Paparmane: rococo tea room as a gift

Lovers of fun concepts, for a timeless experience, flirtatious and festive at the same time, here is Paparmane: a new English-style tea room, in the heart of Old Montreal, which will amaze you with its brunch little gourmet bites.

This project by the happy team to whom we already owe the Régine and Janine cafés is part of this type of beautiful address where we promise to bring our mother, our grandmothers, but also our children, to a moment as magical as it is gastronomic, just chic enough, but above all unique. The kind of place where you start with a mimosa, where you help yourself from your little porcelain teapot, but where you eat with your fingers!

Barely open for a few weeks, Paparmane is already full for Mother’s Day. The address, with around fifty seats, has visibly stood out, and for good reason. Its decor, first of all, funny rococo, just overloaded enough, is breathtaking. Think: heavy velvet curtains, pink walls, tufted armchairs. There: a painting of the Mona Lisa with a cocktail in her hand. At the very back: a huge colorful mural of pink trees with cotton candy foliage. Not to mention this huge royal chandelier, hanging from the ceiling.

It is to Pierre-Luc Chevalier (co-owner) that we owe the original idea, born during a trip to London, long before his two other “jewels” took shape, as he says (Régine and Janine). . Love at first sight for this concept of tea time, both “unifying” and “festive”, bringing together “grandma and her grandchildren”, where sweet and savory are joyfully mixed. “It takes that in Montreal! “, he said to himself.

It’s done. As for the menu, we’re really having a blast with a series of pretty tiered platters ($50 per person, tea included, to share for smaller appetites), offering a dozen rich savory and sweet bites, ranging from eggs mimosas with mini passion fruit tarts, duck confit latkes, without forgetting the essential scones (crunchy and soft at the same time, from the Le monde est scone bakery). Several chewable sweets top it all off.

A half-price children’s menu (under 12 years old) should delight young gourmands, with, among other finds, a Lego jello, a mini pink donut and a Fruit Loops cream cup.

Good to know: a gluten-free option is also on the menu, as is the vegan option (we worked here with Béline patisserie). We nibbled on the three options (classic, vegan and gluten-free, by Grégory Chandler, executive chef at Régine and Janine as well), and quite honestly, they are all equally tasty, original and delicious. Note that if you have other restrictions, simply notify the kitchens in advance, they have around forty interchangeable appetizer ideas in the bank.

To drink: herbal teas, green teas and black teas are in the spotlight, in original confections (Gentille Camomille, Madame Papillon, Massala tralala) signed by tea sommelier Lady T (Élise Perreault). Quite light for lovers of strong drinks that we are, know that you can also spoil yourself with a cocktail, matchas, various coffees, and other chocolate drinks, of course.

Open Wednesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., reservations encouraged. The tea room also has an adjacent shop.

209 Notre-Dame Street West, Montreal

Visit the Paparmane website