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Chez L'épicier Restaurant Bar à Vin
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 5:30 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
30 reviews for Chez L'épicier Restaurant Bar à Vin
Review Highlights
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"OMG THEIR FOIE GRAS IS THE BEST." In 2 reviews -
"The seven-course tasting menu is at the top of the tree." In 5 reviews -
"I am hoping Laurent Godbout opens a restaurant down in DC." In 3 reviews
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30 reviews in English
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Review from Richard M.
My first night in Montreal I spent at Chez L'epicer. The service was wonderful. It was about 10:30pm and they didn't hesitate to seat us. We decided to order the seven course meal with wine pairing. I usually don't order set meals but thought why not try something different. It offered a full tasting of almost the entire menu.
1.) Hot broth with lemongrass and tomato, kampachi fish, yuze meringue and kumquat carpaccio.
2.) Frog legs, grilled eggplant, watercress puree with butter, garlic and parsley cromesquis.
3.) Sweetbreads, glazed ginger, mushroom risotto. (The winner)
4.) Pressed foie gras from Elysee Farm, compressed apple compost, beet roll-up with cider vinegar and syrup, micro-amaranth, dill and cinamon crumble.
5.) Boileau venison cooked at 54 degrees, mini stuffed cabbage, creamy sweet potatoes, cinnamon foam.
6.) Cheese puff, apple laque
7.) Greek yogurt sphere with pistachio powder, coriander and basil lichen, pistachio crumble.
Seven different wines served with each dish.I'm not a wine expert at all but each wine seemed to enhance the taste of the food. Had a great meal. I can't tell you how pleasant the service was. Friendly and efficient to the max. -
Review from Lauren N.
1/12/2012
I am so glad I dined at Chez L'epicier during my stay in Montreal, it really solidified the message that Montreal is one of the top cities in Canada for some of the best food you will ever taste!
The ambiance alone in this place is astounding. Old brick walls, a cozy and candlelit atmosphere ... Chez L'epicier seems to achieve a romantic old-world feel so easily. The wait times for seeing your order (as well as your server) are a bit long, but I hear that is pretty standard for Montreal.
The gnocchi was packed with a surprisingly strong flavour. I'm still not entirely sure if I enjoyed it entirely but I do remember it made quite the impact on my tastebuds! Not in a bad way, but I distinctly remember thinking the taste was very different from other gnocchi I've had. Dessert was a plate of delicate madelienes with scoops of fresh sorbet, absolutely delicious. The presentation for each dish was also impeccable. My fellow dining companions ordered the creme brulee and deep fried mars bar, both receiving stellar reviews as well.
We loved this place so much we came back the next night for dessert but they were closed. I will definitely be back here if I'm ever in Montreal again. Thanks for the wonderful and delicious memories, Chez L'epicier! -
Review from Yvonne T.
L'Épicier translates into grocer in English. Although you won't find aisles of fresh produce or a meat counter here, you will find walls adorned with various oils, jarred vegetables, and condiments available for sale.
I've often heard people say that you should pick a wife who knows how to pick good produce, because its a sure sign that she will know how to cook good food. Well, Chef Godbout is no woman, but he sure knows good food. Not only that, he has an eye for perfection and a passion to present his food beautifully. As I plunged my fork into the artfully crafted dishes that were put forth at the table, I couldn't help but feel like I was desecrating Michaelangelo's Statue of David - but I was too hungry to abstain and the food looked very inviting.
Chez L'Épicier is located in Old Montréal, directly across from the Marché Bonsecours on the same strip that is home to other much raved about restaurants such as Chuck Hughes' Le Bremner. What caught my eye about this restaurant were the festive decorations, and big windows. I always love a restaurant that has a view of the street, let alone the cobblestoned paths of Montréal.
One thing I've learned about dining in Montréal, is that if you want good food, you better make sure you have a reservation! We were promptly seated and our server let us know about their feature wines and daily specials.
Shortly after, she reappeared and made wine pairing suggestions for William T. I ended up settling on a glass of martini while my dining companion had a glass of red wine.
While we were waiting, we were brought a complimentary amuse bouche presented on a spoon. It was composed of a cauliflower panna cotta with gravlax, parsley, garlic and chives. The herb mixture looked very much like a pesto.
