Surely La Chronique is one of the best fine dining restaurants in Montreal! It is perhaps a bit less flashy than other heavyweights in town in terms of "luxury experience", but it is everything one could wish for in terms of food, free of unecessary distractions or stiffness. This restaurant is located on a charming section of avenue Laurier, and has a clean, modern design. The elongated dining room stretches from the streetside windows to the kitchen, where you can glimpse the chefs working at their stations. There is a fixed 5-course menu every month (wine pairing available) that showcases many seasonal and Canadian ingredients. This November, the amuse-bouche was scallop ceviche wonderfully refreshed by a dash of lime and heat. This was followed by a red tuna tartare, its fatty richness beautifully enhanced by the fragrance of the olive oil in the sauce vierge. Then came a delicate piece of seared halibut on a piece of charred leek, with articoke and, hidden, pureed celeriac. After was one of their signature dishes, fois gras quickly seared sitting on shredded duck with a broth of Peking duck. What a delicious aroma! Small pieces of matsutake with their characteristic flavour added novelty to the many layers of comforting flavours. The main course was a surdy portion of bison and little jewels here and there. The flavours played around wine and caramelized winter vegetables, their colours and textures reverberating between each others. Lastly came the dessert, a yogurt sorbet hidden beneath a chocolate mousse and a sturdy chocolate "mendiant". The portion was quite generous - the acidity of the raspberries and sorbet providing welcomed respite from all the chocolate. The pace of the meal was excellent, and the service kind and courteous (we got a nod from chef Marc de Canck as we left!). There is great confidence and joy in the cooking, which transpires in how high familiar ingredients are elevated. I was initially shocked at how little attention this restaurant attracted compared to its undeniable quality, but now I think it is because La Chronique is a secret jealously kept by its patrons. I would much rather come back here every month than to return a second time to many restaurants in town! read more

See all

Framed black and white pictures hang over the long black banquette that runs the length of La Chronique, a French restaurant on two levels on Laurier. The charming hostess allowed us the pick of the seats as we were the first to arrive - window, of course. Other guests that followed chose seating along that comfortable-looking banquette, or the small tables against the opposite wall. Can I say that I love the bread service in all the restaurants during my visit to Montreal? Here, it was fresh baguette spears and savory bread accompanied by creamy, room-temperature butter. Yes and multiple baskets, please. My sister grilled the helpful server on the variety on the menu, including lobster and sweetbreads (surf and turf), venison, and Dover sole. I, however, very quickly settled on the latter. Three small fillets are shaped into round circles, resembling scallops (in shape/size), and served with puréed, slightly bitter celeriac root, wilted spinach, and savory mushrooms. While the fish was a bit under seasoned, everything else on the plate was delicious. For dessert, I had La Chronique's interpretation of the Black Forest cake. The cake portion was thin and spongy, with a dollop of cream and wonderfully tart cherries. It was topped with a distinctive amaretto/almond ice cream and shards of milk and white chocolate. This review would have been incomplete without a mention of service. In a word, impressive. Both the hostess and server managed a roomful of guests with warm hospitality and useful advice. They walked us through the menu and dining options (à la carte or tasting menu) and provided their insights on the most-loved dishes. read more

La Chronique - Dover sole with puréed, slightly bitter celeriac root, wilted spinach, and savory mushrooms - Canadian (New) Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

See all

One of the best restaurants in Montreal and not as famous as it should be. Very minimalist space with a lower and upper dining room. The food is incredibly good modern French (Yelp calls it Canadian but I dunno). Five course menu on the most recent of our three visits featured a duck foie gras dish that was the standout. Also veal/sweetbreads, a bluefin tuna entree.. Professional fine dining service. An expensive meal especially if you take the wine pairings but well worth it. read more

Chef Olivier de Montagny is so nice! Talented and friendly what do you want more. We went at la chronique during montteal en lumiere and were excited as chef Jean lefebvre from Cordeillan-Bages and master sommelier Pierre-Alexis Soulière were invited. But even with those famous characters as guest, it was still the house chefs and house sommelier Jonathan Sitatras who shined during servive. The evening started with a petoncle, synonym of a perfect start. Next was a flétan with a seaweed trio which was absolutely lovely and very flavorful. The next plate was my favorite of the evening. A pintage ravioli with foie gras, truffes du périgord and parmesan emulsion. Absolutely delectable and filles with flavors. The emulsion was just divine. Next was an aged magret with beets and a porto juice. The duck was a little thick but still very well cooked. And just to end well... A fondant chocolat which we paired with a fantastic and very unique 100 years old tawny porto. Nothing less. It was overall, a special night in a special place. read more

