Restaurant review | Place Carmin, a new classic

Through the good shots and, sometimes, the less good ones, 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: Place Carmin.

Iris Gagnon-Paradis
Press

Why talk about it?

First there was Bouillon Bilk, in 2011, a gourmet restaurant open on Boulevard Saint-Laurent. Then, five years later, his little brother, Le Cadet, a few stone throws further south, with his relaxed formula of small plates. Supported by the same duo who gave us these two excellent addresses in the metropolis, the French brasserie Place Carmin has set up shop in the former space of the restaurant Le Local, in Old Montreal. Despite the vagaries of the pandemic, Place Carmin has grown in a magnificent setting to finally open last summer. Since then, customers have been there. Why talk about it? The question is rather: why not talk about it?

Who are they ?

Let’s face it straight away: we really like what the duo of Mélanie Blanchette and François Nadon are doing. She in the dining room and he in the kitchen, they were able to provide Montreal with two tables that have risen to the rank of essentials. The first is a butler, very professional and also very nice, who has been a two-time finalist at the Lauriers for the room service award. The second is a very talented chef. Both are more at ease in the shadows than in the spotlight, and instead rely on their teams, their thoroughness and their hard work to deliver high-level gourmet experiences. For this new project, the duo became a trio, with the addition of Émile Colette, former sous-chef of Bouillon Bilk who acts here as chef. Chef Nadon remains the executive chef for the three establishments. They are supported, in the kitchen and in the dining room, by a small, very stable team since the opening, including pastry chef Léa Godin-Beauchemin, responsible for the sweet program for the three establishments.

Our experience

We took the opportunity of son’s birthday to offer him an outing to a “real” restaurant and finally sit down at the Place Carmin table. On a frosty Friday night in mid-November, here we are. The space is absolutely breathtaking, elegant and warm at the same time; those who have frequented Le Local, dominated by wood and leather, will be dazzled by its whiteness and the finesse of the design, signed Clairoux.

Although friendly, our waitress is rather reserved and a bit stingy with advice. In front of the abundant menu, which has several sections – canapes, entrees, sides, seafood, main courses, beef on the grill – we have difficulty making our choice for our table of four.

For the child of now 7 years old, it’s easy: beef tab and fries. He will devour almost all of it, to the chagrin of the rest of the table, who salivate over the fries, crispy to perfection, and the piece of beef, cooked as requested (medium rare), well seared on the grill and accompanied by a sauce of your choice – here, chimichurri, bright green, very tasty.

The menu, it must be said, really offers something for everyone. A chic seafood platter? Elegant sofas? A black pudding tarte tatin? Parmesan gnocchi? Grenoble char for two? There is all that, and more. You can really create a menu to suit your desires at Place Carmin. “The place of all possibilities”, sums up the co-owner.

We probably would have liked to understand that the main courses were only served with light toppings, and that it would have been a good idea to dip into the sides. Even if several were eyeing us, we decided to shun them that evening. Regret, when you hold us.

There are dishes that alone are worth a visit from this table which can already be considered a new classic of the metropolis. First, this incredible sweetbread in a crust, to be rolled on the floor. Presented in a bowl, it is topped with a well puffed and crispy dough, pierced with a spoon and then plunged into a rich and tasty sauce bathed in offal and mushrooms.

You should also try the canapes, a dusted classic brought up to date. We swallow with delight a light tart with its creamy mousse of carrots and cream cheese and a touch of honey and fennel, or a ball of smoked mackerel mousse rolled in a crumble of puffed rice, then placed on a slice. cucumber. Perfect for an aperitif, with a cocktail or a bubble.

The lobster salad, fresh with its herb mayonnaise and textured with its puffed rice, was good, but lacked companions – our advice, instead go for the total, the chic seafood platter, which includes the said salad, oysters. , cocktail shrimp and a scallop ceviche.

Surprise by receiving our main course, described as a plate of roasted cauliflower, fried egg, almonds and truffle: it is more of a soup, because everything is bathed in a cauliflower cream. That said, here is an excellent vegetarian choice that is quite original, well balanced and tasty.

The guinea fowl breast was simply accompanied by a small portion of chicory, raisins and buttermilk. Despite a beautiful caramelization, the poultry unfortunately suffered from a slight lack of cooking in its center.

What about son in all of this? When dessert time arrived, the chef, seeing that he was on the move, kindly invited him to come and assemble his dessert in the open kitchen with the pastry chef. He was very proud to show us his work and to devour in a few moments his creamy strawberry shortcake.

Speaking of dessert, you should not shy away from your pleasure. From the decadent donut platter to the classic lemon pie through the original and all in freshness grapefruit jelly with mint whipped cream, the menu of sweets is really worth the detour.

In our glass

Mélanie Blanchette offers classic appellations and trusted values ​​on her wine list, classified by region. Nothing very atypical here, even if there is something to discover for the curious and some Quebec wines, so those of Joy Hill or Pervenches. The cocktail menu, with playful names like “Winning Like a Sore Loser” or “Rottweiler”, is quite daring and all those tasted were excellent.

Good to know

It is in particular to meet a strong demand for groups and private business events that Place Carmin has been designed. In addition to its main dining room, the place has two other private rooms. Vegetarians won’t have a hard time eating here and the place is easily accessible for people with reduced mobility.

How many ?

Your bill will be proportional to your ambitions. Canapes are $ 4 each; entrees and sides generally sail from $ 10 to $ 20. The seafood platter for two will set you back $ 100; main courses, which change often, are around $ 30. As for the grill section, it goes from the beef tab at $ 32 to the prime rib at $ 150; desserts, meanwhile, range from $ 8 to $ 20.

Information

Place Carmin is open from Wednesday to Sunday, from 4 p.m. During the holidays, the place will take a break from December 24 to 26, then from 1^er to January 6. Reservations strongly suggested.

740, rue William, Montreal