The complimentary bread came with 2 butters, your usual plain butter and a honey mustard butter that was simply irresistible.To start we ordered the lobster bisque which is made with a cognac sabayon and tarragon foam. The lobster bisque had a full-bodied and bold lobster flavour to it, unlike others I've had where all you can taste is a roux made entirely of butter and flour. The best way I can describe the flavour is as if the lobster innards and shells were liquified to make this savoury soup.
We also ordered the suckling pig fondant with mustard and truffled Yukon Gold velouté. The pork came with a crispy pancake, which still has me guessing as to what it is made of. The potato velouté was velvety smooth and the pig fondant was pillow-y soft. The velouté really made the dish. Although I think I would've used a sturdier green than scallions so that it can maintain its form a little better instead of collapsing over the fondant.
For mains I ordered the osso bucco with a side order of pan-seared foie gras. The osso bucco was surrounded by a mini-garden of onions that were piped with a vanilla-carrot espuma (aka foam), and an apricot-arugula polenta. The osso bucco was not as tender as I would've liked, but melted off the bone. The vanilla-carrot espuma were very tasty and visually appealing and the polenta was tasty. The sweetness from the polenta and espuma complimented a salty osso bucco very well. The foie was also very savory... Like eating liquid butter. Yummy!
William T. opted for the Alberta beef filet mignon served with a potato dauphinois and légumes. I couldn't stop eating the scalloped-potato meat loaf, as it was creamy like a scalloped potato should be, but infused with beef flavour. This made it hard for us to enjoy our vegetables after!
Unfortunately, we had a show to catch at the Place des Arts, so we didn't have time to order dessert.
Verdict:
Chez L'Épicier is not a happening restaurant where all the hip and trendy hang out, but it is a place to appreciate savory food, and carefully executed plating. Its like going to an art gallery opening because you expect tasty hors d'oeuvres and wine to be served, but you are also there to see the masterpieces on display. There might not be any Monets at Chez L'Épicier, but their dishes truly are a work of art.Listed in: Mont Royal - Montreal - Des…
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Review from Clare L.
6/27/2011
I really enjoyed this restaurant. I love it for the décor, the chef, the servers... It was my first time there and it was my friend Holly's birthday and we got to sit by the window next to their various containers of salt. I loved the chalkboards, the plants, the brick, the displays. I loved how unpretentious it looked.
It wasn't too loud of ambience, but didn't make you feel like talking would echo throughout and be embarassing. The food was suprising, and unexpectedly amazing and I will tell you why.
My friend Holly is a vegetarian, and the dish she chose was about Onions. All about onions, and in fact had not much more than onions. So when her plate arrived and it was onions done in about 12 different ways, we were kinda shocked. It was filling, and it was so different in experience. We also started off with a cheese tarte and almost fought for the crumbs. I had the chicken sous-vide and it was juicy, tender, and tasty.
We could have stopped there, but decided to revel in food, so we ordered dessert: a delicious dessert of the most memorable pistachio gelato, and mille feuille, we had ever had the chance to try. We also got a macaron, but we did only because we've never tried it before, and neither of us understand the craze for them.
Afterwards the chef came and introduced himself and ask about our meal. Our server and the chef were very courteous and pleasant.
I'd come back here in a heartbeat. -
Review from linda c.
6/12/2011
We got a reservation, same day, for 9:30PM on a Saturday night during the Grande Prix. Rather amazing considering how packed the entire city is.
The food wasn't as good as I had hoped for after reading the reviews here (maybe 4 stars out of 5) but the service was really quite attentive while not being obtrusive. Our waiter was fabulous and took the time to explain the dishes, the preparation, and even ensured that I didn't order anything that contained wheat as I am allergic.
I started with the asparagus first course. It was quite bland and very small - I wouldn't order it again. I worried that my main course might not be enough to sate my appetite. My dining companion had a half order of the gnocchi to start with and he said it was fabulous. It was served with a mascarpone sauce, morels, and a balsamic reduction. I wished I could have had some but there was some flour in the preparation. He was in love and said he would give it 7.5 out of 10 stars.
For my main course, I had the duck breast with a cauliflower puree and "warm potato salad". The duck portion was quite large but not very tender (probably as it was served medium rare). It was tasty but the sauce that accompanied it was not stellar. I also didn't feel that the cauliflower puree was a good match to the duck flavor. It was sprayed with a vinegar at the table that made it a bit too tart/sour. I didn't understand where the "warm potato salad" was though - there were these tiny little friend potato chips stuck into the puree, and small balls of potato with each mound of puree - the balls were a bit undercooked - was this the warm potato salad? I would give this a 3 out of 5. While good (or was I just really hungry due to the small first course?) it needs some work to be truly stellar.