See all

The Why: Recommended by a Montreal contact when I inquired about a classy/classic French restaurant where I could take my mother and aunt without breaking the bank, La Chronique struck me as a great place to start off our dining in Montreal. Knowing full well that my family does not have the same appreciation for haute-French as I, Chef Marc De Canck's take on provincial French seemed to strike a good balance between accessible and refined and with a convenient location on L'Avenue Laurier and a "business casual" lunch compared to the "jackets suggested" dinner destination I made a reservation for noon on a Monday. The food: Oregano Potato Bread, Nuts and Grains Bread, Cows Milk Butter and Fleur de Sel: Complements of the house, served piping hot, and replenished without request the "nuts and grains" bread was as good as many pain au cereal in Paris while the potato bread was light, aromatic, and airy. Duo de Foie Gras de Canard / pain d'epices, puree de coing, gelee d'abricots: My obvious choice, and a wonderful one at that, this presentation of Palmex Farm's fatted duck liver was presented both seared and en terrine. With the warm preparation served over spiced bread quince puree and the creamy chilled portion topped with a thin piece of golden bread and brown sugar crumble there was nothing particularly elaborate about this dish, just high quality ingredients paired beautifully, the sweet cutting the fat and the aromatics perfuming the palate. Filet de Proc Fume / Polenta, Courgettes, Moutarde: My plat principal, this dish was suggested as our waitress' favorite and a chef's signature with good reason. Again quite rustic in its construction but featuring an ample cut of lean pork loin smoked and placed over toothsome polenta tinged with mustard seeds the highlight of this dish was actually the jus - a pan reduction of bacon, zucchini, and cocoa that fit somewhere between sweet and savory thus working well to meld the pork and polenta without overpowering either. Onglet de Boeuf Angus / Salsifis, Choux de Bruxelles, Champignons: A surprising order for my mother who rarely orders beef this was another hearty dish that would have fit nicely on any French bistro menu as the tender Alberta sourced hanger steak was cooked to medium well served over a sort of confit of Brussels sprouts and salsify with lightly pickled at the side. With mom focusing on the steak, dense and aromatic with just a touch of smoke and char I particularly appreciated the sprouts - caramelized but still pungent and a good foil to the richness of the protein. Risotto vert-pre / Epinards, Edamamaes, Courgettes: At first I thought my aunt was truly puzzled by my translation from French, but assuring us she wanted the vegetarian offering of the afternoon I must say it turned out quite nicely with the Carnaroli rice cooked to a medium tenderness in a creamy reduction of mushrooms and peas before being garnished with chopped zucchini, shelled edemame, and shredded spinach. Rich, vegetal, and substantial in portion the dish was anything but light but considering I rarely associate risotto with French cooking I was rather impressed. Petit Basque Sheep's Cheese with Caramelized Nuts, Apricots, Grilled Bread: Listed only as a cheese plate on the menu this one was a bit of a letdown for me. Don't get me wrong, I love Petit Basque, especially when nicely aged as this one was - but being in Montreal I couldn't help but hope for a local cheese and while the accoutrements were nice it just wasn't what I'd anticipated at a $6 supplement. Chocolate Profiteroles with sliced almonds: A second bummer on the dessert menu were the profiteroles ordered by my mother - two small balls of admittedly nice choux pastry encompassing rather bland vanilla ice cream but thankfully topped with dense melted chocolate. While admittedly not a fan of profiteroles to begin with the almonds were a nice touch, but not enough to save the plate. Valrhona Molten Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream and Pineapple Mango Salsa, Caramel: Another $6 supplemental dessert this one would actually prove to be worth the time, calories, and money. Beginning first with the cake - sticky, dense, and cooked to the perfect point to maintain the liquid center this oft duplicated dessert poured forth the dense 72% chocolate in plethora and although expectedly bitter the cocoa met an ample foil in the intense vanilla bean ice cream, sweet salsa and caramel, plus brown sugar crumble. The Verdict: In the end I liked La Chronique well enough; the setting is lovely, the service excellent, and the prices fair for the quality (and more so the portions) given, but in comparison to the rest of our dining in Montreal it was largely unmemorable. A nice spot to enjoy a leisurely lunch or romantic dinner they certainly have the skills to make a classic French meal - I guess I'd just hoped for more creativity and better desserts given the cost of admission and supplements. read more

