Air Canada’s in-flight mag, enRoute, has published it list of the top 10 new restaurants in Canada, and while we should be surprised that only two restaurants in Montreal made the list, maybe we shouldn’t because there’s a lot of innovative cuisine popping up nationwide (although apparently not in eastern Canada, enRoute?!!?)
Nota Bene in Toronto takes the #1 spot, but right behind is a new Montreal restaurant that we’ve mentioned a few times: Le Local on William in Old Montreal.
enRoute describes the restaurant as a little baffling:
First there’s the location, somewhere between Old Montreal and an expressway on-ramp. Then there’s the fact that the floors are concrete and the walls are hardwood. Angled mirrors reflect not the diners but the buzz of the open kitchen. The staff can seem rude one minute, gracious the next. Don’t look to the menu for any help; it offers a cochonnailles plate with “a mixture of interesting things,” cassolette d’escargots and deer tartar with pickle cream. The butternut squash soup and chestnut purée is served with what resembles a baby spoon.
In a less food-savvy city, such a scene might detract from the food or cause the kitchen to get lazy. Not here.
Chowhounders have not been uniformly happy with the service here, but from the chatter, it’s clear they’re paying attention. So are we.
Also of note: Liverpool House (from the people who brought us Joe Beef) also represents Montreal on the list. (2501 rue Notre Dame O.)