Gibeau Orange Julep facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gibeau Orange Julep |
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Gibeau Orange Julep storefront
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| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1932 |
| Food type | Restaurant specializing in "Orange Julep" |
| Street address | 7700 Décarie Boulevard |
| City | Montreal, Quebec |
| Postal/ZIP code | H4P 2H4 |
| Country | Canada |
| Coordinates | 45°29′45″N 73°39′24″W / 45.4957°N 73.6568°W |
The Gibeau Orange Julep restaurant is a famous spot in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. People often call it OJ or The Big Orange. It's a fast food restaurant and a fun place to visit. The building itself looks like a giant orange! It's three stories tall and about 40 feet wide.
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History of the Big Orange
The Gibeau Orange Julep restaurant started in 1932. A man named Hermas Gibeau created it. He wanted to sell his special drink, the Gibeau Orange Julep. This drink was based on a secret family recipe.
Before opening his first restaurant, Hermas Gibeau sold his drinks. He sold them at Belmont Park. This was a popular amusement park back then. His first restaurant was on rue Sherbrooke Est. It was not shaped like an orange. The "Big Orange" building became famous later. It was his second location, on Decarie Blvd.
For a while, the Julep had cool waitresses. They wore roller skates and brought food to cars. Today, you order your food at the counter. You can take your food to go or eat at picnic tables. The restaurant opens at 8 AM every day. It stays open late, until 3 AM on Fridays and Saturdays. On other nights, it closes at 2 AM.
The Orange Building
In 1945, Hermas Gibeau built the orange-shaped restaurant. It was made of concrete and was two stories high. Some people believe he planned to live there with his family. The "Big Orange" on Decarie Boulevard is the only one left. There used to be several Gibeau Orange Julep restaurants. Many of them were also shaped like giant oranges.
A newspaper article from 1969 described the building. It said the original Orange Julep was built in 1945. It was round, concrete, and orange. It had a small square window. This made it look like something from a children's book.
The restaurant was rebuilt in 1966. It was made bigger and moved back from the road. This happened when the road became the Décarie Expressway. The new building's outside is made of fiberglass. These pieces came from a local pool maker. The fiberglass covers a wooden frame. At night, the whole building lights up from the outside.
This type of building is called mimetic architecture. It means the building's shape shows what it is for. For example, a building shaped like a hot dog would be a hot dog stand.
The Famous Orange Julep Drink
The famous Gibeau Orange Julep drink first came out in 1932. You can buy the drink at the restaurant. You can also find the Orange Julep juice in stores. There are even recipes online for it.
The current owner patented the recipe in 1993. The patent explains how the drink is made. Fruit juice is mixed with skim milk powder and pectin. This makes the juice less sour. Then, juice concentrate and vanilla flavor are added. This gives the drink a sweet, smooth taste. It doesn't have the strong sourness of regular juice.
Orange Juleps cost between $2.70 and $6.90. This depends on the cup size. You can also buy a whole jug for $11.20. Besides the drink, the restaurant sells fast food. They have hot dogs, burgers, and fries. They also sell poutine, a popular Canadian dish.
The Orange Julep also offers spaghetti with meat sauce. It costs $6.65. George St-Pierre is a famous Canadian fighter. He talked about the spaghetti in a 2014 movie. He said it was one of Montreal's best kept secrets. He said he had been going there for 15 years. He loves the spaghetti!
They also have vegetarian options. You can get a veggie burger, veggie hot dogs, and veggie pogos.
Events at the Julep
The Orange Julep hosts special events. On Wednesday nights, from May to October, it's a car show! Fancy cars and motorbikes gather there. This usually happens between 7 PM and 10 PM. Sometimes, it happens on Tuesdays and Thursdays too. If the weather is good, it can start as early as April. It can also go as late as November.
The Orange Julep in Media
The restaurant has appeared in a music video. It was for the song "Where Do the Boys Go?" by Men Without Hats. The Orange Julep is also active on social media. You can find it on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
On Instagram, people use hashtags and location tags for the Julep. The restaurant's Twitter account shares updates. It also connects with other popular Montreal accounts. The Facebook page used to be very active. It shared photos and reviews of the restaurant.
The Orange Julep is one of Montreal's original landmarks. This makes it a popular place for tourists. It has been mentioned on many travel websites. These include Tripadvisor, Trip Savvy, and Daily Hive. It has also been featured in local news like MTL Blog and the Montreal Gazette.
