This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
For the past few years, Montreal has been able to boast of having very interesting refreshment bars to discover, both for their wine, cocktail and spirits lists, and for the quality of the dishes on the menu.
Kaviar MTL
Located in the Central food court, in the heart of Montreal’s Quartier des Spectacles, there is an impressive selection of wines, including some classified growths, and rare champagnes. The owner, Dominic Laflamme, is a lover of good wines. For this bar with a modern look, several exceptional cuvées are offered by the glass and not just by the bottle. The particularity of Kaviar is that you can also taste sturgeon eggs from the Antonius brand, served as appetizers (try the Patata split, made up of a cooked potato garnished with fresh cream and caviar), or caviar bump on the back of your hand and accompanied by a shoot of frozen vodka. Other appetizers are also offered, such as pressed foie gras, smoked salmon blinis or soft-boiled eggs, for example.
Mignonette sea bass and tartars
Also at the Central, this “shell and tartar bar” is reminiscent of a nice French ginguette. The concept is simple, it offers a menu consisting of a selection of oysters of the moment and different beef tartars, yellowfin tuna, salmon or scallops, served in fairly generous portions, to which is added, to finish, a cheese from L’Isle-aux-Grues. A simplified menu presenting top quality products and particularly tasty recipes. Their classic beef tartare, for example, is as delicious as it is well prepared. The same goes for the scallop tartare, which surprises with its delicate flavors of Japanese inspiration. All complemented by a fine selection of wine cuvées, mostly European and privately imported, many of which are offered by the glass.
Nikkei MTL
The Nikkei, on the Plateau Mont-Royal, is the perfect place to enjoy colorful and exquisite dishes, accompanied by a selection of flamboyant cocktails, exceptional sakes, draft beers, spirits and, of course, wines. The cuisine offered there is a fusion of Peruvian and Japanese flavors, which are found a lot in Peru, the country of origin of the chefs, under the name of “Nikkei”. The plates are served as tapas, which we enjoy sharing. Among the specialties, we offer the chirashi acevichado (tuna, salmon and octopus sashimi with a very tasty leche de tigre sauce) Nikkei ceviche (tuna, salmon leche de tigre al ponsuwasabi peas) or the unagi nigiri with barbecued eel. Whether it’s a bubble, a still wine or a rare sake, sommelier René Davila will find the perfect match for you!
The Wine Room — Pamika
We already knew about the Thai cuisine restaurant Pamika. The chef-owner has just opened a wine bar concept with her partners. Located on Laurier Street West, in the Mile-End district, it offers a selection of natural wines and private imports. Thai recipes are as tasty as they are complex to pair with wines. However, it is this challenge that motivated the opening of this bar. Surrounded by a team of sommeliers, the restaurateur invites you to discover one of the hundred cuvées duly selected from the magnificent glazed cellar of the establishment, by the glass or the bottle. Offered in tapas format, the variety of dishes, including classic pad thai with chicken or shrimp, is as impressive as that offered at Pamika.
Disorganized
This friendly evening refreshment bar is also a daytime café. The beautiful vintage decor of the place is a collaboration with the studio of Zébulon Perron, to whom we owe the most beautiful restaurant designs in Montreal. On your evening visit, start with a cocktail. This month they were inspired by Black History Month. Thus, their delicious Captain Mango contains Barbancourt rum from Haiti and mango puree. The menu also varies from month to month. One constant however, there is always an aperitif menu and an evening menu, the latter being more substantial than the other and offering delicious dishes that would satisfy the hungriest. On the menu, the aperitif dish of grilled okras and their chipotle mayo, with which the bartender suggests pairing a natural orange wine, is delicious. On the evening menu, the beef gumbo served with rice and plantains or the vegetarian Colombo dish are delicious. On the wine side, we offer about ten by the glass exclusively natural, organic with the designation or organic without the designation, and about forty by the bottle.
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the Duty, pertaining to marketing. The drafting of Duty did not take part.