From the long-running Toqué! to the impossibly hip Foiegwa, these were our restaurant critic's top tables of the year.
What was the biggest news item on the Montreal restaurant scene in 2016? I’d say the closing of that great Montreal classic, Le Mas des Oliviers. Yet as sad as it was for Le Mas’s fans to see this venerable institution serve its last soupe au poisson and steak/frites, after a 40-year run owner Jacques Muller knew the time was ripe to let go of the hectic life of a restaurateur and live a little. Wise man.
And with that closing came a reflection on which restaurants are making a mark today.
As was always the case at Le Mas, customer satisfaction seems more crucial than ever in this competitive environment. When compiling my list of the top tables of 2016, there was no missing the best of those reviewed in the past 12 months offered not only superb food, but excellent and, more importantly, friendly service.
Overly fussy food has gone by the wayside in favour of the small-plate format featuring minimally manipulated ingredients. But it’s also important nowadays to see the restaurant as a whole, with everything working in sync, from the decor and the background music to the style of wine list and the choice of menu.
In 2016, “fun” was omnipresent when dining out. Not only were the tacos delicious at Escondite, the room was jumping. How great to dine on a slick dish like duck “sauce bigarade” at Moleskine while listening to ABBA and the Eagles playing on vinyl next to the pizza oven below.
And then there were those great evenings at Foiegwa and Larrys, where the lovely waitresses who served me made my night. And then there was Melrose Pizzeria, a neighbourhood restaurant drawing in the locals due not only to the excellent pizza, but also because of the warm welcome provided by co-owner Paolo Oliviera. More and more restaurants are about the people first, then about the food. That said, the food being served in Montreal restaurants has never been better.
“How could we ever top 2015?” was the thought that crossed my mind as we entered 2016. Last year might have been an all-time high, with 14 restaurants that I chose as best. But it turns out this year I’ve come up with just as many. How great!
Posh nosh: $$$$
Toqué!: For a North American restaurant, 23 years is a long time to continue to draw in the local and foreign fickle foodies. But Toqué! has been doing just that on the ever-evolving and competitive Montreal scene. Fine dining has taken a huge hit not only in Montreal, but the world over, at a time when posh restaurants sometimes feel too precious and pricey. So why dine at Toqué!? Because the cooking coming out of chef Normand Laprise’s kitchen is endlessly impressive. Yes, the majority of main courses are in the $50 range, but this is a gastronomic experience on a par with many of the world’s top restaurants. And you don’t eat this way every day. But when you do, and in a restaurant that understands how to go fancy yet maintain flavour, it’s an experience. Add the seamless service managed by co-owner Christine Lamarche and a stellar wine program overseen by award-winning sommelier Carl Villeneuve Lepage, and you have what remains Montreal’s top gastronomic table. (900 Place Jean-Paul Riopelle; 514-499-2084; restaurant-toque.com)
Maison Boulud: Though its namesake chef wasn’t present the night I reviewed what is arguably Montreal’s most elegant restaurant, the food remained sharp thanks to chef Riccardo Bertolino. Located in the swish Ritz-Carlton hotel, this is a special-occasion restaurant, with the formality and high prices to match. Yet the quality of the food and service more than meets expectations, though those lucky enough to score the better tables (like on the terrasse in summer) enjoy the best of this restaurant. Part French and part Italian, the cuisine features top local products spun into some signature Daniel Boulud dishes, and creations of Bertolino as well. From appetizers to the final basket of warm madeleines, the food is not only delicious but a technical tour de force. And when it comes to sheer swank, few do it better than Boulud. (1228 Sherbrooke St. W.; 514-842-4224; maisonboulud.com)
Graziella: At a time when Montreal’s Italian restaurant scene seems dominated by hip pizza places, how great to visit a true-blue fancy Italian establishment with art on the walls, cloths on the tables and ties on the waiters. Named for its chef, Graziella Battista, a veteran of the Montreal scene and a woman with fabulous taste, Graziella serves terrific Italian cuisine ideal for any occasion, but mostly the special ones. The wine selection, managed by master sommelier Élyse Lambert, is inspired, and the service is the definition of solicitous. Dining at Graziella always feels like a treat, and from the simple antipasto of octopus carpaccio through the homemade pasta and fantastic osso bucco, a meal here offers one swoon-worthy bite after another. (116 McGill St.; 514-876-0116; restaurantgraziella.ca)
Hip chef central: $$$-$$$$
