It is tough to imagine a nicer lunch experience. Exceptionally authentic, five star, and amazing…read moreservice where everyone receives their plates exactly the same time. Presentations are gorgeous, ambience is superb, and the food is both gorgeous and delicious, too beautiful to even want to eat! Prices are also amazing, especially when you consider that the appetizer and main course are bundled together in price.

Wowww! Definitely come here for a quick delicious and reasonably priced high end lunch! The service…read morewas friendly and the food was simply fire! I will dream about the foie gras brulee for years to come I think. They also had a really cute hanging wine cellar I enjoyed looking at.

A dinner at Le Mousso is a very special occasion, and can be appreciated on several levels. The…read morefood is beautiful, delicious, novel and exciting, and the team itself is inspired and talented. Chef Mousseau-Rivard took on a lot of responsabilities towards his craft and his team. The integration of seasonal hyper-local ingredients presents particular challenges that are answered with interesting and engaged sources, such as a locally-produced (!) kaffir lime and artic char from urban fish farming. The multicultural heritage of Montreal are incorporated in the dishes, for instance as a kimchi rosette on top of an amuse-bouche, the XO sauce with the scallop from Gaspé, the nasturtium petals and leaves ubiquitous to our summer streets, and the intensely technical, near mythical lièvre à la royale of French gastronomy. As dinner starts around 18h30 for the whole group, we are introduced to the rythm of the evening. Each dish is offered and presented with humor in French to the group, or in English to discrete tables. The amuse-bouche trio is delicate and full of flavour, with tender scallop in savoury lamb and spice oil, and fermented fried potato ball topped with roe. The artic char cooked at low temperature retained a beautifully moist and tender texture, and the interest in the umami from fermentation was apparent in the use of elements such as homemade soy sauce and pickled habanada. The seasonality of the ingredients shone with scallops (Gaspé and Îles-de-la-Madeleine), lobster, shrimps, and tomatoes. The summerly three-coloured gaspacho accompanied by a shrimp sando, a play on grilled cheese and tomato soup, rested on top of a tender chawanmushi, letting us mix flavours and textures. There was also respect for the zero-waste approach, as different elements of the lobster (tail, legs, roe, bisque) were used, even in the dessert (which was a personal highlight of mine)! It featured a puck of cassis crystalline sitting on top of a fragrant pine-infused pana cotta. On the very top, a lobster claw-shaped cookie added a savoury element that contrasted with the sweet, tart and creaminess of the layers below, a bit like a pie shell. Even the mignardises deserve mentions, especially the crisp corners of the financier mixed with the deliciously salted miso caramel filling. By the end of the evening, somewhere around 21h30, sunlight has been replaced by the gentle glow of artwork on the walls, and a beautifully cozy atmosphere filled the dining room. The tableware, designed in collaboration with the local ceramicist Gaïa (Catherine Auriol), is reminiscent of polished river stone and pebbles, and the generously spaced wooden furniture gave each group intimacy. The young talent in the kitchen seems to be mentored in a way that encourages their growth, with opportunities given to their personal expression. The team operates like a little family, which welcomes us in as guests. This is sealed at the end of the meal by an invitation to take a (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) shot, toasting to the great night and health to all good friends. Dining at Le Mousso was an exciting meal that was part culinary, part entertainment, and part educational. The evening was intellectually engaging and shared with a great team that welcomed us with generosity and joy. Very special! PS. The shot was half Miele amaretto and half Franklin Origine whiskey. All local!

Fantastic, fun and fine dining…read more First off, let me say that the staff at Le Mousso are excellent. We arrived late by 2 hrs due to the Montreal Grand Prix and they still accommodated us. On top of that, they have a unique, theatrical, fun, and quirky presentation style. You can't help but smile and cheer. The decor is beautiful. One seating per night. Various tables and bar seating. Not pretentious but clearly fine dining with a fun flair. Dishes were innovative and inventive. Pork blood replaced butter in a dessert. Uni was a main inspiration for another dessert. Ice cream made of a shallot was a surprise. It's not just desserts either. Lobster topped with goat cheese. Sounds weird but it works. A starter with a crab tartlette on top and then you flip the shell over for a crab liver forward morsel stuck to the inside of the crab. Overall this restaurant is incredible with fun presentation and a daring style. Well done.

