Look At Martin Picard’s Oh-So-Rustic Latest, La Cabane d’à Côté [Updated]

Martin Picard, the chef and owner of famed Québécois food temple Au Pied de Cochon has a new restaurant, La Cabane d’à Côté — and while it’s been open a couple of weeks, it has remained fairly mysterious. Until now.

Eater has acquired some pictures from inside Picard’s first new opening in almost a decade, and — unsurprisingly, given its countryside location 45 minutes north of Montreal — it’s pretty darn warm and rustic. Picard is joined by Pied de Cochon co-owner Marc Beaudin and chef Vincent Dion Lavallée as co-owners in the new project.

The photos are down below, but for those who are unfamiliar with the newcomer, La Cabane d’à Côté is located near the existing Pied de Cochon sugar shack in St-Benoît-de-Mirabel (near the exurb of Mirabel). It’s billed as “a return to classics” of Québécois fare, though the menu is only revealed once diners are on-site (however, some social media scouting indicates that pain de fesse, meaty cipaille, and tarte au sucre have all made appearances).

Update (Feb 28): The shack is also a big promotion for longtime Pied de Cochon chef Dion Lavallée: he’s a relatively new partner with the Pied de Cochon group (only since 2016) but is heading up operations at La Cabane d’à Côté. Dion Lavallée tells Eater that the return to an earthy approach is exciting for him

“It’s getting back to the earth, to the food source, that gets me excited. Cooking with fresh-picked vegetables, that’s what I like.”

“We want it to be a ‘country style’ menu. Putting together a menu that comes entirely from the land here, that’s a big motivation,” adds Dion Lavallée.

Anybody seeking to be one of those diners should act fast, since reservations are pretty much gone, although the restaurant’s Facebook page and various other social media platforms for Au Pied de Cochon may occasionally announce open spaces due to cancellations. For those who can’t make it out of the city, feast thine eyes on La Cabane d’à Côté, wood-powered evaporateur and all.

Frédéric Laroche

Frédéric Laroche

Frédéric Laroche

Frédéric Laroche

André-Olivier Lyra

Frédéric Laroche

Frédéric Laroche

Frédéric Laroche

Frédéric Laroche

• La Cabane d’à Côté [Facebook]
• Au Pied de Cochon’s Sugar Shack Is Adding a Second Restaurant [EMTL]
• Au Pied de Cochon’s ‘Shack Next Door’ Is Up and Running [EMTL]