My companion had the salmon (I think with a mustard sauce) and it looked quite wonderful. Good sized portion. He said it was very good.
I was quite full after the large duck portion (I'd like to see what duck that they took that breast off of - it was huge! - some sort of monster sized duck!). I ordered a few macaroons for dessert - they were amazingly light and airy, the fillings put inside of the two halves right before serving. Uber fresh. They have quite a few flavors to choose from which is nothing short of amazing - how do they find the time to make these, i wondered. The couple adjacent to us ordered the creme brulee assortment for their dessert and it looked fabulous. The dessert menu had a few things that were immediately understandable, but a few of the items ("dessert salad"?) were so "modern" that I just wasn't interested.
A few things they need:
- A wine menu by the glass that you can read from your table
- A dessert drink menu to accompany the dessert menu
- Nicer bathrooms (or someone to attend to them during the evening). The womens' toilette had towels thrown all over the counter and the floor was wet
I would definitely come here again. It's a very nice dining experience. It just needs a bit of help with a few of the menu items to knock my socks off. -
Review from Misty L.
8/1/2011
We chose Chez L'epecier as our "blowout" meal of our trip to Montreal. And by "blowout" I mean both in quantity and quality of the meal and budget. And yay! It was worth it! And definitely make a reservation. We called about 5 days in advance and got the exact time we wanted.
We thought we'd get the tasting menu with wine pairings, but after hearing about it... we were both very meh. So, we decided to explore from the menu. Ordered a fabulous bottle of Clos Figueras wine. Given that this a French restaurant, I was appreciative of their non-French wine selections; limited, but good quality.
I had the fois gras and almost died because the fois gras was good, but pairing it with "smoked yogurt" was amazing. Also pairing this with the Sauternes and I thought I was in heaven. My husband had the razor clam app with edamame and highlighted with trout eggs. He was still talking about it two days later.
We both had the osso bucco. My husband had warned me that Montreal has some of the best osso bucco in the world and well... this was amazing. The polenta was only okay (not to my liking - a little bland), but the meat was so... I don't even have the words. On the side was also a vanilla/carrot foam that was really intriguing (and tasty on the polenta).
For dessert we had the creme brulees... which were a little surprising, but good! My husband did find some campari for his pre-dinner drink. I enjoyed a cappucino to end.
The waiter was very good; I'd give him 4.5 (not quite a 5 rating). I did appreciate that when talking with him about wine suggestions, he recommended some very reasonably priced bottles; we went with the slight less reasonably priced bottle. At the end of the meal, my husband was looking for some Averna or Kirch brandy, neither of which they had, but the waiter offered to bring some raspberry brandy (similar to Kirch) over for him to taste. And it was a winner...
We spent 3+ hours and a lot of $, but we got our "blowout" dinner (and fortunately a mile+ walk back to the hotel to burn some of it off!). It was lovely and well worth it. Met all of our expectations and threw in some interesting surprises as well. I have to admit, my favorite part of this place (in hindsight) was the traditionally good food, but each with a surprising little twist that made it a bit of a culinary adventure. -
Review from David L.
8/13/2011
Some restaurants are all about taste and presentation is an after thought.
Some restaurants are all about showing off visually at the expense of flavor.
L'epicier has it all. The food is not only artful in presentation, but delivers memorable, still-thinking-about-it-a-week-later tastes.
Even the butter (fois gras/paprika) stood out.
Highly recommended. -
Review from Tracy W.
10/28/2011
The food was divine. I took away one star for the attitude. We didn't have a reservation so we inquired as to availability on a lark as we walked by and were intrigued by the menu. Acting as though it were a hardship, the hostess grudgingly seated us at the (empty) bar. When we left, there were still empty tables. The service we got from the bartender herself was just fine.
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Review from Jacques A.
3/23/2011
We stumbled into this place by accident (and I'd say we lucked out) while wandering in Old Montreal this weekend.
We were looking for a dessert spot, and despite our being somewhat underdressed, without a reservation, they welcomed us to sit at the bar for dessert. We had the chocolate club sandwich (served with a melon salad and some amazing "pineapple fries"), and the hazelnut-praline and chocolate mille-feuille, caramel with salt butter glaze and another on with lemon . Both were excellent, and the bartender was quite friendly as well.