Our dinner turned out to be the best meal we had during our most recent visits to Montreal, even…read moreoutshined our experience at Joe Beef. The only hiccup was that we reserved for the "chef's counter" section but when we arrived, we were encouraged to pick another section of the restaurant as the seats were literally right across from the oven, giving you an instant sweat! The dishes were all well executed. Our favorites were the crudo, mushrooms, and asparagus.

A beautiful place that smells like hearth as soon as you walk in. Music is kind of loud. Service is…read morefriendly and very helpful. Highlights were maitake mushroom, gnocchi coniglio, and endive. Cabbage was also quite tasty but too much ham. The gai lan flatbread was a miss - too much bitterness from the Chinese broccoli that was not balanced with spice or sweet (but the crust and ricotta were amazing). And the beef tartare was actually awful and it was the first thing we tasted and it kind of ruined the rest of the meal - ground meat, not chopped. It was very dry, had a very odd spice in it, and wasn't served with any crackers or bread. I would about that item (the fried kale on top was tasty, though). Pouding chomeur was a wonderful dessert.

awesome from start to finish. chef making presentations and explanations with each of the 5…read morecourses; amuse bouche and a sweet treat after dessert. C'est magnifique. if the menu changed we would go back before leaving Montreal

Surely La Chronique is one of the best fine dining restaurants in Montreal! It is perhaps a bit…read moreless 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!

My children brought me to Montreal for my 70th birthday celebration. We dined here on our first…read morenight. The food, service, and atmosphere were all excellent. So glad they chose Le Vin Papillon!

We came here as a foursome for dinner. It is a cozy, tight little space. Good drink menu and…read morevery pleasant wine. The menu is limited but we tried most of it. There is an appetized with vegetables and shellfish tgat we enjoyed. Then for mains, some had lamb and some had steelhead trout. All was good. The dessert was pretty average though. Decent service.

Such a beautiful restaurant, very nice inside. We got some…read moreappetizers to sure, escargot (good), bone marrow and the Brussels sprouts Cesar salad (delicious). I got the poutine (added the duck) as my entree. The duck was cooked perfectly and the poutine was good, so much gravy and so much food! Overall had a wonderful experience here, service was also excellent.

Vallier Bistro is a very nice restaurant that punches above its weight. It's beautiful inside and,…read moreweather permitting, would be great outside too. We chose to be inside and were seated immediately at one of the windows without reservation for this late lunch. Our concierge recommended Vallier and she was on point with the rec. I ordered their cucumber margarita and encourage Vallier to incorporate mezcal into their offerings for an even better margarita. The tequila marg was still very good and quite refreshing. Our server, Max, was doing his best to respond to all our questions and requests. I ordered the poutine with duck confit. We split a great Caesars salad, punctuated with anchovies and grated cheese. It was fresh and very good! This was my first time having poutine and I was not disappointed. For $46 CAD, this was a great value and perhaps the best value of anything I experienced in Montreal while attending the Jazz Fest. I can well imagine this would be best during the cold of winter, because this will stick to your ribs and you will not need to eat for another eighteen hours. The components were good individually: crispy fries with fluffy interior, savory gravy, rich cheese curds, and crisp duck leg that pops with savory flavor matching the gravy. You will be challenged to eat it all in one seating. That confit remains in my culinary memory. It all comes together nicely and the ensemble of flavors and textures is very satisfying and many would find this great comfort food. At $85 CAD and change, this was a great value and leaves one with great satisfaction in a beautiful bistro. It is one of those places that delivers above its weight and will have you return. If I lived in Montreal, Vallier Bistro would be in my regular rotation. 3.8 stars!

Hands down one of the best restaurants I've ever been to in my life. I will say the appetizers do…read moreshine more than the entrées do. Those scallops were some of the best I've ever had. My family is going to be taking a trip there again in the fall, and I 100% recommend this restaurant to them.