Hoogan et Beaufort: After a bit of a wait, Montreal foodies were thrilled to get a taste of chef Marc-André Jetté’s cuisine at his new restaurant, which opened last winter in the Angus Yards development. With most of the cooking done on a firepit, I expected simplicity, but Jetté stayed true to his style, offering up soigné cuisine using the best local ingredients. In this unpretentious, relaxed setting, sommelier William Saulnier compiled a wine list featuring the requisite private imports with an emphasis on natural wines, as well as an excellent selection of local and imported beers (try a bottle of Vermont’s Hill Farmstead brew). From the beautifully presented food (oh, those pastas!) to the impeccable service, this laid-back but sophisticated restaurant represents so much of what’s great about our city’s food and wine scene today. (4095 Molson St.; 514-903-1233; hooganetbeaufort.com)
Hvor: Chef S’Arto Chartier Otis finally got to strut his stuff in this minimalist Griffintown restaurant with a garden on the roof and a menu that changes daily. This isn’t a restaurant you come to for a steak and Caesar salad; this is a restaurant designed for adventure. You’ve got to trust Chartier Otis, who is bound to surprise you with dishes like baby buckwheat cavatelli with buckwheat crumble, Swiss chard and miso broth. Skilled wine pairings provided by sommelier Fred Fortin rounded out an evening that ended with a terrific mille-feuille featuring raspberries and chocolate cream sandwiched between layers of crisp, caramelized pastry. I lapped up every last crumb. (1414 Notre-Dame St. W.; 514-937-2001; hvor.ca)
Moleskine: The combination of designer Bruno Braën, sommelier Véronique Dalle, restaurateur Catherine Bélanger and chef Frédéric St-Aubin resulted in one of the dreamiest restaurants to open this year. The space is divided into two eating areas. Downstairs is a casual, 40-seat space built around a wood-burning oven. Pizza, soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas and homemade charcuterie are on offer next to the bustling open kitchen. Upstairs is more gastronomic, with more elaborate offerings that range from pasta vongole to a dish of tender slices of pork doused with lobster bisque and surrounded by Pacific Coast shrimp and fava beans. As for Braën’s decor, think industrial glam, with a black and grey colour scheme, rough surfaces, chain metal curtains and a choice of seating arrangements, from bar stools and banquettes to communal tables and ’70s-style wicker chairs. Oh, and the chefs play records — yes, vintage vinyl — throughout the evening. Good times. (3412 Parc Ave.; 514-903-6939; moleskine-mtl.com)
Bistro/wine-bar love: $$-$$$
L’Express: Possibly the city’s most famous restaurant, the bustling St-Denis St. bistro hit new heights this year with the arrival of chef Jean-François Vachon. The menu hasn’t changed beyond a few new daily specials, but every bite and sip is simply delicious. A huge part of the L’Express experience is the wait staff with seasoned veterans, including the famous bartender Monsieur Masson, running the dinner service with Swan Lake precision. And then there’s the wine list, one of the best in the city, filled with sought-after French bottles as well as finds from around the world — sold, like everything here, with minimal markups. Who doesn’t love L’Express? (3927 St-Denis St.; 514-845-5333; restaurantlexpress.com)
Leméac: Another great Montreal bistro, Leméac falls in the category of “bistro de luxe,” which means dishes are a notch above the standard bistro fare (with prices to match) and, in this restaurant’s case, are especially delicious. Open for 15 years, the Outremont hot spot is a go-to for bourgeois families and biz types by day and city sophisticates after 10 p.m., when the $27 after-hours menu kicks in. The room is beautiful, buzzy and far more expansive than so many of the city’s smaller bistros. The wine selection is a big draw here, as are the summer terrasse and the weekend brunch scene. When searching for Montreal’s must-try restaurants, Leméac is not to be missed. And don’t forget the desserts — they’re as heavenly as the steak/frites. (1045 Laurier Ave. W.; 514-270-0999; restaurantlemeac.com)
Accords le Bistro: Hands down the year’s most improved restaurant, this sister of the excellent Old Montreal Accords restaurant is located in the Quartier des spectacles, making it a perfect spot for that pre-show nosh. When it opened, Accords le Bistro was pretty dismal. But now, fantastic! Owners Chantal Fontaine, Guy A. Lepage and Jean-Pierre Des Rosiers made the smart move of bringing chef Simon Mathys on board for a makeover of both restaurants. The food is now on the fancy side, but boy, do the flavour combinations score with dishes like creamy pappardelle topped with slivers of matsutake mushroom and duck confit, or sirloin steak paired with charred leeks, sliced carrots and mustard and carrot foam. The wine list, filled with organic and natural wines, is another big draw. What a turnaround! Sad news, though: Mathys left the restaurant to move on to new projects this month. Here’s hoping the restaurant maintains the same high level. (22 Ste-Catherine St. E.; 514-508-2122; accords.ca/le-bistro)
