There must be a thousand bars like this in Quebec, but the Parisians have a special affection for this one.  Maybe it’s the tacky rough-hewn wooden furniture, the hockey equipment on display, or of course, the moose head hanging behind the mirrored bar.  The “Montreal Canadians Ave.” sign is a nice touch.   There are at least six, wide-screen HDTV’s in the bar showing the NFL playoff game tonight.  No one pays attention to them.

Mike, a less-than-marginal former pro hockey player from Mississauga is tonight’s host.  He’s wearing his BC dinner jacket (an open, untucked plaid flannel shirt) along with a four-day stubble, and a less than casual attitude.  Nevertheless, his Parisian guests seem to be quite enamored with his northern charm.    They like to order about six feet away from him so he can slide beers down the bar to them.   The 20-something girls smile when he pops the caps on bottles of Moosehead Pale Ale even though they are 6 euros each. 

Even the French know their limits, which means the pub fare is pretty good.   The bacon cheeseburger is juicy and the le roi of the menu.  To the delight of the guests, it is served in a red plastic basket on top of a napkin with fries.   The beef has a rich taste.  The bun is slightly toasted and is fresh, not out of a plastic wrapper.   The pickles, however, lack crunch and taste.   It would be better if the bacon were more fatty and pliable but the creamy and aromatic cheese more than makes up for it.    It is 13.50 euros.  Loonies are not accepted as payment.

The rest of the food is quite good too.  The quesadillas are crunchy and filled with aromatic cheese. 

The website is: http://www.mooseparis.com