MONARQUE RESTAURANT - MONTREAL

Apr 6

Two restaurants in one, a unique culinary experience!

Having worked on rue Saint-Jacques more than 20 years ago, I remember that at the time, it was difficult to find a decent sandwich shop. Today, the street has transformed into a mix of bars, boutique hotels, chic stores and restaurants, breathing new life into this once-important street in Montreal. The Monarque is probably the flagship of this renaissance. The concept is a bit unique, in reality it is two relatively distinct restaurants brought together in a single space. At the entrance, along the bar, you will find a bistro with counter seating and a dozen tables. Beyond this space, you will discover a more chic and cozy restaurant, while remaining contemporary, offering a superb view of the kitchen. For our evening, we chose to dine in the bistro area.

The bistro menu is really interesting. It offers classics that mix with modern and inventive dishes. The house cocktail menu is also very attractive, offering original creations without being too exotic. Our two choices filled us with happiness.

As for the dishes, we opted for the grilled octopus and the lobster farrotto. Both dishes were perfectly successful. The lobster was delicate and paired perfectly with the farrotto, asparagus, lemon and parmesan. For the main course, we chose the seafood and fish bouillabaisse, as well as a piece of beef. The choice of beef was surprising for us, because this type of dish does not always showcase the talent of the kitchen. However, being big fans of red meat that evening, we decided to give it a try. The bouillabaisse was tasty and the seafood was cooked perfectly. The only slight disappointment of the evening was actually the piece of beef. We were introduced to a cut called "spider", which we had never heard of before. In reality, it was a piece similar to flank steak, with a lot of sinew, and the herb butter lacked a little flavor. It's a shame, because the fries that accompanied the meat were simply delicious. For dessert, we enjoyed a huge rhubarb pavlova, which was simply delicious.

The service was courteous and without missteps, but sometimes a little rushed. Our dishes were served by different people, and only one person took the time to describe the dish to us. We really had the atmosphere of a Parisian bistro, where everyone is busy serving the customers. Nonetheless, we came away from our experience delighted, and if you're looking for a quick meal in Old Montreal before a show, don't hesitate to go there, if you can find a table. We can't wait to discover "the other restaurant".