This weekend Italy won the world cup. Was it a coincidence that I went to see the Italian design exhibit at the Montreal Museum of fine arts? Or that I ended up sampling two Italian restaurants in two days?
The first one is Restaurant Le Piedmontais,
1145 Rue De Bullion # A, Montreal, (514) 861-8122
It has been in that location for years, alone on its street corner, a bit out of the way, but always popular. We were served very nice chicken wings while we studied the menu. The service was very professional, we felt in good hands. The food was very good, the pasta were perfect, even the bread is baked on the premises (I think). The dessert I had was divine, a chocolate confection that melted on the tongue.
I have not found a website although it is mentioned in many food forums. I guess they figure they are in food not technology….
The second one in the Quartier du Musée (near the Museum of Fine Arts). It is called Restaurant Il Cortile, 1442 Sherbrooke street west -(514) 843-8230. Again no website. We chose to eat outside in a very European looking courtyard.
We chose the menu de dégustation, that started with eggplant gratiné followed by cheese filled crepes served with a saffron sauce, next came the pasta and the gnocci, then the veal…by then the soccer game was under way and the service slowed and became a bit erratic…but it did not take from the lovely setting.
Oh! for those wondering about the exhibit…it is interesting to recognize objects that have been part of our lives without our knowing they were Italian… If you get there early enough, your entrance ticket entitles you to a cup of expresso at the museum boutique…