By Sebastien Robillard  @fashionbpm  fashionbpm@gmail.com

Friday night last-minute reservation can often restrain your choice of restaurants. Even if it does sometimes it’s worth looking at different neighborhood options to make sure you will still have a nice experience. A friend and I had movie tickets for the PITCH Festival at Cinema Park (by the way if you have a chance to watch the documentary The Two Escobars it’s totally worth it) and couldn’t find a place close to the theater. As we were discussing restaurant reservations and preferably a new place to try Chez Victoire came up.

I had heard off the establishment before and actually had passed in front the week before and was pleasantly surprised by the decor so we decided to give it a try.  I got there first and picked a spot at the bar as when you’re on a schedule I always find it easier to get the waiters attention if you need anything. I settled down and started to look at the menu while having a Trou du Diable which is a local craft beer. After my friend showed up we ordered wine(by the way  they have a wide selection) and let the waiter walk us through the menu. As his description of each dish was done it was clear at this point that it would be very hard to make a choice as every dish  sounded better than the other.

After long minutes of debating what I was going to have I settle my choice on Truite des bobines à cru and the Wild Mushroom Risotto. I also shared the tomato salad with my friend while she had the Goujonette de grenouille frite and the Cavatelli Maison. My Truite was simply delicious and the mix of ingredients and flavor was amazing you could barely get a hint of the fish behind all the other flavors. The ”tomate confite” that were part of the dish were also very good, best I’ve had in a long time. The Tomato Salad with the mozzarella di buffala emulsion was light and tasteful and was not too much as a second dish. The risotto that was in the mushroom juice and topped with parmesan was also very good. My friend seemed very please with her meal as well and we both enjoyed the knowledgeable and friendliness of the staff. I would strongly suggest you try this place and one cool feature that they offer is a 25$ menu from 10 pm to midnight which could be a great way to try their food.

Chez Victoire

1453 Mont-Royal east, Montreal, H2J 1Z1

514-521-6789

www.chezvictoire.com