Our only complaint is with the fake candlelight effect that they have going on with the bar lighting. It worked for the insets behind the bar, but the flickers in the overhead track lighting were a bit distracting.
The dinner menu looks to be pricy, but if the desserts were any indication, it's probably worth a splurge! -
Review from Todd M.
2/19/2011
One of the best meals of my life (and I REALLY like to eat well:). We stumbled into a tasting menu from a world renown chef. It wasn't cheap ($150 for 7 course tasting menu and $80 for wine pairing each), but it was world class.
We didn't have a reservation, but we were there at 5:30 - so we were offered a spot at the bar, despite the restaurant being booked for the evening.
Our bartender was friendly and fun, and made the experience a great one. -
Review from Barry W.
9/6/2011
Let me start by saying I guess I just don't care much for Contemporary French food.
My girlfriend and I chose here as our Montreal special dinner. We are both disappointed.
I went for the tasting menu, nothing impressive, the taste is average and presentation is so-so. The wine paring is a joke, it is basically whatever wine they offer by glass.
My gf ordered the duck breast, overcooked.
The service is not bad, but again just average. -
Review from Jeanne C.
6/23/2009
I'm surprised this place only has two reviews! This place is in the heart of Old Montreal. I was happy houring and in dire need of food in my system, so thus started looking for places to chow.
Chez L'Epicier it was with no reservation. Walked inside to a quaint cozy place to our hostess asking if we had a res... I said no. Then she asked me if I had tickets to the circus, and I said no again. Then, she finally said there were two seats at the bar which we were totally fine with. Our bartender waiter was very nice and popped open a bottle of vino. Our meal also came with a complementary rabbit roll (mmm think french japanese fusion). It was delish and the waitress who brought it out was very knowledgeable in explaining the dishes.
For appetizer we ordered the smoked salmon on vodka sauce topped with a little caviar. It was SO good, it just melted in your mouth! I couldn't wait for the main courses. We ordered salmon with veggies, and medley of beed (filet mignon and beef brisket).... both were DELICIOUS.... perfectly tender. Salmon I eat is usually overcooked, but this salmon was half cooked, half on the raw side and was great. The beef brisket also melted in my mouth, as did the filet mignon - perfect sized portions. I enjoyed every bite of it.
Dessert menus came out on printed white lunch baggies (interesting look)... we ordered the chocolate sandwich, which to my intelligence, thought could have been made with real bread, and my bf thought it would look like an ice cream sandwich. But both of us were wrong.... it did look like real sandwiches with toothpicks in the middle but was almost like a creme brulee with a layer of thin cake as the "bread," and chocolate mousse with a layer of thin chocolate cake. Very imaginative and creative.
Like I said, the decore was cute. Each table is decorated with a green apple on top of white pebbles - simple and elegant. Makes for a great date spot. Really enjoyed it here and would come back again! -
Review from John C.
12/1/2010
Chez L'epicier has a classy decor and menu, but I find the food to be artsy to the point of not really being food anymore. If you want to look at the food and not eat it you will really like this place.
The price structure is staggered so you can spend anywhere from $20 to $80 on your entree depending how fancy you want to get. The seven-course tasting menu is at the top of the tree. One problem with the tasting menu is that if others in your party are getting single-dish entrees they will be waiting around when you are on the various courses.
The wine list is phenomenal. You want to spend $2000 on wine? You came to the right place. Many of the wines are elite French vintages rarely seen outside of Europe. The lower end wines are around $100 a bottle and there are numerous grand cru options at around $400-$500. Only bottles are offered, no glasses of wine.
I liked the laid back elegance of decor with a touch of rusticism. It is the perfect fit for feel of Montreal. They have shelves where you can buy various sauces and condiments in the foyer area.
The real problem with the restaurant is that the chef is an artist, not a cook. For example, when I got the tasting menu the final (seventh) course was a piece of lamb about the size of my thumb perched on top of a log cabin tower of vegetables I did not recognize. Over this aedifice was poured a semi-sweet chocolate sauce. The foundation of the quixotic structure was a bed of fluffed potatoes embued with a sauce of some sort. In general, every dish had to be explained by the server so you would know what it was.
