Over Labor Day weekend I was in Montreal visiting a friend who insisted if I wanted to taste the best the city has to offer we needed to eat at Au Pied de Cochon. \n\nAfter making reservations nearly two months in advance, last Saturday night we went for dinner.  The restaurant is sparsely decorated with hardwood floors, plain tables, and an open kitchen.  It is clear that the main focus at Au Pied is not the decor, but the food.\n\nFor starters we enjoyed the Foie Gras Cromesquis.  These tasty fried cubes of liquefied foie gras explode in your mouth the instant they are bitten into releasing way more flavor than can be imagined.  Next my friend and I both chose the Bison Tartare as an appetizer.  Served in the bowl it was prepared in, the bison meat is mixed with onions and a minimal amount of spices and comes with half a quail egg for the dinner to mix into the meat.  The preparation is simple, but it really allows all the flavor to come out.  For an entree my friend insisted I try the Duck in a Can.  At first this sounded odd, but after our server explained the preparation I was sold.  The meal includes a large portion of foie gras, duck meat, as well as a good helping of duck fat.  Since the meal is stored in the can before it is served, all the flavors melt together into one incredibly rich dish.  For dessert, we shared a blueberry pie for two.  The crust was layered with an almond paste, fresh Canadian blueberries, and topped with a thin layer of cr\u00e8me br\u00fbl\u00e9e.  With all these ingredients I assumed the dessert would be heavy, but it was surprisingly airy without losing any of the flavor.\n\nOne of the best parts of the experience was our server.  He answered any and all of our questions, and we could tell he was excited and passionate about the food.\n\nOverall, I'd have to say that my meal at Au Pied de Cochon was one of the best meals I've had in a long while.