After tantalizing our taste buds in Tétreaultville, a legendary burger is coming downtown.
Simon Jodoin-Bouchard, also known as Simon of the East, is a barbecue master (as well as rubs and spices), author of two books (one about barbecue and one about burgers), and king of the smash burger... but definitely not a chef he insists.
Simon is a unique product of hard work, determination, passion, and a little bit of luck. "Back in 2016 I was working in a factory. It was a job out of necessity, where I couldn’t wait for the weekend when I could smoke my own meat, blend my own seasonings, and make my own barbecue sauces," he admits.
In 2017, unforeseen events had him up against a wall with no work. But looking back now, was he up against a wall or simply staring straight into his future?
His passion for the art of American-style barbecue first led him to sell his spices, rubs and sauces to those around him—marketing his S.J.B sauces, and then competing in some of the largest barbecue gatherings in the United States. His brisket placed third (and his chicken placed 8th) out of 60 competitors in his first competition in Texas.
Not bad for a self-taught guy from Tétreaultville.
Every time Simon returned from a trip south, he was even more inspired and motivated. And from 2017 to 2020, he racked up accolades at one barbecue competition after the next participated while working a job on the side that didn’t serve him. (Little did he know then that one day, one of his burgers would win the public vote in Montreal and rank second in Canada during Burger Week.)
In 2021, in the midst of the pandemic, he remembered the words of his great friend (and now business partner) Alexandre Clément-Deschenes: "If you ever want to open something one day, I believe in your potential and I'm ready to invest." A phone call, a meeting, and 48 hours later, he took over a space that now makes his hometown proud: Chez Simon Cantine Urbaine.
"Chez Simon Cantine Urbaine is where everything I know how to do in life intersects," he humbly explains . "The shock of seeing the lineup of customers outside on day 1, day 2, day 3... The jars of pickles and jalapeños that were meant to last months but disappeared in a week. I couldn’t get my head around what was happening!"
The recipe for his success certainly lies in the spice blends that he uses generously to season his sauces, his famous chili, and his meat, but also in his skill and willingness to share his techniques and knowledge.
But make no mistake: People don't just flock to this snack bar in Tétreaultville for Simon’s smash burgers. He hands down makes the best chili cheese fries in town, a specialty still (sadly) unknown in Quebec.
Picture a mountain of crispy fries topped with his mouth watering chili, Tex-Mex cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro, not to mention the extra yellow mustard that’s "optional but highly recommended". It's enough to make you salivate, and we haven’t even talked about his poutine.
If we told you that these chili cheese fries, plus Simon’s famous smash burger and other deeply flavourful dishes inspired by the American Southwest, are arriving at Time Out Market Montreal this month, would you walk or run?
RECOMMENDED:
Full guide to the best restaurants in Montreal
Best burgers in Montreal right now
Best cheap eats in Montreal