Brothers Sébastien and Francis Laganière began brewing 12 years ago in their premises in Vieux-Saint-Jean, before moving most of the Lagabière microbrewery’s activities to their factory in the Iberville sector.
Since 2016, the original premises have been used as a bistro-brasserie, and the time had come to breathe new energy into it. A mandate that was entrusted to consulting chef Ian Perreault, for whom it has become a specialty to support restaurateurs when the time comes to reinvent their concept.
“The formula was very 2000s restaurant, with lots of fried and frozen foods, there was no fish on the menu, in short, there was no real reason that would have encouraged me to come and eat here,” the chef, who notably started the bistro Chez Lionel in Boucherville, told us bluntly.
-
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, THE PRESS
Grilled parmesan shrimp are layered over a creamy risotto cooked with a white beer seafood bisque.
-
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, THE PRESS
Fish and chips, whose breading is both light and crispy and duly incorporates the microbrewery beer.
-
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, THE PRESS
Delicious fried pickles served with a lemony beer yuzu emulsion and lettuce shoots. The pickles are pre-rinsed before macerating for 72 hours in a marinade of IPA, dill, dune pepper and bay leaf.
-
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, THE PRESS
La Buvette Laganière adopts a relaxed look that is somewhat reminiscent of the Polynesian style.
-
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, THE PRESS
The beers from the Lagabière microbrewery are all available on tap at the Buvette Laganière.
1/5
Bistro Lagabière has been renamed Buvette Laganière, with chef Perreault saying he was inspired by the traditional concept of casual drinking establishments that emerged in French villages, except that here, it’s the Laganière brothers’ beer that is the keystone of the concept – but there is of course a great wine and cocktail list.
As for the menu, Ian Perreault developed it with beer and its various ingredients always in mind, whether it’s the barley served with the tuna tataki, the breading of the fish and chips or the seafood bisque of the risotto.
Also, the Buvette Laganière in Vieux-Saint-Jean is intended to be the first restaurant in a chain that the team intends to develop. “The guys want to continue to grow the brand, so I didn’t come here to open a single restaurant,” assures Ian Perreault. “Everything started here, it will remain our postcard, but we want to go to all regions of Quebec.”