See all

Decent meal. If you don't take the wine pairings it will come out to under $100 a person. The foie gras was delicious, the risotto with mushrooms heavenly and the Black Forest deconstructed cake was very good. The bread is not worth the price gouge of $2 per person - WTF, it wasn't even warm or soft or pillowy, it came dry and old with 3 slices for $2. A real scam. The wines are $12 per pairing - holy $&@ expensive... The rest of the meal was not as good as the menu I posted above. My friend and I shared it all and that menu above will not make you unhappy for the price you're paying - it was DELICIOUS. We took other things like the lamb shoulder but it wasn't a hit... read more

We visited here during Mtl a table, they had a 45 dollar 3 course meal. Nice newer digs compared to their older location. The service was fast and to the point. We tried ordering a non alcohol drink but was told we could have soda, that's it. The food was good and very well presented, we enjoyed the pork belly and desserts but main dishes didn't give us a wow factor. read more

Awesome experience, opted for the 5 course tasting and wine pairing, did not disappoint. Only complaint is that wine pours were small (probably a good thing). Staff - friendly, attentive and knowledgeable Decor - contemporary but comfortable, floor to ceiling windows give Price - decent $$$$ for sure, wine list is a bit pricey Food - well execute, technical, creative, spaced out very well Tip - get there early to snatch up one of two 2-tops by the window overlooking the street read more

See all

We had a truly wonderful meal at La Chronique for our anniversary. Everything was perfect, from the food to the wine (which the Sommelier helped us choose after inquiring for our tastes, and he chose perfectly) to the service. We had the 5 course tasting menu, which was perfect in terms of portions sizes. We were able to enjoy each dish without filling too full to truly taste them by the 3rd one and we ended the meal perfectly satiated. A special mention goes to their home made bread, warm out of the oven. The only regret I have is that, for this kind of price, there was no small special attention at the end of the meal, like you can have in places like Europea or Maison Boulud. I ordered an espresso and was a bit disappointed that it didn't come with any treat at all, like small madeleines or even a chocolate square. For the kind of price you pay there, it felt a bit lacking. read more

See all

My girlfriend and I took a trip to Montreal earlier this month, fine dined at multiple restaurants, and found La Chronique to be the best of them all. The service is impeccable, to say the least. We received an incredible beat/asparagus/goat cheese appetizer (compliments of the chef) to start. Then had the surf and turf and scallop entrees, which were to die for. Our server paired the perfect wine for us as well. The final plate, a cheesecake with Quebec strawberries, was so good we went back a couple days later to order it again to go. The restaurant does not do take out, but Chef Olivier de Montigny gave us two pieces to go anyway, on the house! We're total foodies, and La Chronique far exceed any other restaurant in Montreal. read more

This place was very good, but obviously a little pricey. We started out with the foie gras de carnard. It was the most tender pieces of meat I think I've ever had in my life with a mango chutney and kind of like a toasted crust crumble. It tasted like a dessert but was absolutely amazing. For dinner I had the risotto with scallops and chorizo. The risotto was cooked perfectly and the sauce was delicious, rich and creamy. My boyfriend had the angus steak. He really enjoyed it, from my one bite, I thought it was okay. Maybe a little more flavor. For dessert we had chocolate mousse cake. So good. It came with a dollop of ice cream and a tiny meringue. The waiter suggested a dessert wine to pair it with and it complimented it absolutely perfectly. The service was also very good, I haven't experienced very much since arriving in Montréal. read more

