Pointe-St-Charles Is Getting a New Haitian Restaurant Next Month

A new Haitian restaurant is setting up shop in a former hair salon in Pointe-Saint-Charles.

Cantine Burgz, which seats 10, is scheduled to open its doors at 1243 Charlevoix Street by the end of March. The casual eatery will serve hearty Haitian meals to diners on the go.

While Cantine Burgz is located in Pointe-Saint-Charles, the restaurant’s name is a reference to nearby Little Burgundy, the neighbourhood where owner Jackson Joseph grew up.

Focusing on staples of Haitian cuisine, Joseph is keeping the menu simple. Cantine Burgz will offer a selection of classic dishes, including griyo (spiced, fried pork, served with salad), bannann peze (fried plantain), legume (eggplant and cabbage mixed with beef stew), rice and beans, and pikliz (pickled cabbage with grated bell peppers, and carrots).

Vegetarian and vegans options will also be available. Expect dishes to fall in between $10 and $12.

“I want people to be able to afford the food because if you take a look at a lot of the restaurants opening up around here … eating out really adds up,” Joseph said.

Beyond filling the Haitian restaurant void in the area, Joseph aims to introduce a younger generation to Little Burgundy’s history through the restaurant’s decor.

The walls of Cantine Burgz will pay tribute to Rockhead’s Paradise, the former Montreal jazz club based in Little Burgundy, which established the city as the “Harlem of the North.” The venue featured prominent jazz musicians and singers from the 1930s to the 1950s, including Ella Fitzgerald, Oliver Jones, Oscar Peterson, and Billie Holliday.

Joseph is also dedicating a separate lounge room and preparing a directory for customers to peruse businesses supporting Montreal’s black community. While he won’t be cooking the meals himself, employees of Cantine Burgz all hail from the Sud-Ouest.

“I want the restaurant to be as much a place for eating as well as a place for cultural exchange in the community and for discussions,” Joseph said. “Although Haitian cuisine is very meat-based, I want people who don’t eat meat or who don’t eat pork to still be able to enjoy a variation of traditional meals.”

• Cantine Burgz [Facebook]