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| - Based on the stellar reviews of my fellow Yelpers, I found myself at Emiliano's for dinner, a Mexican restaurant in the French quarter of Montréal, drinking a variation of a Manhattan called 'El Caballero de Kentucky'. While that might all sound very wrong to the uninitiated, there was something oh-so-very right about all that!
Let's start with the restaurant itself - classic Vieux-Montréal on the outside, yet comfortably modern on the inside, with clean lines and an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs do their magic. The bar, while small, is plenty comfortable enough for a drink before your dinner or if you're dining solo.
Let's get back to that drink named after a gentleman from Kentucky - this is a great variation on a Manhattan, made with Makers Mark, vermouth, and Grand Marnier. It's amazing how the Grand Marnier adds a bit of sweet smoothness to the drink, making for a perfect cocktail. If you like your brown liquors, you should try out this drink.
Emiliano's specializes in a more upscale Mexican experience, and the talent of their chefs comes through in the flavor of their food. I'm a big lover of chiles rellenos, and the one at Emiliano's is an interesting twist on the classic, featuring a roasted poblano pepper stuffed with spaghetti squash, cheese, raisins and pine nuts, and a black bean hummus, topped with a nice crema fresca - a simply delicious combination of flavors inside a lightly fried poblano. This is, hands down, the best chile relleno I've ever had. The dish is also served with a lovely pineapple and corn yellow rice, rounding out the presentation nicely.
The chefs at Emiliano's have come up with some masterful takes on classic Mexican fare, and the staff is very friendly (and kept me on my toes, with me switching between English, French, and Spanish at different times during the evening). In any language, Emiliano's should definitely be on your food tour of Montréal. Bon appétit... y buen provecho!
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