License to chill

Martinis and mini-burgers set the scene at
the 007-themed Mile-End lounge Bond

by MARK SLUTSKY

A James-Bond-themed lounge and restaurant was pretty much the last thing I expected to open in the generally low-key, hipsterfied surroundings of the Mile-End neighbourhood. But when the neighbourhood institution that was the German restaurant Berlin, with its schnitzels and giant glass boots of beer, closed recently, the unlikely 007-flavoured hangout took its place.

Bond has more of a downtown or lower-St-Laurent vibe than its neighbours. That’s not necessarily a bad thing—there’s nothing wrong with a little nightlife in the Mile-End. The décor, it barely needs to be said, is vaguely James-Bond-themed, with posters from the movies up on the walls and modish, ’60s-style furniture. Right out on St-Urbain is a sizeable terrasse, which seems like a fine place to have a drink on a summer evening (there are weirdly few drinkable outdoor spots in the hood and a new one is always welcome).

Cocktails are, of course, well-represented on the menu. I had a vodka martini ($8), just as her majesty’s secret servant would, though I had them dirty it up a bit with some olive juice and four plump olives. Well-mixed, though I was disappointed that it came in one of those low-riding martini glasses and not the elegant iconic long-stemmed kind.

Other martinis are named after characters from the Bond films: the Pussy Galore (you knew they’d have a drink named that) features vodka, sake, lychee and cranberry, the Dr. No is a gin, melon liqueur and cucumber puree concoction, the Moneypenny, stretching the definition of martini, is a mix of tequila, cassis, strawberry and cranberry. And, of course, there’s a drink called Russia With Love—vodka, kahlua and vanilla ice cream.

One of many establishments these days blessed/cursed with the kind of liquor licence that requires an order of food along with the booze, Bond has quite a few edible options. In addition to a weekend brunch and a light lunch menu, there’s a long list of snackables to eat alongside your drink.

They call it “tapas” but bar snack would be a better designation. On a recent visit, we tried a few, with varying results. I liked the “mini golf burgers,” ($8) a pair of small burgers, one with melted cheese, the other with BBQ sauce, served with a small bowl of fries. I guess the “golf” in the name is meant to refer to their golf-ball like appearance; one of my dining companions described them as “meatballs in a bun.” There’s also mini ribs ($9), served with a sticky sweet, sour and sesame sauce. These were nicely cooked, falling off the bone, though the sauce didn’t really make my heart sing.

I guess on a meat-heavy menu (featuring six different variations on poutine), salad might be a dicey proposition, but I went ahead and ordered the chèvre chaud salad ($8) anyway. It consisted of greens, thinly sliced apples, red peppers and too much dressing, along with a slice of bread with a generous wedge of melted goat cheese and caramelized onions, which wasn’t bad.

Ever since my mind was blown by it in an Old Montreal eatery, I’ve always been a fan of ouzo-powered flaming saganaki cheese, so I ordered Bond’s take on it ($7), which came in a small cast-iron skillet and was appropriately flaming and cheesy.

Opinion was divided on the shrimp tempura ($9), which came on a wooden skewer with cognac mayo dipping sauce (didn’t really taste the cognac). My friend didn’t like it, I thought it was tasty enough, though not really tempura—more of a puffy onion-ring batter. The ravioli ($7), stuffed with cheese and served with a cream sauce, were actually very nice and subtly flavoured, though they seemed a bit out of place.

Verdict: the food is serviceable, some of it is tasty, but I wouldn’t really go to Bond for dinner. However, as a selection of salty snacks to be consumed with a martini or two, it holds its own. Bond might feel a little out of place in Mile-End, but its sweet terrasse and relaxed vibe should get a little following this summer.