Canadian snowbirds flocking to our little corner of paradise to escape their hideously frigid weather is nothing new. But we don’t often see a Canadian restaurant chain make the move south. . . until December, anyway.
That’s when the Montreal-based Madison’s New York Grill & Bar (I know, New York?) is expected to debut its first South Florida restaurant in the expansive, stylish space off Glades Road in Boca formerly home to Stephane’s. The chain, which has more than a dozen eateries in the Frozen Tundra, also plans to open another outlet in Pompano Beach, this one sometime in 2014.
Despite its Canadian pedigree, Madison’s food is pure Americana, with lunch dishes like spinach dip, Caesar salad, burgers and ribs, and dinner items ranging from shrimp cocktail and seared tuna to pasta primavera and prime rib. Cheesecakes, chocolates and crème brulee round out the dessert menu.
The wine list is perhaps more impressive than the menu, with some 90 wines available by the bottle and 24 by the glass. Of course, there’s a full bar and roster of craft beers.
All that could be a winning formula, but the relatively obscure Northwest Executive Center Circle location is a tough one. And as we saw from the recent redo of nearby Red Steakhouse—a gorgeous, smartly run restaurant with excellent food—you can get all the important stuff right and still struggle. I hope these Canadian folks know what they’re getting into.