See all

I went to La Chronique yesterday evening for dinner. This is a nice and fairly small place to eat out. The atmosphere and sound level was perfect for an intimate conversation and I didn't have that feeling that I sometime get where I just want to leave because of noise sound tiredness. We shared an appetizer (raviolis) and one party had the duck magret where the other one had the fish plate. Presentation is phenomenal, the duck portion was quite big, where on my side, I was a bit disappointed with the fish size given the price asked for it. We finished the meal with two cheese (not the sugar type) and they were both great picks! Service was top notch, wine recommandation for the courses was perfect and we had a great time! read more

Last night went to La Chronique for diner as part of the festival Montreal en Lumière. Chefs OLIVIER DE MONTIGNY & MARC DE CANCK welcomed the talented Alexandre Dionisio chef of La Villa in the Shy, located in Brussels Belgium. It was a real pleasure to enjoy a wonderful meal from a chef who boast two Michelin stars and name 'best young chef in Brussels' by Gault & Millau guide in 2013. read more

Inventive prix fixe menu and attractive atmosphere. Despite a lack of on-menu vegetarian options, the chef was extremely accommodating is preparing a special menu that equally beautifully presented as the meat and seafood dishes, if not more so. read more

Where to have your last meal in Montreal when some of the other great places you went on the trip are closed on Tuesday? Try something new! And we are very glad we gave La Chronique a try. Of course go with the tasting menu with the wine pairing because that is what we did and it was amazing! 5 courses was available the night we went. It appears that it changes looking at the other reviews (this is a good thing!) But we had a number of amazing and interesting dishes. And this was still after a week of having amazing dishes. The creativity of things in Mile End makes me so jealous! The sweet breads with foie gras, truffled polenta and roasted mushrooms is something I will be dreaming about for a while. Service was excellent. The wine pairings worked beautifully and the waiter/somm was very excellent in explaining and talking about the wine without letting other things get away from him. And I was very impressed when a table came in after us with three kids and he still treated them in a very professional and delightful manner. Oh to be a kid who got to eat here! Yes, it is pricy. But treat yourself, there is a lot of skill in putting things together and the wine list is fascinating. By doing the tasting menu with the pairing you get to sample some things that you might not have had a chance to do so. read more

Had the 7-course tasting menu yesterday. Given the price and the restaurant style - a Michelin star-like setup - my expectations were fairly high. The restaurant definitely came in below expectations. The food was good but not good enough to justify the price. There was also a lack of creativity on the menu - the same truffle sauce and squash purée was used on 3 out of the 7 dishes. We were jokingly betting that the dessert will come with that, too. Of the highlights, the tuna tartare was phenomenal. read more

We took the tasting menu* with matching wines and were just blown away by the quality of the food and drink; some unique and rare wines. ($150/person) Recommended without reservation as one of the best resto's in Montreal. *Tataki de thon rouge/ wakame / champignons honey, avec Morellino di Scansaon d.o.c., Poggio Valente Reserva 2005, Fattoria Le Pupille Dorade royale/ poireaux aux langoustines/ ecume de mer, avec Napa Valley a.v.a., Viognier 2000, Joseph Phelps Foie gras de canard/ courge sunshine/ truffe d'ete, avec Hermitage a.c., La Petite Chapelle 2004, Paul Jaboulet Aine Cochon de lait/puree de carotte au miso/compression d'epinards avec Echezeaux Grand Cru a.c., 2004, Domaine Jean Grivot Plateau de fromages d'ici et d'ailleurs, avec Alsace a.c., 2007, Domaine Marcel Deiss La gourmandise sucree avec Jerez d.o. Rare Amontillado Escuadrilla, Emilio Lustau read more

Overall, great food, not the most exciting location or style but you get a fancy touch. My service was little bit too slow as we were on the 3rd floor of the restaurant (the place isn't that big but it has a weird layout). But professional service regardless. We got the 'Menu Degustation' - 5 course pre-set meal with wine for each service. There was a lot of fish compared to meat (3 fish meals, 1 meat and 1 dessert). Which was a bit disappointing because by the time you had 2 fish meals, you kinda wanted something different. You will most likely have a very nice meal but if you're looking for a lively ambiance, good music and an extra touch of care, you won't get it here. read more

