If you pass in front of the Stellina premises on rue Saint-Jacques in Old Montreal, you may not notice it, and it is intended that way.
Posted yesterday at 11:00 a.m.
With this new address, the owners – Massimo Lecas, Angelo Leone and Roberto Pesut of the Fiorellino Group, as well as David Malka and chef Jonathan Agnello – wanted to create an intimate setting, away from the hustle and bustle, without a sign. From the yellow-tinted window of the room adjoining the Monarque restaurant, you can see the cooks busy making fresh pasta, the specialty of the place. It is only once inside that the slender premises, with brick walls and inviting banquettes, are revealed. The design, signed by the talented Gauley Brothers (Atwater Cocktail Club, Piatti Pizza, Ryu Griffintown, Fugazzi Mile End), is sober and elegant.
Since its opening in November, Stellina has been a resounding success. “Right now, we’re full until the end of March,” said Massimo Lecas. The restaurateur, known for his major projects – Buonanotte, Globe, Fiorellino – wanted to offer a different restaurant here, with less square footage and fewer seats. “We’ve had a lot of success in the past with our other concepts; this is the first time we have ventured into a small 60-seat restaurant. We saw the trend for fresh homemade pasta and we wanted to offer our vision of the pasta restaurant, as we did with the pizzas at Fiorellino. We also wanted to look for shapes of pasta that are not usual. Absolutely everything is done by hand,” he adds.
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
The menu of fresh pasta dishes, all homemade, changes often. Here, fazzoletti with porcini mushrooms with hazelnut gremolata.
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Restaurateur Massimo Lecas and chef Jonathan Agnello, co-owners of Stellina
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Plump cappelletti stuffed with mascarpone, ricotta and tallegio, with butter sauce, mosto cotto (grape must reduction) and speck ham
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
The design of the place is signed Gauley Brothers.
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Absolutely all the pasta on the menu is handmade.
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Ravioli with runny egg inside, sprinkled with truffle
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Chef Jonathan Agnello prepares his crostone with whipped ricotta.
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On the plate, chef Jonathan Agnello (Porchetta, Impasto, Osteria Venti) offers fresh pasta dishes, all simmered on site, in a menu that changes often: fazzoletti with porcini mushrooms with hazelnut gremolata, plump cappelletti stuffed with mascarpone cheese , ricotta and tallegio, with butter sauce, mosto cotto (grape must reduction) and speck ham… Lovers of authentic Italian cuisine will be served here. There is also a selection of antipasti: burrata cheese and its seasonal accompaniments, crudo of the moment or crostone – a crouton garnished with whipped ricotta, served with a tasty caponata. Every evening, a very limited quantity of “fiorentina” (Florentine steak, Tuscan specialty) is served on the slate. A wine list, mainly from Italy, and classic cocktails such as the Venetian spritz or negronis in several variations, constitutes the drink offer. And of course, some dolci are offered to end the meal in style.
Open Tuesday to Saturday.
410 Saint-Jacques Street, Montreal