If you are looking for a somewhat upscale dining experience with a great atmosphere, this is the place.
We were bored of eating in the Gay Village and decided to explore the old Montreal neighborhood. After an afternoon of walking around and enjoying the sights, we decided to eat. I wanted to go to this place called Les Remparts and realized that it is an upscale place with a strict dress code. We like dressing up for dinner. So, we decided to go back to the hotel and change. Came back to the neighborhood and realized Narcisse replaced Les Remparts. It still retained the dress code. At least that is the impression I got after entering the place.
The food is French bistro fare. All the ingredients are fresh and prepared with flair. I ordered a duck gizzard and walnut salad while he ordered the escargots. The duck gizzards were prepared in a manner that retained some of the toughness of a gizzard but, it was also tender. Kudos on that. The escargots were divine. I ended up eating my salad and half of his appetizer.
For the main course, I ordered the quails in raisin sauce and he got the duck breast in maple syrup. My quails were excellent... I am not a fan of raisins but, the dish was prepared in a way that the sweetness of raisins did not overpower. His duck breast was tender with the right touch of maple syrup goodness. Not too sweet either. Perfect balance.
For dessert, I had the chocolate mousse. He did not order anything. At least one of us knows how to control his diet. I felt like a glutton but, the chocolate mousse was divine and canceled out all my guilt.
If you want a nice dining experience with a beautiful view of the river, Narcisse is the place to go. The rooftop terrace overlooks St. Lawrence river and you can see the marina. Just remember to be appropriately dressed or you will feel out of place. Service was very professional.
They also serve breakfast and have a wine bar. We didn't experience either, only the dinner.