This place is perfection. The modern look of the place, the tables, the decor, So Chic so French. Went for lunch been there all afternoon. It's the amazing lobster in the soup, the little bread, the perfectly cooked piece of meat, the explosion of flavors that sends your taste buds to heaven. But it's expensive, even for lunch. Loved it ! read more

Had a great lunch at this restaurant. Great fresh food, beautifully presented. Nice service. Very good lunch table d'hôte deal. Much better lunch than Lemeac right down the street. read more

Came here for dinner with my mom. It was our first time eating fois gras, and it wasn't bad. Scallops were also really good. Dessert (chocolate cake) was amazing. All the dishes were creative and very pretty. I would recommend going once if you like french cuisine! read more

I was visiting from California. I made my reservation through OpenTable and asked specifically if it's OK if I bring a bottle of wine. I never got a response. I did bring a bottle of wine and was told it could not be opened because of local laws. OK I can appreciate that. So I purchased a bottle off of their list at the standard 100% to 200% mark up. I felt as if there was a misunderstanding because I never received an electronic response to my question however I sent a glass of wine to the Chef as an apology. Now understand I spent approximately $220 on this bottle. And that Chef never came out to say thank you or discuss the misunderstanding at all. I dine out frequently. And when I send a glass of wine to the Chef, the Chef usually comes out and acknowledges as a courtesy. I felt slightly disrespected. The food was good however the service was extremely slow. We didn't even receive our menus until we had sat there drinking water for nearly 30 minutes. read more

See all

One of the first things that strikes you about this place as you walk in is how small the dining room is. There must be, at most, fifteen tables. The atmosphere is modern, slightly stark, with bright splashes of light and curated shadows. The automatic sliding door to the kitchen, frosted with images of cutlery made me wonder if we were walking onto the set of "Chopped". One of the slight let-downs was that although this was Taste MTL, a number of the dishes cost a little extra. The portions were somewhat small, but the intensity of flavours more than compensated. The jerusalem artichoke (topinambour) veloute was great: a bowl with toasted parmesan shavings, truffle oil and some croutons with an elegant pour-over of the soup itself. The veloute could have used a little more salt, but its understated seasoning really let the truffle, parmesan and jerusalem artichokes have center stage. The suckling pig ravioli (an extra of $12) was stunningly delicious. The ravioli were served in a deep bowl, surrounded by a rich fond-de-veau sauce infused with porcini mushrooms. The balance between this sauce, the umami kick of the slow-cooked pork in the ravioli and the slightly lemony béchamel foam on top was exquisite. The half-lobster tail on the dish, though delicious, seemed like more of an expensive garnish than a flavour that belonged in the dish. For the mains, we both got the duck breast served with beets three ways, sour cherries and a port reduction. The beets were pureed, roasted and carpaccio. The puree was the most delicious of the three, and the chef's decision to use three different colours of beets allowed for some variety. The fat on the breast was nicely carmelized with some raw sugar and the port reduction really complemented the depth of flavour in the breast, even if it was a little overcooked for my tastes (I prefer duck medium rare). The cherries had an interesting and pleasant tannic taste to them, which makes me suspect they were soaked in tea. The apricot clafoutis with dulce de leche ice cream was quite pleasant. The plating, as throughout the meal, was elegant, sophisticated and balanced. The slight tartness of the apricot nicely offset the sweetness of the dulce. The only issue I might take up with them is that the clafoutis had a non-traditional shortbread crust and was more of an apricot shortcake than the southern French dessert I was expecting. The marquise au chocolat was what you would expect: delicious, rich, velvety-dark chocolate with a nice slab of white chocolate on top. I would be leaving out one of the best parts of the meal if I didn't mention the bread. La Chronique makes their little tiny breads fresh daily (that night they had oregano, white and olive). The wine list is also worth noting, the restaurant won "Best Wine Selection" from Wine Spectator in 2011 and features a number of private imports among their over 250 carefully selected entries. Maybe it's just me, but the rarity and unavailability of the private imports adds to their mystique and helps justify spending way more on a bottle than at the SAQ. Wines start at $45 . La Chronique is certainly worth the price and makes a great place for celebrating romantic special occasions. At nearly $100 a person with tax and tip, it's not cheap, but worth every penny. If you're looking to try the restaurant but don't want to spend very much, it's worth considering their lunch specials, $24 for two courses and $29 for three. read more

Outstanding service and fabulous food. It was so good we came back two nights later.

