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| - One of the (many) restaurants we decided to visit while on a road trip to Montreal. This was probably one of the harder ones to find, especially when it was so far East. They have parking right in front of the restaurant so if you are driving, parking is quite convenient.
Décor was simple, yet chic and roomy. Everything is neat, and black and white with hard wood floors, which felt somewhat homey. Staff is friendly; we had the chance to meet their head chef, who was super friendly and warm. He took the time to introduce the dishes on their menu so that we know what we were ordering (and wouldn't complain after). Also had some chitchats about the city, which made it a casual and relaxing dining atmosphere. It was also quite convenient for us to be seated in the giant booth right in front of the kitchen (not too sure if it was a good idea for our clothes) so it was quite comfy and we could see what was happening in the kitchen; the chef would also visit us every now and then.
Onto the food: the calamari was nice, not too greasy and the crispiness was there. The coating was not overly thick so that all you're eating was breading and feel insanely bloated after. One of their classics, the Aritisan black pudding (blood sausage), was an interesting dish; probably the most interesting one I had in Montreal. The texture was not overly soft to my surprise, but would probably go better with some carbs on the side. The flavor was also pretty balanced, not overly salty or bland. Presentation was, well, the only thing that set me off (kind of reminded me of what my dogs would leave out in the backyard). The mushroom ravioli is also worth a try - presentation was very colourful but the portion was actually a bit too much. It was also a bit greasy so I had to skim it a bit, but overall the dish tasted fresh especially with the wine sauce and cheese and veggies, which helped to counter the greasiness a bit.
I would DEFINITELY come back for their Paris Brest - caramel cream sandwiched between two baked rings of choux pastry and garnished with caramelized almonds. A rather sweet dessert, but goes oh so well with a cup of coffee.
Friendly staff and fine food, what's not to love.
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