Pamela MacNaughtanLast Updated on October 17, 2024 by Pamela MacNaughtan
A sweet smokiness permeates within the walls of Faite à l’os, causing one’s tastebuds to water the moment you walk in the door. The restaurant itself is small, dark and earthy, and a red neon pig with the word BBQ in the center hangs on one of the walls.
I stumbled upon Faite à l’os earlier this year when ordering dinner from UberEats. Like many in Québec, I made very few restaurant visits during the pandemic, instead, I relied on delivery services. Such was the case during a staycation with Hôtel Nomad in Vieux Québec.
Intrigued by the idea of southern BBQ, I ordered BBQ chicken, cajun fries, bacon maison, and cornbread. Everything was good, a pleasant surprise as many restaurants fail when it comes to converting their dine-in food for delivery. Faite à l’os, however, is doing everything right.
Five months later, I finally made it to their restaurant on Grande Allée.
Southern barbecue & traditional Quebec cuisine at Faite à l’os
Since opening its doors in 2018, Faite à l’os has become a popular spot with locals, so I choose to reserve ahead. The vibe is laidback, and hip-hop music from the 90s and early aughts plays in the background as I contemplate what to order.
On this visit, I have decided to explore more of the southern BBQ side of the menu (I’ll return for a night of Québec eats). I start with an order of cornbread, and the pork belly, which is cooked sous-vide for 48 hours, then cold-smoked for 3 hours. It’s served on a bed of buttery corn purée. Perfectly cooked pork belly is a foodgasmic experience, and this one was very very close.
Next was my main, a duo of ribs (3) and brisket (2 slices) served with coleslaw, cornbread, and a dill pickle slice. I also had an order of bacon maison, which is essentially thickly sliced pork belly that is both crunchy and soft.
It’s a lot of meat, a lot of pork to be specific. I mean, I basically sat down and chose to play a gluttonous game of Russian roulette. It was worth every moment – even though I was quite full before finishing the brisket. Ha!
In terms of drinks, there are plenty of beers available, including a house blonde, as well as an intriguing list of cocktails and wines. Want to thank the staff? You can buy them a beer for just $5. The Québec side of the menu features dishes like duck confit, foie gras, bourgot, and tartiflette.
A vegetarian burger, as well as vegetarian chicken and waffles, are also available.
Eat at Faite à l’os
price: mains 21 – 33 CAD
where: montcalm • 637, grande allée est • faitealos.com • open: wed – sun 17h – 22h
