Lamb three-ways
The gal really wanted to have a Québecois dining experience, start to finish. Sofitel Montreal Le Carré Doré, on Sherbrooke Street, seemed to be a luxury hotel that could provide it. Its lovely restaurant, Renoir, has a French chef and a French pastry chef, Olivier Perret MCF and Roland Del Monte MOF, respectively. The hotel also has a one-time chef, Marc Pichot, as its GM – the passionate and charismatic Marc Pichot, above. And he is French.
Oh well, at least the menu offered hope in this quest. I started off with Heirloom Quebec tomatoes three ways, with focaccia, taggiashe olives and basil. I went on to Quebec lamb three ways – belly, flank, sweetbreads – cooked with spelt, artichoke and almond (see photo on left). Both courses were exquisite. There was a challenge with the wine: instead of a local I somehow ended up with a first-class Jean-Claude Boisset Bourgogne 2017 Pinot Noir Les Ursulines Nuits-St-Georges, in an American, C&S, glass. BUT, and this is what made the meal overall ‘Québecois’, the service was outstanding, thoughtful, personal and professional. And so I feel the evening achieved its intent. That was my Montreal dinner, in a first-class restaurant that just happened to be in a luxury hotel.
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