provides them with fresh breads made with special flour localized from this bakery.

I took a small peak of their menu beforehand and it wasn’t long before I knew what I wanted to try.

Le Canard or the Duck Burger – it’s a duck meat patty with chicken, caramelized onions, mushrooms, and topped with a special Foubrac mayonnaise.

Le Canard/Photo by Mark Avila

Taking in that first bite I was shocked... there was no taste to the burger! I tried to comprehend on why that was... and taking bite after bite it just tasted bland. To my surprise, the sweetness of the caramelized onions together with the subtle spice of the Foubrac mayonnaise helped to bring the duck patty alive! It was a faint taste, but I could finally tell what I was eating. However, the chicken was nonexistent. Otherwise, the burger was a satisfying experience, which brought a mixed impression but finished on a good note.

Le Foubrac delivered with a casual menu, good food, and a relaxing dining experience.

Despite the long wait, I personally think it was worth it. Gatineau was our second burger tour in Quebec, with Montreal being our first; they definitely know how to work their burgers. If you ever find yourself in the Ottawa area, I would highly recommend taking the short drive across the Ottawa River to visit this neighbourhood burger joint.

8.5/10