If the Moishes reopens its doors on Wednesday far from the Handa huge map of boulevard Saint-Laurent dating from 1879 occupies the central space of the legendary restaurant in Montreal.
From the amber onyx stone seen behind the bar to the chandeliers illuminating the imposing cabernet-colored armchairs, the soul of the Montreal steakhouse founded in 1938 by Moishe Lighter – which hosted Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra – is clearly still there, for its reopening in the international district of the metropolis.
A decor that pays homage to the cachet of the past while being stunning for its time: this was the task of designer Patty Xenos. She was probably the best placed to do it since she was the one who orchestrated the renovation of the Moishes in 2011. “It needed a look timeless which allows regulars to find their way around, but which impresses new customers,” she says.
But the Moishes could have remained closed for good, said Monday morning Jean Bédard, president of the Grandio Group (formerly Sportscene), who had returned the day before from Bordeaux, where he inaugurated the first branch of La Cage in France and even abroad. outside Quebec.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Jean Bedard
It was in 2018 that Lenny Lighter, the son of the founder Moishe Lighter, contacted Jean Bédard to ensure the future of Moishes. The latter wanted to have a stronger presence in Montreal, while the Caisse de dépôt wanted the arrival of a high-end restaurant in its building.
However, moving a restaurant like Moishes after the end of its lease to 3961 Saint-Laurent Boulevard was a more realistic plan before than after the pandemic. “For a long time, we weren’t sure we would reopen it,” says Jean Bédard, who works with his two sons and whose group has 4,000 employees.
” There had been a lot of work to preserve the DNA of Moishes, he continues. The plans and the design were done…”
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The map of boulevard Saint-Laurent dating from 1879 which occupies the central space of one of the two dining rooms comes from the national archives.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
In the entrance of 1001, rue du Square-Victoria, a mural by Jason Wasserman pays homage to Montreal.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The new Moishes obviously honors his past on the Hand in the old Jewish quarter.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
We find in particular the same chandeliers and the pewter tile of the old Moishes.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The 7000 square foot restaurant is divided into four rooms: a bar area, two separate dining rooms and a private room. With the terrace, we can serve almost 285 customers at the same time.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The kitchen is partially hidden by windows reminiscent of the old industrial look of Saint-Laurent Boulevard. To decorate the whole, works of Alfred Pellan. Elsewhere, one can also see paintings by Jean Paul Riopelle and Jack Bush.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Kitchen workers wear caps with the historic Moishes logo.
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So it was only fitting to revive Moishes when normal life resumed. “If all the people who asked me ‘when are you reopening Moishes?’ come, it should be fine,” jokes Jean Bédard.
“The goal is to be also open for lunch in the fall,” he says.
A lucky bet
A bit of history: Moishe Lighter was a waiter before having the restaurant that was to bear his name in 1938. He became the owner of the place, the Romanian Paradise, after making a bet with the boss.
“It was a bar,” says designer Patty Xenos, who wanted to replicate the Romanian Paradise tile floor around the new Moishes bar. A bar around which people can sit when it was not the case before. “I preserved the heart,” says the designer.
For the private room at the back of the restaurant, Patty Xenos wanted to reproduce a card room. A nod to the lucky hand of Moishe Lighter.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
A work by André Monet catches the eye in the private room.
As a child, Patty Xenos frequented the Moishes with her father. According to her, it is necessary to value more the institutions of the Montreal restaurant industry which persist under the sign of tradition and not of trends.
For many people, it’s a must to go to Moishes when they come to Montreal.
Patty Xenos, designer
Patty Xenos also wants to highlight the idea that time stands still when you go out to a restaurant. A lot of effort has gone into the acoustics of the new Moishes to make the flow of conversation pleasant, she points out.
Constancy and authenticity
On the menu, new dishes – even vegetarian – will be added to the menu of those inspired by Eastern Europe. We promise USDA Prime grade grills.
In the kitchen, we will find chef Murteza Talu, who worked for nearly 10 years in another flagship restaurant in Montreal, Damas.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Chef Murteza Talu lived in Toronto before falling in love with the Montreal culinary scene.
“It’s an honor and a challenge,” he said, recalling that Moishes has previously featured in the top 10 of the magazine’s best steakhouses in the world Forbes.
“We have to carry on the tradition so that people will come back to Moishes again in 20 years”, says the one who left Turkey for Canada as a foreign student when he was 16 years old.
To last in catering, you have to dare while respecting your DNA, adds Jean Bédard. “It’s also about daring to move,” he jokes.