This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
If there was a time when hotel tables were nothing exceptional, today some have become little gastronomic pearls
House Boulud
The Ritz-Carlton hotel has been synonymous with refinement since its founding in 1912. Its gastronomic table had to live up to its reputation. In 2012, the hotel chose the Maison Boulud brand for its restaurant. It is therefore the culinary vision of French chef Daniel Boulud that tinted the menus of the Ritz in Montreal. In the kitchen, Romain Cagnat succeeded Riccardo Bertolino as executive chef, making his own the established tradition of wanting to offer a contemporary version of French gastronomy with an emphasis on local products. The personal touch of the current chef, of Burgundian origin, can be seen in the addition of dishes, such as snails, worked in a gastronomic way and offered on the evening menu. Duck and lamb from Quebec, black cod from British Columbia also carve out a place of choice on the menu, in addition to vegetarian dishes. On the wine side, we trust David Goirand, sommelier, to offer several interesting pairings from various countries, including Canada. An exclusive champagne at the Ritz, produced by the Barons de Rothschild, is also on the menu.
Lloyd
The Marriott Château Champlain gave a boost to its gastronomy with the opening of Lloyd’s restaurant last summer. For the kitchen, we bet with accuracy on a chef of Breton origin, who trained in several restaurants of prestigious hotels, particularly in French Polynesia. Kevin Mougin offers a French-inspired menu to which an exotic touch is sometimes added, reminiscent of Polynesia. The menu changes according to arrivals. Examples of combinations: scallops in Tahitian vanilla sauce, foie gras with pineapple and passion fruit tart. The chef carefully works with local products, such as duck legs or breasts, Quebec walleye or Arctic char and, at the moment, maple products. We will delight in its perfect cooking, its juicy meats, its crunchy vegetables and its impeccable presentations.
The H3
The H3 is the gastronomic restaurant of the Humaniti hotel. Under the direction of talented partner chef Jean-Sébastien Giguère, former chef at Toqué, the plates are transformed into true works of art. The seasonal cuisine offered there is made up mostly of local ingredients, some of which, such as honey and maple syrup, are harvested by the chef himself. He is a maple syrup producer and beekeeper, in addition to directing the kitchens of H3 and its big brothers, the restaurant Le Coureur des Bois (another very good hotel table) and La Cabane du Coureur. The menus offer tempting dishes where the influence of world cuisines is subtly felt, as in this vegetarian dish of risotto with spinach and halloumi, or in that of tuna aburi with tiger leche, bird’s eye chili and green onion . An Asian touch is also added to the recipes, a contribution that the chef de cuisine Ruihan Chen likes to give to the dishes. The imposing cellar of 6,000 bottles, of which 50 labels come from Quebec, will certainly please gourmets.
Marcus
The Four Seasons hotel has partnered with the famous New York chef of both Ethiopian and Swedish origins, Marcus Samuelsson, for the concept of his restaurant with terrace Marcus. The star was seduced by the culinary offer of Quebec and by the quality of its local products. He therefore imagined a gourmet brasserie menu highlighting the cuisine and the Nordicity of Montreal dishes. Jason Morris, former chef at Le Fantôme and Le Pastel, two excellent restaurants that stand out in Montreal restaurants, leads the team in the kitchen. With him, seafood and fish have pride of place at the table. The raw bar offers a selection of oysters as well as tartars. Must try: the impressive seafood tower filled with crab, lobster, oysters and other delicacies from the sea. influence that reflects his admiration for Japanese cuisine. On the wine side, we offer a nice menu with some Quebec wines. The glass terrace adds panache to the place.
Renoir
For a few years now, the Renoir restaurant, the table of the Sofitel Le Carré Doré, has distinguished itself as one of the best in the city. Its executive chef, Olivier Perret, a French master chef, came here to share his expertise and present it to a clientele fond of refined gastronomy. Supported by his right-hand man, executive sous-chef Félix Duquet, and the talented pastry chef Clément Tilly, the chef of the brigade transports us to a universe where the basics of classic French cuisine highlight the best products from here. Among the specialties of the house, the chef’s pie, the foie gras torchon with ice cider, the pressed short ribs or the Niçoise salad with red tuna. The address is also a must for its hearty brunches, including a dessert and homemade sweets station, as well as for business lunches at noon. The magnificent terrace, in summer, vibrates with the orange color of the Veuve Clicquot champagne house.
Willow Inn
One of the best tables in the province awaits you at the end of the island, in the West Island, nestled in a place dating back 200 years. The Willow Inn is a wonderfully bucolic place, bordered by Lac des Deux-Montagnes. It is the rural charm of the inn and its site tinged with history that prompted, in 2021, chef Danny Smiles, of the restaurant Le Bremner, to leave his post to come and work in the kitchens of this establishment. Magic then took hold of the place, becoming an unmissable gourmet attraction. The chef works with producers in the region. For the rest, it’s a cuisine inspired both by the Egyptian-Italian origins of the chef and guided by the seasonality of the products. Country bread served with butter from dairy cows in the Hudson Valley, “battta” beef (tartar of Italian origin served as a starter) from the ORée farm, Louis d’Or cheese, albacore tuna served with a tahini sauce and fried shallots, the blend of flavors is perfectly harmonious and evokes the chef’s mixed influences. Chef Mitchell Laughren assists his friend in the kitchen with passion.
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the Duty, relating to marketing. The drafting of Duty did not take part.