Went to La Chronique while on business in Montreal due to the stellar reviews on yelp. My only regret is not doing the wine pairing with the tasting menu. The entire meal was great, the service was fantastic, and the atmosphere was nice and quiet. Will definitely plan another visit when I'm back in Montreal. read more

This resto recently moved across the street into a slightly larger slightly more elegant space, with a room upstairs for groups. Fortunately, the menu, staff, and wine cellar are unchanged. We had the tasting menu, seven superb little courses from amuse-bouche through mains, cheese,and dessert, with a carefully chosen glass of wine to go with each one. The staff really knows their wine, and the quality of the wine and food is quite amazing. It's very expensive, but well worth it for special occasions. read more

Wow! What a great find in Montreal! This restaurant doesn't show up much on reviews just yet... We found it recommended by Lesley Chesterman from Montreal Gazette. Absolutely fabulous food and wine selection! Wait staff were excellent, knowledgable and very accommodating of my imperfect French. A pricey evening but well worth every cent. Will definitely go again when we are back in Montreal. read more

We love French cuisine and heard of the great reviews and decided to try La Chronique. Our top place has always been Europea but after having their tasting menu on many occasions we wanted to try something different, so we ventured out to La Chronique. We took the 6 serving tasting menu with the wine pairing and were a little disappointed. The lobster risotto was not cooked well, the rice was very hard (not the way risotto is supposed to be cooked) and the lobster was chewy and totally bland. It was probably the worst risotto we have ever had. The foie gras over the duck confit ravioli was something we were looking forward to but the foie gras was a little bland and it was another disapointment as well. The other dishes were good but not good enough for the amount of money we spent. The wine was actually the highlight of our meal. We really enjoyed it. This meal cost us $400 for 2, which we would have gladly spent on a wonderful meal but we left on a sour note. Our top place is still Europea and you get ALOT more for your money there is absolutly no comparison. Will not be returning any time soon. read more

Great modern french food with local ingredients. Good service. Would definitely come back here again. Every dish I tried here was expertly prepared and presented. They offer some great cheese assortments for dessert. read more

One of the worst experiences from a restaurant I've ever had. I made a reservation for mother's day and called two weeks in advance to make sure I had a spot. When I called, I told the host that I was a vegetarian, and asked if that would be a problem. He assured me that they had vegetarian options and it wouldn't be a problem on mother's day. For the next two weeks I was excited for my reservation. At 3 o'clock ON mother's day, I got a call from La Chronique, and was informed that nothing on their menu was vegetarian and they were unable to prepare anything. My reservation was at 7:30, they had given me 4 and a half hours notice that they couldn't do anything for me. I told the man I was speaking with that I had been assured there was something, and he really didn't seem to care. I then had to scramble to find a new reservation. I will never be making a reservation at La Chronique and will tell everyone I know to avoid this place. I'm shocked at how disorganized and rude La Chronique was. read more

My significant other and I were visiting from out of town and dined here for our 10 year anniversary. Based on the great reviews, it seemed like a good bet for a special meal. For the price, it was a big disappoinment. We had the 5 course tasting menu with wine pairings. The dishes were mostly well executed, but lacking in creativity. The tuna dish was probably my favorite and their bread is really nice. The dessert was macaroons with strawberries - the macaroons were quite hard and flew across the plate as we tried to cut them in half. The wine pairing apparently is not for all 5 courses. We only received wine with our first four courses. Service was also a bit off. It took about 30 min after sitting down to even get the food menu. We were also the last table there and they were setting up for the next day and it felt quite awkward waiting for our dessert, even though the pacing of the meal was completely outside of our control. We were there on a Monday night and it felt like we might have got what was leftover from the weekend service. From the other reviews, it sounds like our experience may have been an anomaly and they were having an off night. Too bad it happened on what I hoped would be a nice anniversary celebration. read more

Great food, excellent wine list and wonderful service. We did the tasting menu, but did our own wine choices (with the sommelier's advice) and had a fabulous, leisurely celebration. read more

This is a super classy and elegant restaurant without being stuffy. The food is excellent and the wine card is phenomenal. Highly recommend.