I don't really fault the restaurant for doing this kind of preparation, because unfortunately the trend in Quebec now is "avante-garde" creations which emphasize visual appearance. Hopefully this fad will go away soon. I mean, for the love of god, I go to museums if I want to look at art, and I go to restaurants when I want to eat. -
Review from Cat N.
4/6/2010
OMG THEIR FOIE GRAS IS THE BEST!!!!!! some places can't make it right and has that fishy or stinky smell but this place sure does know their food!!!!!
I got their special for the night...it was canard and foie gras with potatoe and a canard cake!!!
this place is good and reasonable!!! must try if you are visiting!!! -
Review from M T.
9/15/2010
I had the pleasure of dining here during a recent business trip.
The food was superb. The menu was creative and this was obviously a hot local spot. The salad portion was enormous. The pistachio crème brulee was to die for. I would recommend trying this restaurant when in Montreal.
However, before I comment on service, I want to note that service in Montreal in general is exceptionally lackadaisical. It is even more casual than in France, where I have received some of the worst service in the world. This restaurant unfortunately was no exception. They do not know when to re-fill your water or offer you more wine or in general attend to your needs. But we experienced this everywhere in Montréal and I will not hold this against them. More likely I am a spoiled American brat, of which I am nonetheless proud. -
Review from Donna M.
Toronto, ON
6/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great restaurant in old Montreal. Went for dinner based on a recommendation of a local. Thoroughly enjoyed the menu selection, wine list, quality of food, service and ambiance. When it came to my food sensitivities, the chef made accommodations that were over and above most chefs/restaurants. Entirely enjoyable experience.
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Review from Dave L.
11/13/2008 2 photos
Looks better than it tastes...
The attention to detail is excellent. But it's one of those experiences, where you feel bad eating it because you have to ruin the presentation. The restaurant itself is cozy and unpretentious, and doubles as a market and deli (interesting oil selections). As far as the taste, I wasn't too thrilled. Amuse-bouche was a nice touch, but it came as a cheese that was way too salty. Good thing there was a gallon of water on the table to quench my salted mouth. The seared tuna I ordered was ridiculously chewy, and I was definitely not amused.
Tips: Should have got the pre fixe, but it was out of my budget! -
Review from Kelsey E.
11/17/2010
Great Restaurant. My sister and I saw this place during the day and decided to go at night. We looked up reviews and it seemed great. My sister is a pastry chef and loves French food, so it was a good choice. We got the halibut and the filet mignon. Both were delicious as was my pre-main course salad. Dessert is always the tell-tale sign of whether we like a restaurant and we were fairly pleased.
Favorite: Caramelized nuts iced soufflé with Frangelico, grilled pineapple, mango-coconut sauce, fennel madeleine. It didn't even need the madeleine, the souffle was very creative and just so delicious.
Good: Chocolate and textures. It was good, because you always need a little chocolate but the souffle dessert was the best.
All in all we had a great dinner. The atmosphere was cute and it was delicious. The only negative thing I would say was that the service (for us) was a little lacking. Being 20-somethings I felt like they didn't take us seriously and tended to other guests just a tad better. Our server was very nice, but we waited a while at times.
I highly recommend it. Would be a great date place! -
Review from D D.
Montréal, QC
2/26/2009
I like Chez L'Epicier and it is a nice place to go for tasty food. Cute presentation of food on the dish too. Nice atmosphere.
Great place to order lots of dishes and eat. Portions are small so order a lot if you are hungry. It is best if you sample just about everything on the menu to get a sense of the full range of flavors here. Oh yes, once they had a Peach Mojito that was very tasty. -
Review from Roger K.
3/11/2011
I really wanted to give 4 1/2 stars. We've been there twice and it seemed so close to the perfect experience. The food is outstanding. The ambiance upstairs is warm and cosmopolitan, downstairs is meh. Crème brûlée is exceptional.
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Review from DAVE I.
Montréal, QC
I was invited to a restaurant for the holidays, having zero knowledge of it prior to setting foot inside. I had heard some murmurs of it but nothing solid. Chez L'Épicier (The Grocery Store in French) looks like a very upscale grocery store with canned goods, oil bottles and such all set in a charming Old Montreal where the old bricks and rock walls of the historical site give it its rustic elegance. Beautifully lit in subdued light, the spacious restaurant says welcome before the greeter can.
