| rev:text
| - First, let me preface my review by saying that this restaurant is the latest addition to the Montreal restaurant scene, and has only been open for about 3 weeks. I typically wait a month or two before checking out a new place because the first couple of weeks are usually spent ironing out the bugs and perfecting dishes.
Location: In the heart of Old Montreal, on St. Paul West. Use transit or take a cab unless you want to spend the apperitivo portion of your night driving around aimlessly, looking for parking.
The space: I loved it! It's not too big and not too small, and reminds me of he 40s for some reason. It's beautifully decorated, has a great bar area and a beautiful terrace. Dimly light with great music, this place would make for a good date spot.
The food: I would love to report back with a 5-star review but it's just not going to happen. The concept here, is like many other restaurants in Montreal - tapas style dishes that are meant to be shared. Thus, the concept is neither original or exciting, especially when you've got a great place like Dolcetto right next door. These are the dishes we ordered:
Buttercup squash gnocchi with duck confit, walnuts, micro arugula and parmesan: Both my date and I loved this dish. It was incredibly flavorful, with doughy soft gnochhi that could easily melt in my mouth were it not for the sheer pleasure that I took in chewing each delectable bite, one by one.
Scallop ceviche, avocado-jalapeno mousse, wild coriander and fresh lime:
Again, this was another hit for both my date and I. The scallops were fresh, the avocado mouse was amazing and the combination of flavors just worked damn well. My only note on this dish is that there should have been more coriander, and less lime, as it was borderline vinegary.
Grilled jumbo shrimp, smoked paprika, garlic flowers on white bean puree: This was a miss for me. First of all, the shrimp were nowhere near "jumbo." Secondly, they lacked in flavor and were a little dry. Lastly, the bean puree didn't really taste like anything and there was no hint of garlic anywhere in sight.
Rabbit-stuffed beet cannelloni, wild mushrooms, aged cheddar, Pasito wine, Gorgonzola reduction: Absolute, total miss for me. I was looking forward to this dish but was extremely disappointed. I wish I could describe the flavor but I just can't. It wasn't bad but it wasn't great either. I don't recall seeing or tasting any mushrooms or Gorgonzola and well, the dish was just weird, not to mention TINY for the price. The cannelloni were more like large penne than cannelloni.
Bison short ribs, slow-cooked in wild spices, black beer marinade on sun-dried tomato polenta: Another miss. My date had to send this dish back because the meat was so tough, she couldn't even chew it. When the manager (or someone) came over, he actually said he didn't know if the problem was the cook time or the meat. Who says that? Anyway, after much confusion about ordering a new dish vs. getting a new order of ribs, a waiter randomly showed up with new ribs while we were looking at the menu for a replacement dish (as the manager or whoever, suggested). Communication is key here, people. The only up side is that the sauce was good, according to my date.
Price: NO. Yes, that's how I'm describing it. For the amount of food that you get per dish, these guys are overpriced. For example, those teeny tiny cannelloni (there were TWO) were about $15. That was the average price per dish, which is ridiculous when I can walk over to Dolcetto, order more food (and a nicer quality) and probably pay about the same or less than this place. Not to mention that I was charged $6 for still water which is ridiculous. The majority of restaurants in Montreal don't charge for still water. Furthermore, if they do charge, they advise their clients in advance that the 'still' water is bottled, which did not happen with us. The up side? The glass of Pinot that I had was quite good and only cost $10.
Service: Our waitress was lovely and very friendly. She immediately removed the $6 water charge because we weren't advised of the cost when we ordered. That said, there were a hell of a lot of wait staff and bus boys on the floor for the number of patrons that were in the place. I felt like we were playing musical waiters, what with all the different people that came by our table in such a short period of time. Also, some of the wait staff (or bus boys - really couldn't tell the difference) looked constipated. Smile - it's free!
Verdict: Overall, not a bad experience, but I think the menu needs to be sorted out and the prices need to be adjusted. I'd be willing to give these guys another go in a few months to see if anything has changed. For now, though, I'll have to pass.
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