Montreal's iconic brunch restaurant L'Avenue has long been known for its decadent French toast served with gobs of maple syrup, its perfectly-spiced home-style potatoes and its eggs benny slathered with heaps of hollandaise. Now, the Montreal eatery is breaking day-to-night barriers with a brand-new dinner menu.
L'Avenue's Saint-Henri spot on Notre-Dame O. (the original location is on Mont-Royal in the Plateau) began developing a dinner service menu over six months ago — curating, savouring, and scrutinizing each dish ingredient by ingredient. Now, with over 12 menu items covering seafood, meat, burgers and salads, along with a refreshing cocktail and wine list, L'Avenue's dinnertime dishes are ready to take centre stage.
As someone who frequents the Plateau-Mont-Royal location quite often (sometimes too often), and who considers L'Avenue's brunch literally unparalleled in this city, when I was invited to give their dinner menu a try I of course accepted without hesitation — and I was seriously impressed. L'Avenue was already at the top of my pre-dinner essentials list, and their new dishes such as the beef brisket burger, tuna tower, and burrata mean I've now got an all-day favourite.
Located in a bustling area of Montreal with a rich history, spirit and artistic vibrancy, L'Avenue's graffiti-adorned walls and colourful lighting reflect the eclectic vibes of Saint-Henri, with the restaurant's trademark (sort of) subtle touch of quirkiness. From the mannequins and vintage film cameras to the eccentric artwork throughout, L'Avenue's decor and dinner dishes certainly have one thing in common: they'll get you talking.
The L'Avenue dinner menu offers an array of flavours that mirror their spectrum of choice at brunch. The generous portion sizes and bold recreations of Canadian classics are consistent with the extravagant feel of the restaurant's brunch dishes. It's exactly, happily, what you might imagine a L'Avenue dinner should be like.
Mike Chaar | MTL Blog
To start, the beet salad ($16). A bottom layer of sliced marinated beets is topped with arugula, roasted pecans, sections of orange and grapefruit, goat cheese, tahini and drizzled with a balsamic reduction. It's a complete burst of crispy meets fresh. The crunch from the arugula and roasted pecans paired with the creaminess of the beets and goat cheese offered a remarkable mix of texture that balanced effortlessly with both the sweetness and bitterness from the citrus fruit — proving that even the most super of superfoods can be both appetizing and aesthetic.
A few other noteworthy starters include the fried calamari (18$), parmesan truffle fries ($15), and the family-style Sicilian burrata (25$). The calamari was a decent mix of both rings and tentacles, all of which were incredibly tender. The dish had a delicate crunch matched with a smooth balance of savoury and spice (and sour if you like calamari with lemon juice). I'll add that the homemade tartar sauce on the side should not be avoided.
Mike Chaar | MTL Blog
As for the parmesan truffle fries; something as simple as the resto's home-style fries is easily transformed into a gourmet indulgence when garnished with parmesan and truffle oil. Although a crispier exterior would strengthen the dish overall, the truffle aroma melds seamlessly with the savoury parmesan to create a gratifying French fry moment.
The burrata was next up and this was easily the most visually appealing dish. A fresh burrata on a homemade caponata (a mix of eggplant, tomatoes, onions, olives and capers) served with croutons, basil pesto and a balsamic reduction drizzle. What more can you really ask for? The burrata was delicate, rich and creamy and offered a satisfying ooze the moment you cut into it. As for the caponata, the eggplant and veggie medley created a blend of smokiness paired nicely with sweet and tangy notes.
For those looking for seafood, the tuna tower ($20), and Peruvian ceviche ($21) must be on your radar.
Mike Chaar | MTL Blog
Marinated in soy, sambal, fresh ginger, and chives, the pink tuna tartar lays atop an avocado smash and mango salsa and provides moments of creaminess and crunchiness that may distract you from any conversation you're attempting to have. The dish can be enjoyed as is, or with sesame wonton chips – which further amplify the crispy experience. As for the ceviche, the dish offered an instant eruption of flavour thanks to melt-in-your-mouth mahi mahi marinated in lime juice and aji sauce. An accompanying sweet potato puree matched with the zest of the juices created a flawless mix of sweet and salty.
Mike Chaar | MTL Blog
The star of the night? The brisket burger ($22). Made of nine ounces of ground beef brisket, the patty was cooked to a perfect medium, and instantly released a burst of savoury juices the moment my teeth sunk into it. Paired with loads of cheddar, pickles, onion, lettuce and L'Avenue's South Carolina BBQ mayonnaise, the burger offered a blend of succulence, crunch and a hint of spiciness that puts many Montreal burgers to shame.
As for drinks, I cannot rave enough about the Precious Freshious ($14), which is made up of fresh lime juice, basil, cucumber, simple syrup and vodka. The drink certainly lives up to its name, considering the cucumber lends a cool, aqueous subtlety that intertwines beautifully with the aromatic freshness of basil, offering a refreshing taste each and every sip.
Mike Chaar | MTL Blog
Another solid choice is the Dazed and Confused Pineapple ($14), which can only be best described as summer in a glass. Made with gin, green tea syrup, fresh lime juice, pineapple juice, soda and Angostura bitters, this cocktail provided a next-level taste experience that felt like I was being reborn on the beaches of Curaçao. A second or third one of these and the name will likely start to make more sense.
L'Avenue La Nuit is officially on and can be enjoyed from Wednesday to Sunday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
L'Avenue La Nuit
When: Wednesday to Sunday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Where: 3612 rue Notre-Dame O., Montreal, QC
Why You Need To Go: With loads of delish dishes to choose from including the brisket burger, tuna tower, Peruvian ceviche, and a crispy Friend calamari, you won't be disappointed with L'Avenue's brand-new dinner menu. Oh, and not to mention the roster of refreshing cocktails to match, particularly the Precious Freshious and Daze and Confused Pineapple.
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