Hidden away in Hochelaga is a prize in French cuisine: Bistro Le Valois. Never heard of it? For shame. After reading this (or maybe halfway through), you’ll want to head on over there immediately.
The restaurant is really quite large, with beautiful stained glass décor all along the walls. On one side sits the classic bar amid dark wood paneling, and the other side overlooks the huge terrace that can seat 100 people. We can’t wait to spend warm summer nights sipping wine, eating rich French classics, all while overlooking Simon Valois Place.
Now for the food. We’re slipping into another food coma just thinking about it. Soon to be on the spring menu, the Salmon Gravlax is a delicious bite from the sea. With a light crème fraiche as an accompaniment, you may be asking for more as you wipe the plate clean. Speaking of wiping the plate clean, the Escargots and Oyster Mushrooms Casserole ($11) is out of this world good. Served with toasted bruschetta slices, this dish is hearty, warm, inviting, and addictive. You’ll soon be asking for more bread to soak up the incredible sauce. This is the classier way to lick your plate clean. We highly recommend it.
The mains are heavy on meat dishes but we promise that they’re not your typical steak and fries (although they have that too, and it’s excellent at $20). Our favourite is the Stanstead Rabbit Loin ($24) stuffed with prosciutto, basil, and tomato confit. Sounds like a mouthful? It is. A mouthful of decadent and wonderfully balanced flavours. Want to try something different and live on the edge? Try their Homemade Black Pudding Slab ($20), with cream of celery, garlic confit, and topped with a bacon chip and rich Carminée sauce. You can tell the Black Pudding is homemade and it would win over the most squeamish eaters.
The foodgasms don’t stop there. For dessert, they have the Cronut ($9) served with English cream and vanilla ice cream, but this isn’t your run-of-the-mill cronut. Denser than the average cronut, this one is sweet but not as sweet as its creamy-stuffed counterpart. The English cream is served in a creamer to add to your discretion, so you can soak it or add a dainty drop or two. We don’t judge. Finally, they don’t do away with the classics, and their Baba au Vieux Rum ($9) is everything you want it to be, served with berries and a light whipped cream.
If you’re craving French fare (and why wouldn’t you be after reading this?), definitely check out Le Valois. Chef Thomas Ginieis gives your taste buds a show (and then some) with his inventive twists on the French classics we all know and love.
25 Simon Valois Pl, Montreal, Quebec H1W 0A6
(514) 528-0202