Bistro Merlot: Destination dining
West Island gem not just a restaurant but also offers catering service
The moment you enter Bistro Merlot, you know you’re in for a treat. An exquisite interior highlighted with elegant use of tile, lighting and the perfect seating capacity makes this the ideal setting for a casual meal or a special event. But the focal point that impresses all who enter is a stunning open kitchen that offers intimacy between diner and chef, assuring you a dining experience transformed far beyond the ordinary.
“I love it like this,” says chef Kyle Seles of his restaurant’s open concept. “I love to see the reaction of people when they take their first bite, and I also want to welcome them when they arrive.”
Open just over a year, Bistro Merlot has become one of those rare Montreal treasures, growing in popularity slowly but most assuredly, as families, businesses and savvy foodies flock to the Pierrefonds restaurant just a few minutes off the beaten path. It is a welcome detour from the typical West Island gridlock, chaos and general cacophony of the main commercial strips.
“We’ve never really launched any kind of marketing blitz,” said Seles’s wife and partner, Melissa Sleno. “Once you find us, you come back.”
And come back they do – for casual, tranquil dining with a menu inspired by great flavours, traditions and the passion of its award-winning chef. “That’s very much Kyle,” Sleno said. “He will bring into his cooking whatever he is passionate about and people respond.”
Indeed, Seles’s repertoire and their fabulous menu fare includes Thai, New Orleans, French, Californian and more. By allowing a chef to put his expertise to work with his own inspiration, Sleno explained, diners all get their perfect meal.
So whether you’re dreaming of grilled wild Pacific salmon, Creole calamari or some of the best filet mignon dishes in town, take a left off St. Charles onto Antoine Faucon; your taste buds will ask where you’ve been all their lives. And as the moniker connotes, Bistro Merlot is a wine-lover’s haven, renowned for its wine and meal pairings. With Bistro Merlot’s very own sommelier on staff and an exquisite and eclectic selection for all budgets and tastes, it’s the premier destination for both the vinophile and the uninitiated.
In fact, Bistro Merlot offers winetasting evenings that feature special five-course menus paired with five different wines from a specific country. Accompanied by the sommelier and winery representatives, the engaging and stimulating experience is, without a doubt, the perfect gift for the food and wine lover in your life. France is next on the menu. (Bistro Merlot partners with the Point Zero 8 designated driving service to make sure you and your vehicle get home safely and comfortably if you’ve chosen to really indulge.)
Open Tuesday to Sunday nights and for lunches on special occasions, Bistro Merlot has also developed a solid and burgeoning clientele for its Take Home Family Meal Menu. “People are tired of spending a lot of money on fast food for takeout,” Sleno said. “Our menu features hot and fresh meals for four to five people that are ready for pick-up after 5 p.m.” So chuck the burgers and toss the pizza. Opt instead for a chicken picatta, jambalaya, ravioli or try Seles’s signature jalapeno and bacon soup – delectable meals that accompany you home and make dinner time a snap – and memorable. For an extra special treat, pick up a toffee brownie made from scratch.
There are many surprises about this West Island gem – which also operates as a caterer and stands by its quality, consistency and cleanliness of service – but the passion of the couple behind it stands above all else. “Life isn’t measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” That’s inscribed on a mirror in the Bistro dining room, reflecting the great passion Sleno and Seles have for their restaurant, their clientele and each other.
As Seles, Sleno and their team organize scores of local corporate holiday parties and events, the hectic pace serves as a labour of love for the chef and his wife. “She keeps me going,” he confides. “I believe in him and what he does here,” says Sleno in a poignant, candid moment. “I love this restaurant and I want to share it with everyone. Doing it together, it’s our dream.”