The night before going to Montreal, I had this dream. I imagined I was in some frou-frou restaurant with all sharp angles, low lights and distressed wood, being given a rundown of the current local pre-fixe menu in what my unconscious mind conceived of as a Quebecois accent (i.e. French with an occasional "aboot" mixed in). The food was meticulously assembled and delicious in a new and unconventional way.
Little did I know that the next day all my dreams would come true. Except the accent. It's basically just French.
Candide is set in the basement of an old church, which immediately puts it in legendary status for hipsterism. Add to that some unfinished wood patios, and simple, vaguely rustic decor and you have the perfect setting for what comes next. And that is a 2.5 hour pre fixe meal where you watch the chef himself make each one of your dishes not a couple feet from your table and then bring each one to you, along with an explanation peppered with weird ingredients.
Each dish was a collection of interesting flavors from local ingredients. Mussels with some kind of peppery crisp on top, curls of rutabaga with fried parsnip and probably the best piece of pork I've ever met. My impression of French cuisine is that they do fairly simple preparations with an attention to detail bordering on obsessive. That's the impression I got here. I'm not usually one for flowery arrangements of vegetation on my dishes, but the design and the taste was really in sync here.
Don't miss it!