These restaurants that unite us

They are the scene of memorable moments, places dear to our hearts, generous providers of pleasure, and not just taste! Restaurants are the sum of all this, and sometimes much more, for those who frequent them.

Iris Gagnon Paradise
The Press

Last January, as yet another dining room closure began, we invited you to tell us the name of your favorite restaurant, the one you encouraged during the pandemic or that you were eager to find. Inspired by these stories, we went to meet readers at their favorite establishment.

Steakhouse St-Charles: my headquarters

We find Alain Martineau, avid reader of The Pressseated at the Steakhouse St-Charles, “his” restaurant located in the heart of Sainte-Thérèse, chatting with the local chef, Julien Lecavalier.

The man, who was general manager of the Caisse Desjardins de l’Envolée, in addition to being president of the Thérèse-De Blainville Chamber of Commerce and Industry, had made the place his headquarters for his meetings. ‘business.

“It had become my second office. I went there three to four times a week. Let’s say that I went around the menu quite a bit! “, he laughs, praising in particular the good food, the warm service, the respectable decibel level for business meetings, the authenticity of the place and especially the two “exceptional” restaurateurs who are at the helm, Valerie Kennedy and Kareen Lamy.

So much so that when he retired — which he of course celebrated at the restaurant — the two owners surprised him by naming the space that serves as a conference room or private room in his honor. “Salle Alain Martineau”, can we read on a plaque placed above the door frame. “It’s an exceptional recognition from the team. When they came up with this, I couldn’t believe it! “says the new retiree.

“Business people are tightly knit here. The right people fell in love with our restaurant and that propelled us,” remarks Valérie Kennedy, who bought the restaurant in 2008, before joining forces two years later with M^me Lamy. The two had worked there as waitresses when it opened in 2004.

The two partners, who describe themselves as “intense” and visibly very dynamic, have since grown the establishment, which has grown from 11 to 47 employees, many of whom have been there for years. During the pandemic, they rolled up their sleeves, embarking on the adventure of takeaway meals. They have also completed their butchery project, transforming part of the room into a shop where they can buy cuts of meat and ready meals.

The complicity between the loyal customer and the owners is obvious. They tease and chat like old friends. “We are very close to our customers, we know them by name, we have seen their children grow up, says M^me Lamy. We really have a great clientele, we knew that, but the pandemic has doubly confirmed it for us; people were there to support us. They wanted the restaurant to stay alive. »

350-A, rue Sicard, Sainte-Therese

Tomate Basilic: extraordinary customers

For Cécile Legault and Mario Venne, it’s obvious: Tomate Basilic is “without a doubt” the best restaurant in Pointe-aux-Trembles, the neighborhood where they have lived since the early 1980s. as far back as the establishment’s opening in 2005.

“When the dining rooms closed, we found it very sad for them, recalls M^me Legault. Then, on Mother’s Day, they released a menu. We were interested, so we decided to order. And we continued, all the time! On Valentine’s Day, in 2021, we offered our children, who are young couples, to choose a meal that we brought to them. We shared our happiness to encourage them with them. »

They particularly appreciated the weekly meal box concept offered by the restaurant. “The most difficult thing is to choose a menu every week. They bother to do it, it’s very good, and generous too! », assures Mr. Venne. “With the pandemic, we had a kind of languor, a good depression, let’s say, the desire to make food was no longer there. We got spoiled! “, adds his spouse.

When The Press contacted Isabelle Boucher and Vincent Arsenault, the owners of Tomate Basilic, they of course immediately knew who Mario and Cécile were. ” It’s crazy ; during the pandemic, our customers thanked us for being there. But it is we who feel like saying thank you to them! », remarks the restorer.

Originally from Bas-Saint-Laurent, the couple found in their adopted neighborhood the same sense of community typical of small villages where everyone knows each other and helps each other. “We’ve been in Pointe-aux-Trembles since 2000. That’s kind of what makes our success, we’re well immersed in our environment. We give back a lot in the neighborhood and we know our people,” notes Mr. Arsenault.

Trained in human resources, Mr. Arsenault began his career working for the Giorgio group. Quickly, he caught the restaurant bug. The couple decided to open a franchise in Pointe-aux-Trembles, which a few years later became Tomate Basilic, an independent establishment.

“We made the restaurant in our image, it’s friendly, we want people to feel good. We have an extraordinary team, we knew that, but we also discovered during the pandemic that we had extraordinary customers, ”adds the co-owner.

Just before the pandemic hit, restaurateurs were focused on expansion, with the opening of a Tomate Basilic in Repentigny in November 2019, followed by the gourmet tavern La Goulée in the adjacent premises, a few months later. “At the same time, we had a production kitchen which was almost finished. So as soon as we could, we started selling products in the grocery store,” adds Ms.^me Butcher.

A good move that has allowed entrepreneurs to stay afloat for the past two years; today, their pizzas, lasagna and sauces can be found in 27 grocery stores. A natural evolution for Tomate Basilic, which has always offered take-out orders, as well as a ready-to-eat counter where customers can stop to stock up on delicious Italian dishes.

12 585 Sherbrooke Street East, Montreal

Restaurant St-Bruno: a big family

“I have been encouraging Restaurant St-Bruno since the start of the pandemic. Almost every week. This restaurant is a must that has existed since 1970, a family restaurant that keeps the secret of the best pizza in the greater Montreal area. Grazie mille all family Bastone ! », wrote Robert Michaud following our call to all.

The use of Italian is not trivial: in love with Italy, Mr. Michaud began to learn this language during the pandemic. Every time he goes to get his pizza to take away (usually Wednesdays, and always the Special St-Bruno), he takes the opportunity to exchange a few words in this language with Maria Bastone, whose father, Pasquale Bastone, was the great manitou of the place until his death last year.

“I have lived in Saint-Bruno for 25 years. I’ve been coming here for years, looking for pizza, I’ve also brought my four children there on occasion for dining. I remember Mr. Bastone was always at the door greeting people, like a patriarch. He always offered me coffee and chatted with me. There was this proximity, like in Italy,” recalls Mr. Michaud.

When Maria Bastone found out that Mr. Michaud had recommended her restaurant to The Press, she was very moved. Still reeling from the sudden death of her father, she wants to honor his memory, he who had first launched his pizzeria project with his brother, in a garage, in the early 1970s, before moving to the local where the restaurant still currently stands. Many of the clients have been coming to the institution for years. “People also have a lot of stories to tell, of memories that they lived here,” she notes.

Today, she is alone on board, with her brother Johnny, in the kitchen. “I haven’t always worked for my dad. But when the building burned down in 2012, I took a break to come and help my father. My brother Johnny is the superstar here. I think he’s been working in kitchens since he was 12. He is the one who does everything, he is here every day. It’s a lot of sacrifice. »

The menu has not lost its authenticity, even if it has been reduced over time and the chef has allowed himself to make some adjustments to family recipes, and to invent new ones.

The pandemic, as difficult as it was, especially with the lack of manpower, also had an unexpected effect: the links that were forged with customers, notes Maria Bastone. “The world has become more… human. I have a client who brought me cucumbers from his garden, another who even gave me a present for Christmas. “Little touches that put a balm on the most difficult times.

1438 rue de Montarville, Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville