Restaurant review | After rain the good weather !

Through the good shots and, sometimes, the not so good, our restaurant critics tell you about their experience, introduce the team in the dining room and in the kitchen, while explaining what motivated the choice of the restaurant. This week: the smiling Good Weather, to help you wait a little longer.

Eve Dumas
The Press

Why talk about it?

Beau Temps opened for sandwiches and wine to go in December 2020. They were excellent sandwiches. But the chef, William Cody, couldn’t see himself working between two loaves for long. The sommelier, William Saulnier, had no more desire to fill his cellar to the brim for an empty room.

Then the reopenings and closings followed one another. The restaurant has had success with its summer crab and lobster concepts. But when the real Beau Temps experience did finally see the light of day, it sadly went under the radar. Let’s remedy this situation and allow this beautiful table to shine a little more and spread its good vibes.

Who are they ?

The “two Wills” form a solid tandem. They worked together at the restaurant Les 400 coups for a few years. Then, the chef left to open Maïs, a festive taqueria that thrilled the premises where Beau Temps now stands for seven years. The sommelier opened the Hoogan and Beaufort with Marc-André Jetté.

It was in the summer of 2018 that the ex-colleagues met… in an alley! William Saulnier has taken over the menu and the service at Le Parasol, a delicious little summer table at the back of Le Maïs. With their partner Peter Popovic (Magpie pizzerias), the Wills decided to bring the Parasol and its local cuisine inside. Since summer 2020, the alley is now reserved for the Crab Shack and Lobster Shack for the high season of these Gaspé and Madelinot treasures (until the end of June). In July and August, the Beau Temps will spread everywhere, the grill will come back on in the back and the small plates full of freshness and creativity will flow freely from front to back.

Our experience

It is a very quiet Wednesday evening. Two of us show up without a reservation. The counter is ours. And even if there are only three other tables in the slender dining room, it doesn’t feel like a dead restaurant. It takes a while before you realize it might be a matter of…sound. It’s amazing how much of a difference the right music in the right context can make. Afrobeat, pop, instrumental and joyful hip-hop put us in a good mood. At the time of paying the bill, the Will of room tells us that it is the Will of kitchen who simmers the reading lists. He doesn’t just have flair in the kitchen, this chef!

But the kitchen remains its great strength, as evidenced by all the dishes we devoured that evening. The first market gardeners are still waiting. And it is precisely the ability of the small team (cooks sought after, as everywhere!) to still produce wonder in April with celeriac, potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes that impresses us the most during this spontaneous visit.

The dauphine potatoes, fried mashed potatoes and choux pastry, are perfect for calming a rabid appetite, without knocking it out completely. Despite their “naughty” appearance, they float on the tongue! With their Old Bay seasoning (celery salt, pepper, chilli, etc.), the meatballs are good as they are, but divine when dipped in green garlic mayonnaise. The very crunchy endives are dipped in a smoked yogurt decorated with pecans and pieces of Cara Cara orange. The freshness of this entry is incredible.

Above all, do not be afraid of beef tongue. It is served in very thin slices, like a charcuterie, which covers a nice salad of celeriac with buttermilk. And comes ZE seasonal product, the crâââââbe! At the price it’s showing this spring, we wouldn’t blame the chef for mixing it with a generous portion of spaghetti. Seasoned with jalapeno pepper and textured with a nice breadcrumb, this dish is a welcome comfort on this cool evening.

As we are unable to choose between the two desserts, go hop! we take everything. The chocolate tartlet with sunflower praline and Jerusalem artichoke “candy” is genius. The marriage of local (or neighboring!) ingredients and delicacies from elsewhere is also very successful in the plate of smoked Ontario peaches, preserved last summer, torn Genoa bread (a cake made from flour almond), English cream and Marcona almonds.

In our glass

At 400 Blows and at Hoogan and Beaufort, William Saulnier evolved in a classic setting. He kept his manners. His service is flawless. We hardly notice it, except for the right reasons: a witticism, empty plates that disappear without realizing it, a suggestion of wine that hits the mark. To match the very relaxed atmosphere at Beau Temps, he favors pleasure wines. His pleasure. “If I want to drink a bottle to myself, it’s on the menu!” admits the sommelier. Since we fully trust his tastes and this intuitive approach, we listen to (and appreciate) his recommendations: a refreshing bubble of Orsi, Clément Baraut’s chenin/sauvignon “Herbes folles” which makes your mouth water and the juicy and floral grolleau black from La grange aux belles.

Good to know

There are ways to eat meatless here and some vegan adaptations are possible. The toilets are on the ground floor, but small and not particularly suitable for people with reduced mobility.

Price

The prices follow the formats and the base cost of the ingredients. Smaller dishes cost $10 to $17. The heaviest ones with animal protein (fewer) hover around $36. The sugar craving is satisfied for $10-12.

Information

Beau Temps is open Wednesday to Saturday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Beau Temps, 5439 Saint-Laurent Boulevard, Montreal