REMODELLED, RENAMED, REVITALIZED
Île Flottante keeps strengths of its previous incarnation and gives its menu a big boost
Two years ago I reviewed Les Deux Singes de Montarvie, a restaurant with arguably more accolades than any other in this city. Topping the list of Montreal faves on TripAdvisor, Les Deux Singes also scored higher than many more acclaimed restaurants in the Gault & Millau guide.
One could see why it was so popular: the food was served in the tasting menu format, the staff was friendly and the ambience in the 30-seat room was buzzy but not noisy. Portions were generous, plates were pretty and the cocktail I began my meal with was highly enjoyable.
As for the food: pretty, but a lot of the dishes lacked pizzazz. The wine list wasn’t all that interesting either, and the lack of wine pairings seemed to be a missed opportunity. Les Deux Singes was a pleasant experience, yes, but one of Montreal’s best? Alas, no.
When news came that owners Nada Abou Younes and chef Sean Murray Smith were remodelling and renaming the restaurant last fall, it came as a surprise. Who cares about critical acclaim, I thought, when you’re one of the hardest tables to book in town? But in this competitive restaurant climate, bettering the business is always a smart move. And as they took over an existing establishment in 2011, they felt it was time to finally make it their own.
Architect Alain Carle, also behind the design at Brasserie Harricana and Milos, was brought in to open up the space, incorporating the locale next door while adding deep indigo walls and framing parts of the room with black-rimmed win-
dows. Not only was the restaurant broadened, the menu and wine list were as well. Instead of a choice between a set menu and a vegetarian menu, there was a three-, five- or seven-course menu. Guided by a new sommelier, Lévi Gobeil, there was now a wine pairing option, too. Talk about your major turnarounds! Les Deux Singes, it seemed, was looking to play in the big leagues. They even changed the name to Île Flottante, in honour of Smith’s late father, who was a fan of Expo 67 and its “floating island” location. The former Canadian pavilion’s inverted pyramid shape has been adopted as the new restaurant’s logo. Neat.
That’s all well and good, but what about the food? Well, I’m happy to report the food has improved as well. Dishes still have that meticulously plated look — with nary a sprout nor a sauce smear out of place — but on the whole, how impressive. Service remains a forte, with our waitress keeping tabs on us from the initial greeting to the last goodbye. And not only were her menu descriptions sharp, the timing of the dishes was exemplary.
I visited the restaurant on a Tuesday, and it was already full early in the evening. Seems like the ol’ TripAdvisor popularity lingers. After sipping my way through a marvellous cocktail combining amaretto and chili syrup (I want the recipe!), we selected a three-course menu and a five-course menu with added wine pairings. Unless you’re a big eater, I’d say less is more here, as I ended up sharing dishes with my friend. And if you’re a wine drinker, I’d suggest the pairings: the wines, primarily vins nature or biodynamic, are just swell.
The first plate to come out was a beautiful and rather large amuse-bouche consisting of a savoury carrot cake with carrot chips, carrot purée and a quenelle of crème fraîche ice cream. The cake was dense and moist, and the other carrot incarnations added great texture. Good stuff.
Following that came another showstopper, based on scallops, sliced and served raw, mixed with cucumber and apple shaped into balls. To that was added cauliflower florets, toasted panko crumbs and a sprinkling of blueberry flowers, before it was all formed into a round and surrounded by an apple, cucumber and jalapeño jus. Here was a dish that reminded me of the old Les Deux Singes, with many elements prettily arranged but nothing to really bond them together. After a few bites, I handed it over to my dining companion, who loved it, while I kept thinking it was perhaps better suited to a hot summer’s night.
The next two courses showed the kitchen’s penchant for vegetables transformed in all sorts of cool ways. The first featured king eryngii mushrooms, sliced fat, seared and served with a velvety cream gravy. As garnish, Smith added a few dehydrated king mushrooms for a nice touch of crunch, and a cranberry chutney to up the acidity. He says it’s his ode to Thanksgiving dinner; I like that idea, as the mushrooms do taste similar to turkey.
The next dish starred leeks, sliced into a spaghetti shape, braised in butter, twirled into a quenelle and topped with deepfried leeks, a grating of Louis
d’Or cheese and a spoonful of salmon roe. Underneath it all was a Gruyère mousse and a ring of dill foam. What a fun mix of rich flavours and diverse textures. I like how Smith plays with all his ingredients in ways that are entirely new to me. He also doesn’t rely on luxury ingredients to beef up the plates, thus keeping prices low. Smart.
The only meat of the menu was a duck magret that was cooked to the ideal rosé and surrounded by fat caramelized shallots and slices of salsify (a.k.a. oyster plant). Though the accompanying duck glaze was a bit salty, overall the dish was a hit, especially paired with a Séléné Beaujolais-Villages.
In this procession of pretty dishes, dessert was perhaps the prettiest of all, featuring a chocolate crème brûlée paired with mint sauce. Decorated with bits of meringue, it was an absolute hit. Mint and chocolate may be an old-school combination, but when presented like this, who cares?
To gild the lily, we opted for the only à la carte item, an île flottante, which we were told is the chef ’s favourite dessert. Can’t say it was mine, alas. Topped with coffee ice cream and flavoured with a sort of rum-raisin coulis, it was potent and ultra-sweet. After two bites, I gave up. But I’m told the île changes often, so here’s hoping they can tone down the sweetness.
As for the rest, what a pleasant surprise. Île Flottante has captured a very special days-of-old restaurant formality. Combined with unpretentious service and a relaxed setting, it results in the ideal dining experience for foodies young and old looking for theatrics without having to cough up big bucks for front-row seats. I’m not sure this is the right place for a large group, but for a twosome eager to bond over an elaborate meal, it’s just the ticket.