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| - Gus! The first thing I thought of, naturally, was the fat mouse in Cinderella. I knew things were going to go well after that.
We arrived to a beautiful and charming restaurant and were immediately seated. Our server switched flawlessly from French to English as they seem to do so well in this part of the world and as he listed the dishes, I knew we were in trouble. Give me all the things! Thankfully, Risa was able to pick some of the best items and order for us. Their salmon tartare was incredible. Perfectly fresh and gorgeous. We also enjoyed the octopus appetizer and though that's not typically my thing, it was savory, a little smoky and not at all chewy. And accompanying all of these are three hot salsas on the table. Apparently Dave makes them. His restaurant menu is littered with nods to the southwest (chipotle, serrano) and these three little delights were no exception.
At that point, I'd gotten into my second cocktail. Their margaritas, Dave assured me, were as good as any I'd get in Texas. I had my doubts but when that fierce concoction arrived, I had to raise the white flag. It was perfect. As good or better than any I had growing up near the border of Mexico. A good margarita in Montreal may be hard to find - but Dave's got it down.
Our mains were the pork and the (giant) steak with seafood. We may have over-ordered but by god, we we managed to eat every last bit of those delectable dishes. Then the dessert came. Seriously, trying to kill me. Thank goodness I had on leggings-as-pants or else things would have been dicey in the old button region. Our desserts were a dense chocolate cake with creamy frosting, some kind of de-constructed caramel-y apple dessert (tarte tartine?) and a lemon tart. I'm not even a dessert person and I was elbow deep, fighting for bites.
Restaurant Gus is adorable and perfect for friends, a date night or that evening when you just want a glass of wine and a good dessert. When you go here, high five Dave and the staff because they're awesome.
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