by MARK SLUTSKY

If there's one thing the Plateau's blessed with, it's Portuguese grills. Chez Doval, Janos, Le Roi du Plateau, Rotisserie Portugalia, Casa Minhota - the list goes on. One of the newer additions to this proud roster, Marilou (which somewhat incongruously shares a name with a Serge Gainsbourg song), opened up a couple of years ago on the now-hot strip of St-Laurent between Mont-Royal and St-Joseph. Being a big fan of all things grilled, I always meant to give it a go, but it wasn't till recently that I had a chance.

Situated well on the corner of Villeneuve, Marilou features an open grill right at the front window and a large, somewhat stuffy dining room (the smoke from the grill seemed to be in perpetual battle with the imposing air-conditioning system). Otherwise, the atmosphere was pleasant, if not memorable: straight-up white tablecloth. It's a popular local spot, and the restaurant got crowded quickly, with only one mustachioed waiter to service the whole dining room. He knew what he was doing, though, and while it wasn't always easy to get his attention, service was very prompt, with our appetizers appearing almost instantly after ordering.

Marilou's menu covers all the grill bases - steak, lamb, chicken, sausage, fish, shellfish and everything else you'd expect to find at a Portuguese grill. Prices run in the $9.50 (for the chicken) to the $24 (for the lamb) range, although prix fixe options running between $19–$26 seemed like good bets, with no overlap with the rest of the menu.

On a recent visit, my companions and I each went in for a table d'hôte, with an added order of grilled calamari ($7.50), just to try it out. The waiter warned me against it, as my mixed grill ($21) was apparently a hefty feed, but I waved away his objections. I'd seen worse; I could handle it. Couldn't I?

Our swiftly delivered starters consisted of a bowl of tomato soup, a green salad, an artichoke salad and the aforementioned calamari. The soup had a deep, onion-heavy taste that was quite satisfying, and the salads were enlivened by the same noble root, in this case marinated and sweetened. The artichokes were no great shakes, though. The calamari, however, was a squidsation. Coated in olive oil and delightfully salty, the squid was fresh as could be, bursting with flavour and not a shade rubbery. A highlight.

This is the type of place where the "fish of the day" is salmon, tuna, snapper or swordfish. One of my companions went in for the tuna ($19). While our ever-vigilant server warned us it'd be served quite pink, the opposite actually was true - while a nice, generous piece of fish, it was definitely a little over-cooked. A shame, really, as it seemed fresh and could have been something very special.

My other food friend was excited by the presence of rabbit on the menu ($24). Breaded and then liberally smothered in a dijonnaise sauce, the little lapin was on the salty side (but I dig that) and very tasty - my friend swore he could detect a note of cognac in the sauce, and claimed that his only reservation was that the rabbit wasn't grilled.

My mixed grill was indeed a challenge. Salad! Fries! Lamb! Steak! Pork chop! Sausage! Could I consume it all? Well, pretty much. The steak was a beautiful little cut of meat, as was the lamb, both perfectly ruby-red on the inside. Lots of fat, too, if that's your thing - and if you're on a diet, I'd ask you why you're ordering the mixed grill. The pork chop was a little too big and not very interesting, and the sausage was a tough, fiery red comet of flavour. My only big complaint was that something must have gone wrong with the timing, as while my friends' dishes were piping hot, mine was a shade lukewarm. A few reservations about the meal in general, but overall Marilou is an attractive option for grill fans.

Tips? Questions? eattothebeat@gmail.com

Marilou
ADDRESS: 4675 St-Laurent PHONE: 849-4447
HOURS: SUN-THU 11 a.m.–3 p.m., 5:30–9 p.m.; FRI-SAT 11 a.m.–3 p.m., 5:30–10 p.m.
BEST FEATURES: Everything grilled, the squid in particular.
ALCOHOL: Yes
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes
VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY: Not so much
CREDIT CARDS: Yes
NO-SMOKING SECTION: Yes
PRICE: $10–$25 per person, before tax, booze or tip
RATING: ** and a 1/2 out of ****