The service staff so well coiffed, polite and elegant gave me fear for a pretentious dining experience, which I dislike. I can't stand art-food and refuse to pay the overpriced bill that comes with it. But the prices are fair for the quality of food to be eaten and I didn't hold back on ordering my desired plates for fear of paying too much.
Right out of the ballpark, I spot foie-gras on the menu as an appetizer. I can't resist foie-gras, it's the ultimate food-stuff I can think of. Life without foie-gras is pretty meaningless, that's how much I love it. But I love it well prepared. Having eaten the best foie-gras on this planet at Le Pied de Cochon, the bar is set stratospherically high. Chez L'Épicier did not disappoint. At one point I contemplated whether Chez L'Épicier beat out Le Pied de Cochon, but the texture made it lose out to Le Pied de Cochon. But don't get me wrong. This awesome perfectly seared foie-gras server on a croissant pastry and top with duck pâté was sublime. Serving it in a tiny cast-iron pan was a presentation coup that rendered it even more appetizing. There were expressed regrets at the table for not having chosen the foie-gras once it was presented.
Now the problem with foie-gras when well prepared is that it can easily ruin the rest of the meal. Foie-gras is like having sex with twins, pretty hard to top. I've come to accept defeat in these cases. With a few exceptions, the main-dish never satisfies... once again I am supremely surprised by the main dish: Grain fed veal chop, all dressed fingerling potatoes, asparagus au gratin and prosciutto chip. Now I was somewhat disappointed by the over-crunchy-not-so-al-dente asparagus (Also white asparagus is prettier, but doesn't taste as good as the green variety) but the lardon-lace gratin was good, really good. Someone says fingerling potatoes and I say "Yes Please!", enough on that, they were perfect. Same for the crunchy prosciutto. But the piece de resistance, the veal chop, was quite possibly the veal I've ever had in my life. I had never considered veal served as a 1 inch thick chop. I normally eat meat rare, but the chef suggests serving medium-rare. Good enough I can play along though there are only 3 possible cooking degrees with meat, rare, medium and the yucky well-done. Everything in between is basically a crap-shoot that depends on the cook's feel and attention, but I digress. Well it was perfect and the taste exponentially above my expectations, if there is such a thing. Had I had more money and stomach space to spare I would have easily gone for another mind-blowing veal chop.
For desert I jumped so quickly at the thought of eating delicious soufflé (a rarity in restaurants these days) that I completely glanced over the word ICED. I was disappointed in not getting a traditional soufflé; however the taste of the homemade ice-cream and its toppings made me quickly forget. I almost didn't eat the fennel Madeleine, but thankfully I went for a taste anyway and it was amazing. I also ordered a tiny butterscotch-banana macaroon, so sweet you'll reach for insulin but small enough not to burn your palate.
This is my favourite way of going into a new restaurant, blind. Expectations easily lead to disappointment. Disappointed I was not, in fact it was an experience I will not soon forget and hope to relive. Service was slow, but I'm told they were short on staff for the unexpected amount of clients on a date so soon after Christmas, which probably explains why some of the menu items were either no longer available or some ingredients were modified. This was not an issue for me, as I don't mind long diners with friends.
Oh oh I almost forgot...The Tom Collins... quite possibly the best I've ever had. They added something pinkish to it and I never asked for details. Awesome.
Despite some menu and service issues and keeping in mind it was the 27th of December, I really can't complain about anything. The food was above and beyond; the service despite latencies was great. I expected to blow a lot of money but it ended up costing me just above 100$ which is not expensive considering the quality of the food and service. -
Review from adrian s.
9/22/2010
I really wanna give it 4 and a half stars, but chose to round up instead of down because this place does not deserve a 1 star downgrade. The food was excellent. Every single dish. We had the tasting menu and I lost track of how many things they brought us. Everything was superb... but we must have been there for 3 hours. Now, I noticed that in Montreal the dining pace is a little slower, but seriously, after 2 and a half hours, I wanted to tell them to stop bringing out food. Who eats that much??? Anyway, the service was amazing and the setting was wonderful. We had a very romantic dinner and walked out with some seriously full stomachs. Highly recommended.
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Review from Roger L.
2/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Very nice ambiance and great food! Went for lunch and they offered the set menu. Ordered the four grad... Delicious. I would go back.
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Review from sarah s.