Larrys: An offshoot of the longtime favourite Lawrence, Larrys is a wine bar open morning, noon and well into the night that offers small plates of everything from rillettes (amazing!) to salads, to preserved chicken and a scrumptious slice of chocolate cake. Customers come and go (this is the epicentre of Mile End hipsterdom); you can linger and enjoy the people-watching, or eat and dash to your next destination. The wines are mostly natural/organic, and the cocktails are better than you’d expect from a wine bar. Best of all may be the friendly service staff, who make you feel like you’re dining in a friend’s living room (and that friend happens to be a really good cook). (9 Fairmount Ave. E.; no phone; larrys.website)
Good food, good fun: $$-$$$
Foiegwa: Half the draw of Foiegwa is the room’s “Americanized French diner” decor, which features an open kitchen, white tiled walls framed by cappuccino-brown banquettes, and Marc Tremblay sketches of famous Montrealers, hung in a similar style to that used at the famous New York theatre cantine Sardi’s. The music is loud (but good) and the room is usually packed. This is one hot restaurant, so be sure to book in advance, or take a risk showing up for the seats kept for walk-ins. As for the food, expect quality ingredients and clean plating — not something you’d usually find in a diner, no matter how chic. Standouts include a terrific salade niçoise, a velvety trout amandine and luscious foie gras. For dessert, don’t miss the Paris-Brest made with … a doughnut! And rest assured that while Foiegwa is impossibly hip, the staff couldn’t be friendlier. (3001 Notre-Dame St. W.; 438-387-4252; foiegwa.com)
Escondite: Remember when Mexican restaurants meant an excess of nachos, a mountain of dull guacamole and burritos served with watery black beans? Well, that’s not what you’ll get from this stylish newcomer, where the margaritas are potent and the tacos are juicy. Talk about your wild and sexy restaurants! There’s a bar, there’s a terrasse, there are tables high and low. The drinks menu is filled with enticing cocktails — virgin and boozy — as well as flights of tequila and mezcal. The guacamole is the best in the city, but don’t stop there. Have a taste of the house creations, like the gyoza nachos, the chipotle maple chicken wings, and the fried chicken taco with chipotle cream, cornbread croutons and iceberg lettuce. Yum! If ever a restaurant could transport you away from a dreary winter night in Montreal, this is it. (1206 Union Ave.; 514-419-9755; escondite.ca)
Foxy: Brought to you by Dyan Solomon and Éric Girard, chef-owners of the wildly popular Old Montreal bakery Olive + Gourmando, Foxy slid onto the scene last winter and hit the ground running. The concept revolves around grilling over a live fire or roasting in a wood-burning oven, and the woman behind the stoves is Leigh Roper, the former chef at Vin Papillon. As expected from this group, the menu is heavy on salads and bread is utilized in flatbread form. My dinner wasn’t perfect, but I visited in early days and there’s no denying the concept, decor and wine list are fierce. Be warned: on crowded nights the room is noisy, and dark, too. But I like their grasp on flavour combinations and — no surprise, coming from the baking and pastry crowd — desserts are awesome. (1638 Notre-Dame St. W.; 514-925-7007; foxy.restaurant)
Fiorellino: The Buonanotte group’s latest endeavour is a bright and cheery pizzeria, located right behind St. Patrick’s Basilica. By day, this strip of the Quartier International may be hopping, but at night, it’s practically deserted — save for Fiorellino, which, judging by the crowds in the spectacular dining room, is raking it in. Gorgeous setting aside, what counts most is the food, especially as the young-and-fun Italian genre is all the rage in our city. Five years ago, you could count the number of good pizza places in Montreal on one hand. Now there are many, and you can add Fiorellino to that list. But if you come here only for pizza, you’ll be missing out. Of the pastas, the pappardelle with pork and cabbage ragu was swoon-worthy, as was the classic tomato gnocchi. As for pizza, think pouffy/crisp/blistered/slightly charred crust, spread with white or red sauce and topped with the likes of soppressata, roasted red peppers, mushrooms and fior di latte. Service is sharp, as the waiters know their wines and menu descriptions well. And even if the setting is quite casual, this restaurant is as suited to a date night as a family dinner. (470 de la Gauchetière St.; 514-878-3666; fiorellino.ca)
You can hear Lesley Chesterman on ICI Radio-Canada Première’s Médium Large (95.1 FM) Tuesdays at 10 a.m., and on CHOM (97.7 FM) Wednesdays at 7:10 a.m.
A previous version of this story stated that Hoogan et Beaufort is located in a shopping mall in the Angus Yards. The Montreal Gazette regrets the error.