The best of the year...

[Adrian3891]

Considering all the negativity on this forum as of late, I thought it would be nice to try and start a positive thread that deals with food (and not websites).

Since it's the holiday season, and best of lists should start coming out soon, I figured I'd take a page from the Vancouver forum and ask what people's best restaurant experiences were this year. I'm almost ready with my list, although I have one more dinner left before I can make a final judgement. Here are the catagories:

Best restaurant

Best starter or main

Best dessert

Best new restaurant

Best service

Biggest surprise

[moose1111]

Best restaurant

Club Chasse Et Peche

"Senses @ Chevres"

Best starter

Tarte aux champignon @ Club Chasse et Peche

Bisque d homard @ Chronique

Best main

Truffle stuffed ravioli with truffle shavings at Bronte

Pork and foie gras rissoto @ CCP

Best dessert

hmmm tough to say

Best new restaurant

Club Chasse et Pehce

Best service

Club Chasse et Pehce

Biggest surprise

Club Chasse et Pehce

[gruyere]

Moose 1111 has pretty much stolen my thunder and I would say ditto to all of his CCP references. I would add a double ditto to the suckling pig and foie gras rissoto which was my 'dish of the year'. In general Pelletier's take on the old and normally worn out 'surf and turf' theme was a welcome and I thought innovative addition to the 2005 landscape. How en Route missed the boat on their rankings is beyond me. Pelletier and Marsalais have put their heart and soul into this place and it shows time after time.

Edited December 19, 2005 by gruyere (log)

[wattacetti]

Best Service / Biggest Surprise

Getting a phone call from Hélène Brault of Le Jolifou the day after my last visit to her establishment. The evening itself was somewhat uneven in terms of meal and this service tag-team, but leave it to Mme Brault's attentiveness to actually do a follow-up call. Very professional.

Edited December 19, 2005 by wattacetti (log)

[Adrian3891]

I'd hate to be unoriginal, but it seems like it is the year of Club Chasse et Peche:

Best Restaurant:

Chasse et Peche. Was there twice and both visits were nearly flawless. Wonderful food, wonderful concept, wonderful service.

Best starter:

Scallops at CCP. Simple, elegent and a wonderful flavour combination.

Best main:

To be boring yet again, braised suckling pig and foie gras risotto. I think enough has been said about this one.

Best Dessert:

The vanilla panna cotta with basil syrup at Brunoise. It's the most addictive desert I've had in a while.

Best Service:

Anise. Early in the year, before Samuel went to Pop!, he served us for a second time at Anise. It was wonderful, professional unobtrusive service. And the water glass was always refilled. And the bread never stopped coming.

Biggest Surprise:

Cocagne. I popped in one night when L'express was full and what followed was a surprisingly great meal. I've been back twice since then and have always been impressed. It seems busier now than it was earlier in the year too.

[Adrian3891]

I'd hate to be unoriginal, but it seems like it is the year of Club Chasse et Peche:

Best Restaurant:

Chasse et Peche. Was there twice and both visits were nearly flawless. Wonderful food, wonderful concept, wonderful service.

Best starter:

Scallops at CCP. Simple, elegent and a wonderful flavour combination.

Best main:

To be boring yet again, braised suckling pig and foie gras risotto. I think enough has been said about this one.

Best Dessert:

The vanilla panna cotta with basil syrup at Brunoise. It's the most addictive desert I've had in a while.

Best Service:

Anise. Early in the year, before Samuel went to Pop!, he served us for a second time at Anise. It was wonderful, professional unobtrusive service. And the water glass was always refilled. And the bread never stopped coming.

Biggest Surprise:

Cocagne. I popped in one night when L'express was full and what followed was a surprisingly great meal. I've been back twice since then and have always been impressed. It seems busier now than it was earlier in the year too.

[Lesley C]

My wish for 2006: that Cocagne finally finds its restaurant legs.

[jfl91]

Best restaurant

Mtl: Club Chasse Et Peche

Qc: L'Utopie

World: Per Se (NYC)

Best starter

Tuna Tartar at Per Se (NYC)

Sweetbreads at CC&P

Bluefin Tuna cartoon at Moto (Chicago)

Best main

Risotto with white truffles at Per Se (NYC)

Lamb at CC&P

Best dessert

Cheese cake CC&P

Chocolate cake at Per Se, I forgot the name

Best new restaurant

CC&P

Best service

L'Utopie (Qc)

Per Se (NYC)

Le Bernardin (NYC)

Biggest surprise

CC&P & L'Utopie

Per Se really impressed me and I seriously think Montreal need a restaurant like this. Toqué is good but even not close to Per Se.

[zapata]

I need to see Per se??

i have a reservation the 13 of febreary 2006...and I have a friend the works there as a cook.

[jfl91]

zapata, I am sure you will have a amazing dinner.

Thomas Keller is just awesome (expensive but worth it).

BTW, what I like with restaurants in USA is the corkage fee. That would be so cool to be able to bring our own wine in any restaurants in Quebec.

[zapata]

zapata, I am sure you will have a amazing dinner.

Thomas Keller is just awesome (expensive but worth it).

BTW, what I like with restaurants in USA is the corkage fee. That would be so cool to be able to bring our own wine in any restaurants in Quebec.

←

thanks.

a friend came to Montreal few mounths ago from Per se (cook) and he spend some time in my kitchen...exelent cook...he is coming back in may 2006

[zapata]

zapata, I am sure you will have a amazing dinner.

Thomas Keller is just awesome (expensive but worth it).

BTW, what I like with restaurants in USA is the corkage fee. That would be so cool to be able to bring our own wine in any restaurants in Quebec.

←

Well let me tell you it was worth it, I had 16 courses...i dont remenber maybe more....food was exellent...I had a diferent tasting menu then my sous chef, then a tour of the restaurant, kitchen....nice ...they were very nice the whole staff...

I am going back for sure for two weeks stage, and i promesed my wife for a romactic dinner later this year.

[bigorre]

WHO IN THE KITCHEN DO YOU KNOW ?

WHAT DID U HAVE

[zapata]

WHO IN THE KITCHEN DO YOU KNOW ?

WHAT DID U HAVE

←

a chef de partie....he is there since they open Per se.

I had from caviar,soups, foie gras, poultry, meat ,cheeses, prep desserts ...desserts so many things... that i have to tell them to stop...I was so full..at the end.