10/27/2010
Maybe 4.5 stars. Went here for lunch. I had the penne with pesto and cherry tomatoes, which was very good. Also had a good green salad. Hubby had a wonderful cheesy squash soup that I ended up stealing, then the cod wrapped in ham with salted walnut butter, which was delicate and complex and really good. Service was excellent. This is just a nice little restaurant, with good cooking and high-quality ingredients. The food is fancy but the place is casual. You can't go wrong here.
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Review from Matt G.
7/20/2011
Ate there a couple months ago and am just getting around to writing a review. The appetizer I had at Chez L'epicier was the best course I have ever had in my entire life. I had the Steak Tartare on some sort of Asian Fried Leaf thing. I eat very quickly... too quickly in most instances... I hadn't finished my appetizer of Steak Tartare by the time some people had finished their main course... I never wanted it to end. I have never eaten so slowly and enjoyed a course more in my life. The rest of the meal was excellent but not even worth reporting on compared to the appetizer. I am hoping Laurent Godbout opens a restaurant down in DC.
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Review from Proteus D.
8/12/2009
We ate here in December of last year and I can't recall exactly what we ate. I do recall that the food was super tasty and very well prepared. The restaurant is pretty stylish, but laid back and not too pretentious. When we ate, it was mostly a business crowd, but as we were enjoying a romantic evening meal they let us sit at the other side, near the bar. We were totally alone, and had a great time. I think I drunk too much....
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Review from Brian J. B.
1/14/2010
On a visit to Montreal, my wife and I had an amazing time here. The food was sublime, and the presentation was artful and playful. The service was fantastic as well. This is a great place for a celebration.
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Review from Ken W.
4/20/2011 1 photo
Fantastic dinner, great setting, the best meal I had in Montreal. The food is presented in an upscale manner and tastes as good as it looks.
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Review from Christopher B.
7/8/2009
This place was amazing. My wife and I were walking around Old Montreal and we noticed two restaurants, Version and Chez L'Epicier. After hitting the web on my phone we realized that they were both owned by Laurent Godbout. So when we got back to our hotel, we asked the concierge about both of them. She responded that Chez L'Epicier is more traditional French so we went with that one.
When we got there our table was not ready so we had a drink at the bar. Once our table was ready we ordered a glass of champagne and got down to business. My wife ordered the "Homemade smoked salmon, gribiche sauce with lobster oil, fennel waffle and thickened vodka and black pepper cream". I must say that this might be once of the best appetizers I have ever eaten. It was simply amazing. I ordered the "White asparagus velvety soup, porcini and truffle oil,
mushroom mousse, shallot chips". The soup was also amazing with the mushroom mousse out of this world. For our main course my wife got the vegetarian option since she didn't want to have salmon for her appetizer as well as her main. So she ordered the "Confit tomatoes arancini, cepes mushrooms purée, boiler onions gratin, gyromithe mushrooms. Now, last year we were strict vegetarians for a whole year and I don't think we can say that we had one meal that tasted as good as this one. The risotto was fried into a cake and accompanied by some great tasting vegetables. I on the other hand ordered the lobster (didn't have on the menu so I can't post actual description). This was probably the best lobster I have ever had. The tail was infused with some injection of wonderful goodness and then it was accompanied by two claws with each one having a poached quail egg on top. Under each claw there was a potato of some sort that was to die for. For dessert we split the "Medley of crèmes brûlées". There was Pistachio, Coffee, Honey, and Chocolate flavors.
Now when you walk into the restaurant you will see almost a little store. There are amazing little gourmet items that you can purchase. For instance, you can get truffle oils or even homemade marshmallows. But the one thing that caught my eye was Laurent Godbout's cook book. So after dinner I asked our waiter if Chef Godbout was actually there that evening which he was and I asked him if I could get the cook book signed. So after a few minutes the waiter came back to my table, asked me my name and was off again. A minute later he came back from the kitchen with the cook book autographed by Laurent Godbout. It was a great ending to a great evening with my wife out in Old Montreal. -
Review from Marc C.
Montréal, QC
7/15/2009
Ok, I love anything Laurent Godbout makes, but this is a great place! Did the set menu with the wine pairings and my ONLY complaint, was that it ended up being too much food. I was really forcing myself by the end. My girlfriend had asked if they could change one course because she didn't like duck, they switched it up for her no problem, no fuss. Changed her wine on another course because she didn't like it so they found something that matched the course but was closer to her own tastes.
