The interior of the venue. Right: A woman sitting and holding a drink at a table.
One thing that Montreal has no shortage of is Italian restaurants. From mom-n'-pop shops, casual family-style spots and upscale ristorantes, you're never far from a taste of the Old Country. But one Italian restaurant that's really causing some buzz is Ristorante Donato in Westmount, so I decided to make a visit to the relatively (it opened at the end of 2021) new place in town to experience (and taste!) it for myself.
First order of business: some drinks. We ordered the Negroni Blanco with lots of refreshing citrus flavours and the Donato Old Fashioned with rabarbaro and amarena, a type of cherry.
As I always say: an Old Fashioned is a great way for a bar to show off its skills. Make a good quality classic drink and it shows you know what you're doing. Put your own spin on it and it shows you know how to get creative.
Cocktails at Ristorante Donato.Gabi Sandler | MTL Blog
Next up were appetizers, so we thought we'd get one item from the menu, the salmon tartare, and one item from the night's specials, the tuna. Neither disappointed. Both were a great first taste of the kitchen's abilities.
An appetizer at Ristorante Donato.Gabi Sandler | MTL Blog
For the mains, we continued to divide and conquer in hopes of getting the best sense of the menu, ordering the Lobster Bisque Pasta off the main menu and the nightly special, which was Bucatini (basically hollow spaghetti) with short rib sauce.
Both of them struck that careful balance of deliciousness at a high-end restaurant: not too rich and heavy, but they still felt special. The Bucatini got bonus points for its sauce-soaking ability.
The main dish at Ristorante Donato.Gabi Sandler | MTL Blog
To end the evening, we wanted to depart from our usual dessert habits (not that you can ever have too much chocolate cake!). We went with the panna cotta with more amarena and the olive cake. Portions were perfect โ just enough to savour the flavours without overwhelming our taste buds or stomachs.
The dessert at Ristorante Donato.Gabi Sandler | MTL Blog
The setting was memorable too. The restaurant is impressive, yet inviting โ a blend of upscale chic and earthy wooden and rustic elements. Our server, Sammy, told us that the design of the restaurant was a real passion project for the team.
People sitting at tables at Ristorante Donato.Gabi Sandler | MTL Blog
Even the bathroom was absolute interior decor goals โ exactly what I wish my house could look like one day. But for now, it makes for the perfect place to snap a selfie and dream...
Gabi Sandler | MTL BlogA woman taking a selfie in the bathroom.
Donato is bringing flair to Sherbrooke Street and would make for a fabulous place to celebrate something special. Whether it's just for a drink and apps or a full-course meal, it's definitely one to keep on your radar.
Ristorante Donato
Price: ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ
Cuisine: Italian
Address: 4825, rue Sherbrooke O., Westmount, QC
Why You Need To Go: This swanky Italian spot is just as stunning as it is delicious โ a fabulous place to satisfy your pizza and pasta cravings.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
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