The Azalea restaurant opened without fanfare, a year ago, rue Saint-Denis. The ambitious project of a young woman with cerebral palsy, Azalia Kaviani, and her mother, Fanny Esfahani, has new partners in the wine and spirits world. They were just looking to open a bar. Azalea is therefore blooming again, just in time for the beautiful season.
André Papineau, owner of the Vinealis agency, is one of the pioneers in the representation of artisanal wines in Quebec. Carl Dubé and sommelier Naomie Lavallée-Durand manage a portfolio of wines and spirits for Les Frères Spirit. All together, they want to make the beautiful premises located between Rachel and Marie-Anne streets a lively, benevolent and unpretentious place. The back garden, with its beautiful mature trees, is an exceptional oasis in the heart of the Plateau.
The interior is dominated by a royal blue which gives presence to the room. Works evoking the struggle of Iranian women punctuate the elegant decor. The bottles are also well highlighted.
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Here, kukus and a small format of tachin (saffron rice)
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Raw vegetables, fresh herbs, cheese and nuts are staples of the Persian table.
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Herbal dumplings
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
André Papineau, owner of the Vinealis agency, is one of Azalea’s new partners.
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
There are beautiful skittles to discover in Azalea’s cellar.
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Touches of royal blue set the tone.
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
The garden will undoubtedly be one of the most beautiful in Montreal when it has finished greening and flowering.
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If the cuisine of the beginnings married Persian and Mexican specialties, it now draws mainly on the Iranian roots of Fanny and Azalia. The mother cook passed on the rudiments of her culinary heritage to the new chef Véronique Normand, who puts them to her sauce.
“It’s a cuisine with a lot of regional variations,” Ms. Esfahani explained to us on the evening of the (re)launch. I think that many of the specialties that we draw inspiration from are new to Montreal. »
The current menu is made up of lovely little things to share: dips, kukus, meatballs, salmon with herbs, tachin (saffron rice), etc. Salads and other dishes inspired by seasonal freshness will be added as you go. Everything is very affordable (between $8 and $14), including the wines.
Azalea is open Thursday through Monday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
4306 Saint-Denis Street, Montreal