text: It really pains me to give Au Pied de Cochon 2 stars, but honestly it didn't live up to the expectations I had for it. It was one of my top 3 musts for my visit to Montreal. Before the appetizers came I was telling my brother how I thought this could possibly be my favorite restaurant ever. I can be wrong from time to time.\n\nThe food was hit and miss. Everything sounds amazing when you read it off the menu, but the execution of some of the dishes left much to be desired. It's probably mentioned a lot but it really can't be emphasized enough: almost all the food is really heavy, fatty, and salty. Items I remember trying and would get again: Foie Gras Poutine (obligatory and good), Duck Carpaccio (best dish of the night), Foie Gras Cromesquis (wasn't amazing but it's interesting and I don't know anywhere else that I could get something like this), and another Foie Gras dish I didn't learn the name of. Dishes I probably didn't enjoy that much: Duck in a can (it was not bad, but I wouldn't get it again since it's so salty and at $44, hefty pricing too), Cod Fritters (meh), Lobster Risotto (ugh the risotto was undercooked and too dry for my taste and everyone else's taste at our table so it was a big disappointment), and the PDC Melting Pot (oh god, the worst thing hands down...all the meats were overcooked to the 7th depth of hell and it was all hard and dry...also no pork belly was in it as promised), and lastly, the Creme Brulee was a major dropping of the ball too (the creme was more like wet curds of tofu in texture and it was sour...what the hell). Creme Brulee is my brother's favorite dessert hands down and you guys made him depressed all night over how bad it was. \n\nThe servers are really awesome. The main dude was on point as a server. He memorizes orders, is charismatic and helpful, great personality and slightly funny. My brother and I ordered a shit ton and he challenged us to finish it all. We finished everything except we had to take the leftover Melting Pot home. He called us out when we asked for the to-go box for not finishing but it wasn't because we were full. It was just really inedible. I didn't have the heart to tell him that we won the challenge essentially... on top of adding that shitty ass Creme Brulee for dessert afterwards. \n\nGlad I tried it out albeit pretty disappointing. The menu is still interesting enough, but I'd probably not come back with all the other great Montreal restaurants around. Le Club Chasse et Peche would be my next target probably (I hear it's the same owner).