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| - Wow, what a difference! I have been making about 10 week long trips a year to Montreal for the past 6 years and staying at the W for about the last 3. I ate at the previous restaurant occasionally, Italian, and it was good. They revamped and reopened about 2 months ago, moving to French cuisine, seafood featured.
I have eaten 2 dinners in the past week and have been really impressed. I had scallops the first time, lamb the second, and had the clam chowder both times. You have a choice of sides, I had a dirty rice with the scallops and cauliflower with the lamb. As you would expect with fine French, the sauces were rich and generous. The meats were done perfectly, maybe a bit rare for some but exactly as I prefer, and the sides plated at the table. Portions are surprisingly generous.
Both times I may have enjoyed the sides as much as the meat. In fact, sides alone would be quite filling. I found both the rice and cauliflower very complex, with a blend of tastes and textures, that reminded me of better Indian dishes, but this was decidedly French in the sauces. There was a piquant crunch to my cauliflower that I learned was a mature caper. Not the little squishy ones you put on a bagel with cream cheese, but the big, olive sized adults. Simply outstanding.
The decor is fine, a bit trendy for me, service excellent despite my zero Quebecois, and I really enjoyed the eclectic background music (surprising myself).
The food, though, is the thing. Not cheap, not outlandish, but really fine French with a complex blend. This area is getting much more sophisticated in food offerings and this new restaurant may lead the pack.
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