Demers and Jetté will move to the kitchen at Newtown on May 17th. We don’t know a lot about Newtown, but its reputation (if you read the Chowhound boards) seems to stand on its current bar/club/dining atmosphere, more so than the food.

Whatever the case, it looks like we can wipe the slate clean because there are likely to be some cosmetic changes to the restaurant, perhaps a name change, and most important, Demers and Jetté will overhaul the menu.

This brings upheaval to Laloux, which has a long history in the neighborhood. The restaurant languished a few years before the arrival of the duo in 2007. Demers and Jetté are young, but have a list of accomplishments that belies their age, and we look forward to what they plan for Newtown.

Actually, it’s worth mentioning a few other shifts because they impact another restaurant we’ve blogged about here.

Le Local is losing Alexandre Gosselin and Éric Dupuis. Gosselin is moving to the new Bar et Bouef, soon to open in Old Montreal. Dupuis is going to Leméac. Charles-Antoine Pariseau of Leméac? He’s going to Le Local.

Got that? Bottom line, everything we’ve said about Le Local and Laloux is no longer applicable.

One final note about Laloux: a restaurant is an experience that includes more than just the chefs and the meals. It’s the ambience, the waitstaff, the sommelier David Vincent, too, and all were exceptional at Laloux. We’re also looking forward to what happens there.

• December 19:
• December 20: DNA
• December 21: au Pied de Cochon
• December 22: Laloux
• December 23: Le Local
• December 24: Bronte
• December 25:
• December 26: au Pied de Cochon

I noted earlier this year that we couldn’t resist dining at APDC twice on this trip, but we reserve the right to restrain our foies gras desires, should reason prevail.

We’re happy with this list because, with the exception of APDC, every restaurant is a new experience for us. December 25th is a big uncertainty. On Christmas night, very little is open except for hotel restaurants. For the past four years, we’ve had Christmas night dinner at Otto in the W Hotel. That’s a perfectly acceptable choice for this year, too, but we’re keeping our options open – perhaps the restaurant at Le Germain or the St. James or the St Paul. Or there’s Niu Kee, which is usually open on Christmas night.

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.)

This blog has chronicled our restaurant thinking and planning since 2006, and you can see the 2006 redux, as well as the 2007 discussion and a review of some of the 2007 restaurants from the inimitable Howard Schaefer. It’s chronicled restaurants that closed before we got to them (Anise, Bazaar Anise, Chevre) and some that closed after one visit (Cube, Brunoise) when we would have liked a second opportunity to dine there.

Truth be told, I’m more into this thing about making a list 120 days out from a trip than Chuck is, but from our previous visits, here are the prime candidates for a repeat visit.

2007: Pintxo

In 2007, there were two significant additions to our dining list: Toqué and Pintxo. Toqué was a celebratory event, an evening with all four of our friends for a dinner that would be memorable. Toqué doesn’t disappoint, but I doubt we’ll go back this year because we’ll be alone and less in need of the over-the-top dinner event. Pintxo, on the other hand, is a top candidate for 2008. It was a supremely pleasurable experience, and despite ordering everything on the menu (except the mixed salad), I think there’s more to enjoy there.

2006: Au Pied de Cochon

A significant percentage of web text about Montreal restaurants is devoted to this establishment, and this blog has contributed a fair amount, too, so I’ll spare you an additional review here. But our dinner there in 2006 led to a group celebration in 2007; and following those smashing successes, we’ll be back again this year. We’re spending a record 8 nights in Montreal this holiday, and we’ve talked about going twice, once before Christmas and again after. The caloric weight of two visits in such a short period of time may be more than my body can bear, but I’m willing to put it to the test.

2005: Gandhi

I written alot about Gandhi here; we think they serve some really good Indian food, and we like to visit often when we’re in Montreal. It’s also just steps away from the auberge where we stay, which makes it a convenient stop when we’re hungry and tired after a long day of leisure.

2004: Bato Thai, Bonaparte, Otto

Unless I’ve miscalculated, we’ve not been to Bato Thai since 2005, so I can’t vouch for its current state, but we had three great meals there, we like the Thai food there a lot, and I’ve heard little since then to convince me otherwise. It might be worth another visit. Bonaparte is one of the our most visited restaurants in Montreal, in part because it’s close to the auberge, and it’s a nice “French dining experience.” I enjoyed it most for Christmas Eve, and we kept that tradition until 2007. It could return this year, and so could Otto, which has been the Christmas night restaurant since 2004. It’s just good food, the menu changes regularly, service is good, the wine list is fine. Christmas night choices for dining are limited, naturally, and although we’ve talked about Niu Kee for a couple years, so far we’ve booked at Otto every Christmas.

So to summarize:

Candidates for a repeat visit:

• Pintxo
• APDC
• Gandhi
• Bato Thai
• Bonaparte
• Otto

New Contenders (new to our list, I mean):

• Laloux has actually been on our list for some time, and Chuck is concerned that we make 2008 the year we get there. A search of “Laloux” will bring up enough reviews to confirm that this is a restaurant that deserves to be on the list. It’s been called the best in Montreal by many, and the best in Canada by some. We hope to draw our own conclusion.
• Le Local has generated a fair amount of buzz, not all of it positive, since it opened. I expect Chuck and I will give it some consideration.
• Holder has been around longer, and also receives generally positive reviews. We’ve kept this restaurant as an option for a couple years now… perhaps this year.
• Joe Beef
• Niu Kee: 1163 rue Clark
• Restaurant YoYo

The New Contender list will grow, I’m sure, and I’ll keep you up-to-date.

What about lunch? That’s next.