After their successes at Bouillon Bilk and Cadet, Mélanie Blanchette and François Nadon, with the ally Émile Colette, do it again this time with a French brasserie in Old Montreal.
In the sea of restaurants that is the metropolis, the proposition is interesting: can a classic of the genre stand out? So we hoped they hadn’t stretched the sauce for nothing. We pushed open the door to get a closer look.
This industrial building with red bricks comes to life in the middle of hypermodern condo towers. Moreover, red is also the color of the apples that littered the terrace when the owners took possession of the space. From there was born the name: Place Carmin, as in “deep red place”. Like a warm setting where it is good to rest.
Like his brothers, Place Carmin has a minimalist and elegant decor. On a cream background, we installed paneling and large mirrors, in addition to allowing the existing skylights to live. The furniture all in blond wood is comfortable, and the long bar that crosses the restaurant makes you want to linger. The touches of red neon come to break this set which could be too neat to make it a place where everyone feels at ease. A beautiful work of the Clairoux design firm. In addition, the music takes up little space, but the atmosphere is there. Nice balance that will delight many. This is undoubtedly one of the strengths of the trio at the head of the project: several small details illustrate their concern for benevolence.
Let us immediately underline the qualities of the staff. During our visit, we were served by a new recruit who had not yet had time to taste the dishes to praise them.
No criticism here: in this era where labor is scarce, we’re pretty happy that the team is successful in getting their new restaurant up and running – whose opening was delayed by a certain virus. Rather, we want to mention the service to match, where our host did not hesitate to ask the butler for advice on wine pairing, for example. Here, the slogan seems to be “simple and playful”, which sticks very well with the place; it is a French brasserie, after all.
The menu proposal
And what also sticks is the menu proposal: French classics punctuated with seasonal creations, which we feel is the best of both worlds. Black pudding tarte Tatin, zucchini vichyssoise, smoked salmon, beef tartare and various pieces of meat on the grill served with fries; we are really on familiar ground. With a glass of Quebec bubbles and the three delicious canapés on offer, we try to make a fuss. Is that everything looks good.
As a starter, we opt for the burratina and fresh tomatoes with herb cream and small diced croutons. It would be cliché to say that it tastes like summer, but that’s it! The guest takes the veal sweetbreads in a crust and, all of a sudden, we are savoring the fall. The puff pastry is sublime and the sauce in which the giblets are bathed makes us look for the spoon. We would have left immediately that we would have been satisfied.
An inspiring place
The second serve hangs a bit, but is no less successful. Sweet potato schnitzel – the only vegetarian proposition – is a lovely idea. The marriage of mash and breadcrumbs, however, becomes a little redundant, even dry, at the halfway point. The fennel salad as a garnish is very welcome and we tell ourselves that a little more of this divine vinaigrette would have improved the dish. On the other hand, the sea bass dish was not dry at all, thanks to the lobster bisque that came with it. And a glass of water… Because the salt could not be present anymore.
Finally, out of greed more than out of appetite, we set our sights on Paris-Brest garnished with a hazelnut cream and Concord grape jam – a seasonal wonder! – and on the strawberry shortcake, a must according to our waitress. Both desserts are wonderful. There is experience in the kitchen, and it can be seen from start to finish.
The hour calls us to order. You would think time had stood still. We leave the place hoping that the place, after the excitement of the first months, will find its fauna, its regulars in the neighborhood who will keep the place alive. Because isn’t that the hallmark of French brasseries? Place Carmin does what many other places do, but it has the talent and an inspiring place to do it right.
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