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| - Was here for Montreal à Table, which features a special set menu at $19. Quick summary: modern interior & decor, living-room level lighting, quiet for easy conversation, attentive service, well prepared and plated cuisine.
The restaurant is inside the west wall of the Birks jewelry store, up a small set of stairs (to their Mezzanine area), on the west side of Square Phillips.
The table is stylishly set with glassware by Birks in interesting, unique sandblasted/shaped pieces, which is a nice change from very ho-hum plain, boring glasses and even sets itself apart from the common crystal of Riedel, Spiegelau and friends. Leather placemats are also an interesting departure from the norm.
The pre-game snack consists of individual bread rolls and a little piece of bamboo shaped butter, dusted with green and fleur de sel sprinkled around the dish. Beside that is a jar of self-serve, well-dressed mixed nuts.
The menu started with a butternut squash soup with cubes of tofu and squash, foam top, and a small sprout of something green for color, presented in dark brown bowl and plate.
Main dish was four raviolis of ricotta, swiss chard with white wine cream sauce and sautéed minced chorizo sprinkled about. Very decoratively plated (single file across the plate, raviolis sitting on leaves of wilted swiss chard and cream sauce, generously speckled with crimson chorizo).
Dessert was a choice of various layered pot de cremes, such as caramel, coffee, white chocolate, chocolate, lemon, etc, all brought out simultaneously for a on-the-spot visual selection.
For a $19 menu this is an absolute steal. Birks Café did not skimp on quality/service for the restaurant fest.
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