With Mignon, its most recent offspring, restaurateur Thomas Vernis (Santos, Buvette Pastek) has enjoyed himself. He had dreamed of a steakhouse for years. And if we trust the instant popularity of the place, which opened shortly before Christmas, Montrealers dreamed of it too.
Posted yesterday at 11:00 a.m.
“When I was younger, my father often took me for steak and fries at Entrecôte Saint-Jean. It was an almost religious place for me where they served a not greasy cut, every bite of which was perfect. If Thomas speaks in the past tense, it’s because the Peel Street bistro closed in the fall of 2020.
Mignon offers a unique menu: salad or soup and steak and fries. That’s all. But there are still a few small dishes that chef Pat Marion (Le Millerand in the Magdalen Islands, Fauna in Ottawa, Pilgrimme in British Columbia) regularly updates, as well as very classic desserts, such as crème brûlée and profiterole which were on the slate during our visit this week.
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PHOTO DAVID BOILY, THE PRESS
The Tartare du Mignon tartlet contains sunflower and pumpkin seeds that add crunch to every bite.
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PHOTO DAVID BOILY, THE PRESS
Connoisseurs will recognize the “café de Paris” sauce, made with butter and fine herbs.
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PHOTO DAVID BOILY, THE PRESS
Mignon’s salad is made from microgreens.
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PHOTO DAVID BOILY, THE PRESS
Panisse sticks are large chickpea “fries” served with mayonnaise seasoned with chili oil and smoked paprika.
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PHOTO DAVID BOILY, THE PRESS
The profiterole is filled with sweet clover cream.
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PHOTO DAVID BOILY, THE PRESS
Julia Wai-Lee Ma is the manager at Mignon. She also created the restaurant’s martini menu.
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PHOTO DAVID BOILY, THE PRESS
Designer Amlyne Philips (Café Bodega, Hà Vieux-Montréal, Café Bazin, Jatoba, etc.) has made this small 1000 sq.2 which has long housed the Dilallo Burger.
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PHOTO DAVID BOILY, THE PRESS
The back of the wooden slat bar reminds restaurateur Thomas Vernis of his parents’ basement!
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Connoisseurs will recognize the “café de Paris” sauce, made with butter and fine herbs. The team has fun insisting on the “secret” side of the recipe. That of Mignon, although inspired by the sauce which coats the beef of the Relais de l’Entrecôte in the City of Light, would have a little “personal touch”, assures the owner. Matchstick fries are perfectly salty and crispy. Also mention the tartar tartlet, with its sunflower and pumpkin seeds that add crunch to each bite.
Buvette Pastek’s sommelier, Philippe Champagne, is also responsible for the wine list, where France and Italy are in the strong majority. Martinis are prominent on the menu too, with ’90s classics like appletini, cosmo and lychee martini. If you want to pair it with steak, the Mignon & Dirty is probably the most suitable, with its pickle jus!
The sleek, warm and slightly eccentric decoration of Amlyne Philips (Café Bodega, Hà Vieux-Montréal, Café Bazin, Jatoba, etc.) makes this small 1000 sq.2 which has long housed the Dilallo Burger. “We didn’t skimp on the decor, with good-sized tables, designer chairs, a large velvet bench,” says Thomas Vernis. For the anecdote, the large (and only) painting of the place, a replica of a Rembrandt, had been bought from the antique dealer 16 years ago and was gathering dust. It seems to have been made for space.
Open seven nights a week, which is rare in these troubled times of insufficient manpower, the 30-seat restaurant is full most nights. Thomas Vernis is crossing his fingers for obtaining a terrace permit. This would overlook the same legendary alley and the same illuminated park as the restaurants of the Joe Beef group (Vin Papillon, Liverpool House, Joe Beef). We cross our fingers with him.
2523 Notre-Dame Street West, Montreal