Bar St-Denis

So far on this trip to Montreal, we were pretty impressed with the pricing of tasting menus.  At Mastard, it was only $90.00 for 5 courses (we had the 7 course option for $120.00), we felt it was reasonable considering the food quality and all the accolades.  We were a little less impressed with the price at Cabaret L'Enfer where we felt there wasn't enough food for $165.00, despite being delicious.  Now we head to another restaurant on St. Denis in Bar St. Denis.  They have a tasting menu for only $85.00 per person.  So that's what we had! 

Starting our meal, we had the Little Neck Clams sitting in Tabouleh with bulgur.  These clams were not little at all as they were thicc and plump.  They had a bit of a sweet chew, which was not troublesome.  Each one sat on a bed of fresh tabouleh that was bright and a bit peppery.  There some quality EVOO as well as some tangy lemon juice.  We also found some bulgur as well which provided a firm texture.

Next was the Raw Fluke topped with some crispy puffed rice.  This was also an excellent dish with tender slices of fluke that were almost buttery.  The puffed rice served two purposes.  First, it was nutty and aromatic.  Second, it was the necessary crispiness to contrast the soft texture of the fluke.  With some Quebec ginger, we had some real brightness as well as a slight spiciness.  Again, quality EVOO helped with the overall texture.

We were presented with one of the biggest portions of Veal Tartare I've even had.  It was easily double the size of the one we had at lunch.  This featured supremely fresh meat that had a vibrant colour and taste.  It was buttery soft and had the requisite condiments including plenty of shallots.  On top, we found a drizzle of EVOO as well as white anchovies and Arbequina olives.  This was served with a wonderful fluffy bread.

With the pungency of raw button mushrooms, we got the full smell of the them before it hit the table.  It was a complex contrast to the Matsutake mixed with lemon, cream and tarragon.  We had the textural contrast with the sliced thin button mushrooms that were spongy while the matsutake were chewier while taking on the acidity of the lemon while combined with creaminess and brightness of the tarragon.  Unassuming to look at but utterly delicious.

Our favourite item was the Spaghettoni with pesto and tomato.  With a stunningly deep green colour, the promise of basil was fulfilled.  Even when mixed with the tomato coated spaghettoni, the dish was extremely basil-forward.  Super herbaceous and bright, the pasta was just plain delicious.  It was firmly al dente with a good chew to it.  Some crunch on the top provided another texture to the dish.

Onto our biggest dish, we had the Guinea Fowl Ballotine wrapped in cabbage.  It featured white meat on the outer layer which held the minced dark meat inside.  Right in the middle, we found the barely cooked livers.  This was a contrast of textures of the fowl while also highlighting the different flavours.  It went from mild (white meat) to pungent (livers).  The sherry sauce was extremely gelatinous and a bit salty due to the aggressive cook down.  However, it completely help flavour the dish.

For dessert, we were served the Sticky Toffee Pudding, which was deeply rich in sweetness.  So smoky and caramelized, it was full-flavoured.  It really didn't need the butterscotch, but it needed the moisture.  I'm normally a STP fan since it is so sweet, but I liked this, it was more complex in flavour and I ate it without sopping up the sauce.  Overall, the meal at Bar St. Denis was quite good.  I thought the amount of food was just right and we didn't go away hungry.  Fairly intense flavours to go along fresh ingredients.  

The Good:
- Impactful flavours
- Energetic vibe
- Well-priced

The Bad:
- Impactful also straddles a fine line as the sherry sauce was rather salty and the butterscotch was very sweet

Madame Danh

You know how I feel about modern restaurants that feature what we have historically seen as "cheap eats".  I actually like them and appreciate the different perspective and elevation of the cuisine.  Sure, we have to pay more, but we are typically getting more refined food and superior ambiance and service.  For those who don't see it the same way as I do, that is fine because the less expensive spots still do exist and really, I enjoy those as well.  My belief is that you can't compare apples to oranges and all restaurants serve different purposes.  This brings me to the newest modern Vietnamese restaurant in Madame Danh out in the Fraserhood.

One look at the menu and it is clear that they are not merely going for the value conscious crowd.  They are appealing to those who seek something unique and more refine that they are willing to pay for.  That was pretty clear with the Bone Marrow.  You normally do not see this other than possibly fine dining, so it gives you a sense of what the restaurant is all about.  These were some pretty big bones with plenty of buttery and well-salted bone marrow.  Loved the smokiness and the overall richness.  This was served with crunchy crostinis with a side of pickled veg to lighten things up.

