A while ago, H4C opened up in Montreal and we were fortunate enough to try out their dinner. We enjoyed dinner there, and when we heard that they would be rolling out brunch we were excited. This part of St Henri has been changing over the last couple years with new restaurants and condos popping up here and there. This takes a normally working class area and changes the landscape. I don’t particularly feel like re-living my university day discussions about gentrification so I will avoid the social commentary and get the point that there is a new good brunch spot in the area that makes some really creative dishes that you would normally see in the Plateau or Mile End.

Why is it called H4C? While I cannot explain their decision for naming it this, I can tell you that the names refers to the postal code. It took me a while to discover that and to be honest although I find it odd, it’s quite easy to remember so good job on that front. The location itself is easy to get to with a metro close by and ample parking around. The immediate area is not saturated with restaurants so it is on its own.

Food The menu we had just recently changed and although some items are still on the newer one, do expect certain items to appear and disappear which is always appreciated and keeps a menu from getting boring. On average, most dishes will be in the $15 range with some entrées and coffee is $3.50 with refills. The menu at the time was:

We started the service with some brioche and doughnuts ($16) that came with an assortment of jams. The sugar covering the doughnuts was not necessary since they were good, even plain. The brioche mini bread was a welcomed addition and made for a nice introduction into our meal ahead.

The gravlax salmon on and poached egg ($16) was a great pick with a stand out gravlax salmon and an avocado puree which worked well. This was the first time I have seen this pairing. The presentation also took my breath away.

The omelette ($13.50) was an interesting dish with cauliflower and curry. I was initially hesitant to see curry in an omelette but it worked and the portion was also quite generous.

Now, one dish on the menu called to me and that is the two eggs Benedict and joy choy ($15.50). I love this dish because Joy Choy is similar to bok choy which I adore. This is an interesting choice to put on a menu and it worked quite well with a thick slab of bacon to help.

Service Our wait staff was fun and they laughed with us. Our coffee was always refilled and they didn’t rush us out -all the things you want form a restaurant staff.

Vegetarian

There are some vegetarian options on the menu. Since the menu changes I cannot guarantee that, although the menu was not meat focused, it will likely carry over to whatever their next version is.

Wrap up

The menu is creative. The usage of sweetbreads, joy choy and other items is a courageous approach to brunch and makes it fun. More places should take their lead and be creative trying new items on the menu and not be afraid of breaking the rules. I did find the price at the end of everything can get a little high but you won’t find many brunches in the city that have bok choy and sweetbreads on their menu so the extra money can be merited if you value that.

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Price	$$$$	$15-$20
Overall		4.5/5
Wheelchair Access	NO	0/3
Parking	Parking Meter & Street	Easy
BUS	78, 191, 371, 17, 36	Get Directions
Metro	Place St-Henri	1 minutes