Restaurant review | Knuckles: for responsible catering

Restaurant criticism takes a new turn at Press. As always, our critics tell you about their experience, highlighting the good and, sometimes, the bad ones. But we now explain the choice of one restaurant or another. We also present the team in the dining room and in the kitchen. This week: Knuckles canteen and wines.

Iris Gagnon-Paradis
Press

Why talk about it?

Established in Jarry East Street since September 2020, Knuckles Cantine et Vins is another of those (courageous) establishments that have decided to open in the midst of a pandemic, first in the form of a counter, by betting on its “knuckles” – Closed-fist-shaped fried turnovers, which inspired the name of the place – and a few seasonal dishes, which made a good impression on us on our first visit last fall. Since then, the restaurant, which offers Italian-influenced Canadian cuisine, has decided, without fanfare, to switch to an exclusively vegetarian menu. A second visit last summer, on the pretty terrace, had charmed us. We wanted to see how their proposal had evolved, a year later.

Who are they ?

Basically, the Knuckles project is the idea of ​​Matthew Shefler, to which chef Vincent Lévesque Lepage quickly joined. The first worked mainly as a mixologist – before the pandemic, he was in charge of the cocktail menu of Mousso and Petit Mousso -, the second, he went through establishments like Hoogan & Beaufort. In the dining room and in the (open) kitchen, they are supported by a small, tight-knit, friendly and welcoming team. It was after a few months of activity that the chef wanted to push his locavore and zero waste approach even further by offering a vegetarian menu: “My philosophy is to bring an ethical side to the kitchen. As a chef, in 2021, we have to set an example. ”

Our experience

Small, festive and warm: this is how we could sum up the Knuckles. With its narrow room, which can accommodate around thirty guests, you quickly feel warm in this establishment in the Villeray district. The place doesn’t advertise itself as a vegetarian restaurant, and that’s intended; one could sit down there without even noticing it. When that happens, the leader says he has accomplished his mission.

These days, the Knuckles customer is treated to a comforting and invigorating autumn menu, divided between small dishes of vegetables and plates of fresh pasta. You have to taste the knuckles at least once, inspired by Matthew’s Italian grandmother’s panzerotti recipe. “Luxury pocket pizzas”, they have a fried dough swollen with air, just crisp enough to the bite, and their filling of tomato pulp, oregano and three cheeses (parmesan, pecorino and mozzarella) truly pays homage to the roots of Italian cuisine: quality products that are allowed to shine without distorting them.

No doubt, the chef is an outstanding technician, who works a lot on his preparations and uses many techniques (absolutely everything, except the bread, is homemade), while putting forward punchy, very assertive flavors.

There are truly amazing and amazing dishes on the Knuckles menu, the kind you won’t taste anywhere else.

The best example is undoubtedly this starter of roasted parsley roots – whose delicate taste is similar to parsnip – which dominates a Jerusalem artichoke purée and a brown butter mounted with black garlic, both of an incredible creaminess. On top, raw matsutake mushrooms, in thin slices, allow you to enjoy this seasonal product in its purest form, while fried panko in butter adds texture. To lick your fingers.

The beetroot plate, with its sourdough croutons and homemade feta (with organic Missiska milk) served on lacto-fermented plum puree (a very nice idea, which brings depth and roundness) and topped with marinated fennel flowers, offers an autumnal and successful version of the traditional panzanella.

That said, some dishes lack balance, like the monochrome broccoli dish. The crucifer is roasted directly on the charcoal, and served chilled (an idea that did not convince us), coated in a green mash made from the trims of broccoli, then accompanied by a condiment of herbs, potato chips. rice and sea lettuce and caramelized fresh yeast powder. An intense dish that lacks delicacy, where the umami taste prevails over the rest.

Whole wheat strozzapreti are certainly tasty, but not the most harmonious dish of the evening: they are mixed with squash al dente with a pronounced smoky taste, the bitterness of rapini and sage and, our favorite element, a creamy and slightly spicy sauce infused with a condiment of portuguese peppers burnt on the grill, then lacto-fermented, which is a good illustration of how the chef uses the seasonal foods all year round by processing them.

We preferred the simplicity of the spaghetti chittara : plump pasta with egg yolks (from the Noëka farm) absolutely perfect, a very tasty sauce, made from very ripe heirloom tomatoes and basil, buffalo mozzarella from Quebec and candied cherry tomatoes. A classic with local sauce, which hits the mark.

Despite the lack of appetite, duty calls us: we must taste the dessert, a trio of puffs with whipped cream, cute as everything, filled here with applesauce, there with haskap pastry cream or with sea buckthorn. Delightful !

In our glass

Matthew selects the wine at the Knuckles. Without being a sommelier, he shows good flair and lets himself be guided by his instinct … and what he himself wants to drink. One thing is certain: we have the same tastes. Wines (and a few beers) that are easy to drink and come from the main Quebec private import agencies (Boire, Vitriol, Ward & Associés, Bacchus, Primavin …) focused on biodynamic cultivation, with several small pearls to discover, often in limited quantities. You can enjoy a nice selection by the glass. Even though he felt the need to move away from mixology, the co-owner still has two or three current options in his bag for those who would like to order a cocktail. Dare to venture there: you will not be disappointed.

How much ?

Two knuckles will set you back $ 12. Vegetable dishes range from $ 15 to $ 20; pasta is around $ 25 and dessert retails for $ 15. As for wines, there is something for everyone, with some small rarities that can exceed a hundred dollars for those who have the taste and the means.

Good to know

Vegetarians will obviously be in heaven here; for vegans, it will be more difficult, most dishes including butter, eggs or dairy products.

Due to the smallness of the room and its stairs at the entrance, the Knuckles is difficult to access for people with reduced mobility.

Information

Knuckles Canteen and Wine is open Wednesday through Saturday, starting at 5 p.m. Reservations are highly recommended.

241 Jarry Street East, Montreal

Visit the Knuckles canteen and wines website