Market fresh

>> Kitchen Galerie takes daily inspiration from
its neighbour, the Jean-Talon market

by A.J. KINIK

I’ve said this before, but in spite of all the hype to the contrary, it’s rare that you come across a nouveau concept in this town deserving of the label. Every once in a while, though, you find a place like Kitchen Galerie and you actually glimpse an approach to restauration that’s truly new and, I should add, worthwhile.

Pay Kitchen Galerie a visit and you’re not going to be asked to dine in total darkness. You won’t be subjected to any drivel about “fun” and “play,” and “releasing the child within.” Your dinner won’t be served to you amidst the decadence of elegantly appointed mattresses. No liquid nitrogen will be used in the preparation of your meal. And Kitchen Galerie has no pretensions of actually being an art gallery.

The concept at Kitchen Galerie is simple, but surprisingly effective. It boils down to this: the two co-owners are also the restaurant’s two chefs, its maîtres d’hôtel, its sommeliers, its waiters, its bussers and its dishwashers. There’s only one other employee at Kitchen Galerie and, taking a lead from his employers, he too is a jack-of-many-trades, moving back and forth busily from the kitchen to the dining room. Doesn’t sound very radical, I know, but what you realize soon after you set foot in Kitchen Galerie is that even among your cheapest, most affordable restaurants, it’s rare that there’s no separate wait staff of any kind, and unheard of that you should have a meal that includes conversations with every member of the kitchen staff, including its dishwashers. Of course, because of this formula, you’re not going to find grand service at Kitchen Galerie, but then if you’re hung-up on such things, you really shouldn’t be reading this column, and besides, many of us prefer our service to be of the unstuffy and unrehearsed variety.

This concept wouldn’t be worth a hoot if the chefs at Kitchen Galerie didn’t have the chops to back it up. Luckily for us, they do, and they’ve also got an ace in the hole: the market. See, that’s the other part of their concept. A lot of restaurants talk about “market-fresh” cuisine, but Kitchen Galerie, with its prime location about 100 feet from Jean-Talon Market, walks the walk. Literally. The menu changes every day and is very much based on what the co-owners find at the market on their early-morning rounds. And it being high season at the market right now, the menu looks pretty good.

The menu is table d’hôte only, with three courses setting you back a mere $24–$32. The only exception is rôti de boeuf, which is only available for two and costs $78, but features a Flintstones-esque slab of beef as its centrepiece. We opted to play the field instead. My partner started off her meal with a simple but refreshing carrot-ginger soup with coriander pesto, then followed it up with the roasted hake with lightly curried cauliflower, mushrooms à la Grecque and sautéed romano beans ($28). I, on the other hand, took the fried ravioli stuffed with duck as my appetizer, and it arrived served over a julienned parsnip and carrot salad with truffle oil, and a fresh cherry tomato and tarragon salad alongside. The showstopper of the evening was my outstanding roast pork tenderloin main, which was served au jus over wilted spinach greens, with its very own cocotte of roasted root vegetables and lardons on the side ($29).

Even the desserts were good—surprisingly so. For him: lightly stewed pineapple with vanilla, crumble and a coconut sorbet. For her: red grapes and ground cherries suspended in a delicate Muscat-vanilla jelly, with whipped cream and lemon sorbet. Added bonus: both sorbets came from nearby Havre aux Glaces.

Our meal at Kitchen Galerie wasn’t absolutely perfect—the beans were a bit too toothsome, not melt-in-your-mouth, the way we prefer them, and I wasn’t sure why the ravioli appetizer wasn’t pan-fried instead of deep-fried—but overall, this was exceptional cuisine at very affordable prices. More importantly, though, Kitchen Galerie’s unorthodox approach makes for great ambiance, and based on our experience, it deserves to become a real Jean-Talon fixture.