For our second night in Montreal, we wanted something a little more traditional than Le Club Chasse et Peche….

But we also wanted to say in the Old Town because the weather had taken a turn for the frigid. Fortunately, our concierge at the Saint-Sulpice recommended L’Epicier, a Quebecois bistro just a short jaunt from our accommodation.

L’Epicier, as well as being a restaurant, is a food merchant and they have all manner of upscale products from zebra striped pasta to fresh fruit tartes. The restaurant/shop is located in a stone building, brought to life with bright blue walls and elegant wire light fixtures. The room is very inviting and the service was equally hospitable.

We began with two Kir L’Epicier, sparking wine topped with their own raspberry syrup, a delightful twist on the classic.

Studying the menu, we were amused by the kitchen’s offering of a small pork samosa with a yogurt dip — a promising start. We worked on some bread (a classic baguette and a heartier country loaf served with regular and red-pepper butters) while waiting for our entrée. 

To start, we split the confit rabbit ravioli. Three ravioli appeared in little clouds of sweet potato puree all topped with a foamy hazlenut emulsion. This dish was an immediate winner and while I’d originally anticipated abdicating the third rav to Mr. Rab it was so good that I reneged. Every last bit of L’Epicier’s creation was sopped up with baguette — formidable!

We were perhaps too eagerly anticipating our mains after the very strong start, and we both met with slight disappointment. The plates were gorgeously presented. My cod was placed on a square of coriander polenta set between a line of pineapple salsa and, on the other side of the plate, a cod croquette in a leek salad and coconut curry sauce with the texture of whipped butter. The cod was expertly cooked, juicy with a very crispy skin, but all of the accompaniments failed to live up to their promise. The problem amounted to a consistent timidity, which was doubly disappointing because the chef’s instincts were dead on. The curry would have been an excellent pair with the fish, but its flavours were too light. The salad accompanying the crab croquette suffered from the same difficulty, making that side bland. The pineapple salsa/jelly was excellent and it “worked,” but the coriander polenta also needed a little extra kick. A woman at the table next to ours ordered the same dish, and at the end of our meals I happened to notice that we’d left all the same bits (bland curry, bland polenta, bland leek salad). I hope the kitchen noticed this too.

Mr. Rabbit ordered the bison hanger steak, presented in three pieces, each set atop a dollop of sweet potato mash. His accompanying veg, spinach crepes stuffed with jicama, also suffered from the bland-ness that hobbled my veg. But Mr. Rab’s plate offered a bison shortrib with a barley risotto that was positively succulent — finally a moment that lived up to the promise of the ravioli entrée! With the mains, we each put back a glass of Spanish red (can’t remember the particulars).

For dessert, we split the housemade ice creams and sorbets which appeared as five quenelles — mango, melon, rhubarb, caramel, and pistachio. The melon and pistachio were the winners (the melon was particularly wonderful), and the rhubarb stood out because of its yogurt-y texture (it worked). All this went down with a calvados and a coffee for Mr. Rab.

In the end… two Kir L’Epicier, two glasses of wine, one calvados, one entrée, two mains, one dessert, one coffee — $160 (after tax and before tip).

L’Epicier was a slightly uneven experience with some absolutely wonderful moments which probably made its mediocre moments seem more grievous. I would consider a return, especially since I think we could navigate the menu more effectively next time. One thing that was consistent was the excellent service, including the hostess and the bus staff. This is a good option for bistro-ish fair in Old Montreal.

www.chezlepicier.com

Two Little Notes on Montreal:

Hotel Saint-Sulpice – Hotel Saint-Sulpice is located in Old Montreal, right around the corner from Notre Dame Cathedral. I really like this hotel. The building has just the right mix of old-world charm (fireplaces, stone walls, an interior garden) and modern amenities (well-considered gym facilities, nice tubs for soaking, good room service). Also, the lobby always smells exceptionally good. Two evenings I ordered room service, and they were very accommodating of my health-conscious requests and made an excellent wine recommendation (this requests are not incongruous). The rooms are small suites, providing an extra bit of space and the tools for doing a bit of cooking, if one likes. Definitely recommended. (www.lesaintsulpice.com)

Claude Postel Patissier – If you stay at the Saint-Sulpice, Claude Postel is a charming patissier and chocolatier a mere stone’s throw from the hotel. This was our café of choice for le petit dejeuner, although they have a small bistro counter with lunch offerings that also looked good. We can vouch for the well prepared coffees (good cappuccino!), excellent breads and baguettes (a hearty raisin loaf with cinnamon swirl was a huge hit)… and we liked that you could buy little slices of Oka and nice cheddar a well as fresh fruit. We didn’t get around to trying the cakes, but they looked like Paris. A delightful find! (www.claudepostel.com)

Posted on November 5th, 2008 by rabbit
Filed under: Montreal, Restaurant Reviews