Ask me which restaurant brand I miss most in Montreal and I will always name Red Lobster, which mysteriously disappeared from Quebec back in 1997. Red Lobster still operates in four Canadian provinces – Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. There are two locations in Ottawa. The one at 1499 St. Laurent Blvd., just as you enter the city, has always been our “go to” spot. Twenty years ago, I did a few reviews for my newspapers and connected with General Manager Ian Forrester. When I went there for a curbside pickup back in December, Ian was still on the job. It turns out he has been there for an incredible 36 years.
More recently, I did a more extensive order. The place was packed, and people were waiting for tables. Meanwhile, the lineup at the bar for pickup and delivery orders was long as well. “We get a lot of Montrealers who drive up here on the weekend just to dine with us,” said Forrester. “They clearly miss Red Lobster. I frankly cannot believe how many of them come here.”
Now that family reasons bring me to the Nation’s Capital more often, we are thrilled to have this option while secretly hoping the brand will return to Quebec one day. Word has it that before the pandemic, Red Lobster officials were scouting Montreal for potential locations. Now that the restaurant industry is getting back to normal, perhaps this will indeed become a reality.
A Great Menu
Red Lobster is the world’s largest seafood restaurant company, headquartered in Orlando, Florida, with more than 55,000 employees in over 700 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada. For our most recent visit the three of us started off with an appetizer of seafood stuffed mushrooms. That was followed by bowls of piping hot clam chowder and lobster bisque to share and, of course, the mouth-watering signature biscuits. You get two per serving and there is an option to order a half dozen more — good to wrap in a plastic baggie and take home to enjoy. These delicious and soft rolls are not something you will find anywhere else.
For the main course I chose the Lobster Lover’s Dream — a roasted rock lobster tail, butter-poached Maritime lobster tail and lobster-and-shrimp linguini in a creamy lobster sauce, served with a side of rice. My wife ordered double lobster tails, with a side of mashed potato and crispy Brussel sprouts. As for my daughter, she opted for the Seafarer’s Feast — broiled Maritime lobster tail, seared sea scallops, garlic shrimp and Walt’s Favourite Shrimp. It was served with melted butter, lemon, cocktail sauce and a choice of side — in this case mashed.
There are some nice desserts as well, such as the chocolate wave cake with a side of vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. You can find many other tempting items on the menu, such as Date Night Feast for Two — two butter-poached Maritime lobster tails, two seven-ounce sirloins, two jumbo grilled shrimp skewers and a shareable Bacon Mac & Cheese, plus a choice of one side for each guest. The Lobster-Topped Stuffed Tilapia features tilapia roasted with their signature seafood stuffing and topped with Maritime lobster in a creamy lobster beurre blanc and a choice of two sides.