We felt welcomed from our very first point of communication - the phone call for the reservation…read more All we let was love and respect from this establishment. Even the kind, venerable maître d'hôtel greeted everyone so kindly and he can be easily seen setting up tables with such expertise and flair. Our server, Gabriel was full of energy, kindness and professionalism. He was a true delight from beginning to end. We were entertained by how he described each dish, gesticulations and all! The food was quite good and we appreciated the wild caught fish. As we quietly left it felt like the entire waitstaff saluted our departure. Everyone was in sync and you can tell service and food were not to be questioned. Excellence at its best, all around. Bravo!

I visited Montréal Plaza for a birthday dinner, and overall it was a memorable experience. The…read moreservice was excellent, the dishes were beautifully presented and elegant, and the drinks were absolutely fabulous. The birthday surprise the staff put together was a really thoughtful touch and made the evening feel special. That said, there were a couple of things that kept the experience from being a perfect 10/10. I had hoped to meet the manager to personally compliment the team, but I was simply told she wasn't available. I understand that managers can be busy, but I left feeling like my appreciation wasn't important, and that put a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. Also, while every dish we had was delicious and expertly prepared, the portions were quite small. After spending over $100 for the two of us, we both left still feeling hungry. Despite those disappointments, the quality of the food, cocktails, service, and birthday celebration were all outstanding. With a little more attention to guest interactions and portion sizes, this would easily be a five-star experience.

Such a weird name and such an oxymoronic ambience. On one end, they offer pretentious fusion…read moredishes, charging a premium for tiny portions and yet you stare square into the eyes of Cookie Monster who may be a guest at your table. Perhaps this setting is how I ended up at Montreal Plaza while we are on a family trip with my two kids. Remember, it's not easy to find a 'nice' restaurant that welcomes kids, especially one that is ranked number 13 out of Canada's top 100 (I might be wrong, but I feel like it's easier to find these places in Montreal than Toronto). I've never been a fan of fusion places. Montreal Plaza is no exception. They fall into the typical category of 'fusion' restaurants, that 'fuse' for the sake of fusing. We were recommended by the server to get 6-10 items. The appetizers we got included the monk fish liver, confit trout aspic, mini squid and tomato and whelks miso. Visually the appetizers looked good, but from a taste profile standpoint, they really didn't do it for me. Whatever they did with the monk fish liver made it less fishy upon the first bite, but gradually the usual fishiness is back. I'm not sure what they are trying to achieve here, but it's still a dish not meant for people who don't like fish taste. I'm ok with it because I like monk fish liver, but I like the traditional Japanese way way better. Confit trout was basically raw trout jelly. It was alright. Mini squid and tomato is a plate of 6 tiny squids. There's some char to them, but I expected stronger umami taste from them. Whelks miso lacked miso taste, but was pleasant. The dish felt like a fusion version of escargot with a slight crunch on top of the whelks. Some pieces of the whelks were over cooked. As you can see I was not impressed by the appetizers. The main courses were equally uninspiring. Our main courses included the fluke beurre butter and braised beef and strawberries. The fish was cooked well in the Fluke and beurre blanc dish. The fish was flaky and tender. However, the beurre blanc had an 'interesting' umami taste that potentially remind people of mild wet hockey gear. It's not my cup of tea, but I can understand why some people may enjoy it. It's an acquired taste just like things like blue cheese and durian. Braised beef and strawberries were ok, but the amount of braised beef was pitiful. Sauce tasted good, but I couldn't pick up on the all dress in the sauce. The marrow made the sauce very heavy and the bits of strawberries were not enough to neutralise the heaviness. The dish would be better off if it came with a rice or some sort of carbs. On its own, a bit over the top imo. Bread was also served with the meal or at least one of the dishes. Wouldn't say it's anything special. Service was good and they were very diligent in topping up water. Eventually during our wait for food, they did bring my kids a few crayons and a few plastic animals to play with. I'm having a really hard time understanding why they are anywhere near top 100 in Canada, even when I try to squint real hard, I just cannot picture it based on my experience there. I regret wasting a dinner slot on Montreal Plaza while I was in Montreal.