Europea, Montréal (Québec, Canada)
If you ever find yourself in Montréal get your bony behind down to Europea. On a recent visit for dinner I was blown away by their food, service, ambiance - in short, everything. This modern international-style restaurant is located in the luxury boutique strip not too far from McGill University (so a bit of a hike from the old city if you are staying there).
My dining partner and I ordered their tasting menu which they paired with some delicious wines. The first amuse was a plate of marinated mushroom, fish and potato croquette as well as prunes wrapped in bacon (which on my return to Tokyo was one of the first dishes I cooked!). This was followed by a second amuse of a divine lobster bisque with truffle. This was followed by a plate of cooked and cold foie gras served with pineapple jam and a very drinkable Ontario sticky wine. The next course was a shot glass containing a foam of Caesar salad and bacon - our sole brush with molecular gastronomy for the evening...The main course was a stupendous plate of roasted scallop with prosciutto, duck confit ravioli, shittake mushrooms, artichoke and coconut sauce. Rich doesn't even begin to describe that creation!
This was followed by a dessert of savarin (like a baba au rhum), which was fantastic, and a large plate of petit fours. And as if that wasn't enough a plate of freshly baked madelaines was put in front of us as we drank our coffee, which itself came with chocolates. I finished every last bite that Europea served up and I am not ashamed. The crowd was an interesting mix of families, couples and hard-hitting business associates showing that the place has broad appeal. The staff are not in the least bit pretentious - just clearly a great bunch who love food and love to see you enjoy yourself. If I ever make it back to Montréal I will be back for sure.
http://www.europea.ca/eng/index.html
Tel: 513 398 9229
My dining partner and I ordered their tasting menu which they paired with some delicious wines. The first amuse was a plate of marinated mushroom, fish and potato croquette as well as prunes wrapped in bacon (which on my return to Tokyo was one of the first dishes I cooked!). This was followed by a second amuse of a divine lobster bisque with truffle. This was followed by a plate of cooked and cold foie gras served with pineapple jam and a very drinkable Ontario sticky wine. The next course was a shot glass containing a foam of Caesar salad and bacon - our sole brush with molecular gastronomy for the evening...The main course was a stupendous plate of roasted scallop with prosciutto, duck confit ravioli, shittake mushrooms, artichoke and coconut sauce. Rich doesn't even begin to describe that creation!
This was followed by a dessert of savarin (like a baba au rhum), which was fantastic, and a large plate of petit fours. And as if that wasn't enough a plate of freshly baked madelaines was put in front of us as we drank our coffee, which itself came with chocolates. I finished every last bite that Europea served up and I am not ashamed. The crowd was an interesting mix of families, couples and hard-hitting business associates showing that the place has broad appeal. The staff are not in the least bit pretentious - just clearly a great bunch who love food and love to see you enjoy yourself. If I ever make it back to Montréal I will be back for sure.
http://www.europea.ca/eng/index.html
Tel: 513 398 9229
Comments
http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/2009/07/09/july-9-2009-get-your-stargate-fix-finally-a-decent-meal-and-news-of-note/
One of the high-points was a foie gras cromesquis shaped like a cigar and served in - what else? - a cigar box.
Also, hey, you were in Montreal and didn't hit Au Pied de Cochon. This is what you missed:
http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/2009/07/10/july-10-2009-playing-pop-a-weasel-in-church-au-pied-de-cochon/
Glad to hear you have enjoyed l'Européa. It is a place that I like too, especially for the friendly chef Jérôme Ferrer and the efforts they put in pleasing the diner. Perhaps not my 1st choice among Montreal's finest, and I found their numerous aside nibbles to lack sparks therefore taking away a bit of the magic of the main dining event itself, but it certainly is a fun experience. PS: I'll contact you later on since I'm planning to visit Japan in the long run. Perhaps you could help me with some great dining suggestions in Tokyo. Thanks