Next, we also had the Pork Liver Pâté served with the same grilled baguette slices.  This was classic French with a smooth texture, yet at the same time, had some meatiness left.  It had an initial sweetness then gave way to umami savouriness.  There was definitely the aromatics of shallots and also slight background liquor finish.  The dish would not be out of place in a French bistro or even higher end establishment.  If you look at it from this perspective, $15.00 is plenty reasonable.  On the side, it once again had the pickled veg which helped add crunch and acidity.

Staying with composed dishes, we had the Tender Charred Octopus with zesty chili sauce.  Once again, we had another dish that would look very much at home at a fancier restaurant or even Spanish tapas.  No one would blink at paying $17.00 for this plate.  It was especially true since the octopus was on point.  Each piece was tender but was still appealingly chewy.  There was a nice smokiness to it and the seasoning was on point.  However, the thing that put it over the top was the side of chili sauce.  It didn't look it, but there was considerable spice to compliment the brightness and that worked beautifully. 

Okay, moving over to some more traditional dishes, we had the Vietnamese Spring Rolls.  Honestly, I do think for this one, it could probably be priced a little less than $14.00.  Compared the previous 3 dishes, it wasn't particularly different that any other version I've had.  On the other hand, that didn't mean it wasn't good though.  In fact, it was one of the better ones I've tried lately.  The best thing about it was the thin and crispy outer wrapper.  Due to the lack of multiple layers, it lead directly to the delicious and light filling.

We also had the Caramel Garlic Wings which were fantastic.  These large flats were super crispy with fairly rendered skin.  Beyond that, the meat itself was juicy, tender and well-seasoned.  I really appreciated that the outside was firmly crispy, but wasn't hard at the same time.  This gave a real textural contrast to the tender meat.  As for the flavour, it was a good combination of sweetness, aromatics and slight brininess.  

We had one item that was not on the menu yet, but based on how much we enjoyed it, I'm confident it will be a permanent item soon enough.  This as the Beef Salad with basil and fried taro sticks.  First and foremost, the thing that made this dish was the considerable amount of tender beef.  We could really tell it was high-quality and in fact it was AAA.  It was prepared slightly rare and was buttery and soft.  The acidity of the marinade combined with the fish sauce provided a sweet tangy brininess.  The salad had it all, meatiness, herbaceousness and crunch.  Delicious.

Onto the bigger items, we had the Pho Bo with AAA rare beef, brisket and beef short plate.  Once again, they were not shy with the amount of meat they loaded into the bowl.   As with the beef salad, the rare beef was super buttery and required very little chewing.  As for the brisket, it was surprisingly soft despite being a thicker cut.  It had appealing marbling.  This made it buttery and also flavourful.  The short plate was also excellent being tender.  As for the broth, it was meaty with background aromatics.  I would say it was on the lighter side, but that also meant that it wasn't overly salty either.

I really enjoyed the Squid Ink Fried Rice as the texture was perfect.  Each grain of rice was discernible with a perfect al dente chewiness.  There was the nuttiness and caramelization from the stir-fry while being easy on the greasiness.  I found the dish to be properly seasoned with a touch of brininess from the ample amount of dried scallop as well as the dollop of tobiko on top.  Add in the usual egg and the fried rice had body and texture (other than the rice itself).  Lastly, the bits of squid were buttery with a nice bounce texture.

Our last savoury item was the Crispy Duck Noodles that featured a large duck leg confit on top.  It featured uniformly crispy skin that was fairly well-rendered.  It was nicely salted, but not to the point it was too much so.  The duck meat itself was tender and fatty while seasoned only enough that the natural meat flavour still came through.  Underneath, we found slippery rice noodles that had a slight elasticity.  We used the side of fish sauce to help seasoned the noodles.

Of course we got some drinks to go with our meal including Kumquat Red Tea, Marble Green Milk Tea and Butterfly Pea Suger Cane.  My favourite of the 3 had to be the latter as it was purposefully sweet and refreshing.  For dessert, we tried Madame's Pandan Tempration.  It consisted of fried donut sticks with a side of pandan sauce.    We found the donut sticks to be crispy on the outside and fairly fluffy on the inside.  The sweet condensed milk & pandan offered up sweetness and aromatics.   A nice way to finish off a delicious meal.  Consisting of high-quality ingredients prepared in a careful manner, the food at Madame Danh is definitely a cut above most other Vietnamese restaurants.  Sure, the menu pricing is on the higher side, but you are paying for quality and execution.  I found the dishes to be unique as well, so you are getting a different experience.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Refined dishes

- Well-prepared and delicious

- Nice dining space

The Bad:

- Although I think it the pricing is fair, there needs to be a few more inexpensive items to round out the menu