Food mechanics

Housed in a converted garage, Bazou is a great spot to refuel

by SARAH MUSGRAVE

Bazou has been doing the funky fusion thing for a long time. Conceived 10 years ago by the same brains behind Jello Bar, it has all the little touches that make a place special--ecclectic décor, imaginative cuisine, mismatched dishes and a humorous menu that fits with the automotive theme of this former garage.

To begin, les démarreurs (the starters, get it?) are all quite fanciful and fun. The Toyota wonton ($6.50) consisted of pastry triangles filled with minced duck, served atop a smooth, creamy sauce of mango and papaya. Befitting the Asian theme, a handful of fresh bean sprouts gave the plate an extra texture of crunchiness.

Another intriguing appetizer is the Datsun ($5.50): dates stuffed with garlic and wrapped in bacon. These mysterious mini-rolls came skewered in a slice of honeydew melon, like some sort of Polynesian statuette. The taste was smoky and sweet, and slivers of fennel, green onion and cucumber at the bottom of the bowl made for suitably refreshing in-between bites. It was served with teriyaki sauce, but even better drizzled with a slice of very juicy lime.

Appropriately, you get into the bigger and stronger cars for the main courses. The list includes Pink Cadillac salmon, Pontiac pork with a purée of pears and apples, and an excellent rack of lamb Lamborghini seasoned with port, berries, honey and rosemary. One nice thing about Bazou is that the meals include a potage or salad, so you don't feel dissatisfied if you can't spring for an appetizer.

The soup of the day was spinach and fine herbs, made from a base of macerated parsley. Not too thick, it had a delicious, refined earthy taste. The salad of curly lettuce was dressed with a raspberry vinaigrette and sprigs of an unusual yellowish stalk, which the knowledgeable waitress informed us was young wheatgrass.

I figured the Canard Camaro ($20.20) would have some power under the engine, so I chose that. The breast of duck was fanned out in slices over a thick, jam-like berry and red wine sauce. There was a generous serving of vegetables, small amounts of all sorts of things: broccoli, green beans, snowpeas and strawberries. The most interesting feature was a veggie terrine, three layers of colour that looked like a Rothko painting: deep burgundy beets followed by a strip of rich carrot orange and topped with a warm beige, possibly potato. The whole dish was far from disappointing, but some of the meat was incredibly chewy.

When it came to the bavette de boeuf Corvette ($14.50), it seemed that someone had taken the term muscle car too seriously. At times both of us were hunched over our plates, sawing away at the meat in front of us. That's not to say that it didn't taste fantastic, though. Where the duck was sweet, the steak plate was savoury, topped with herbed garlic butter and accompanied by grilled bell peppers, cantaloupe, onions and excellent fries.

For dessert, the waitress wrote our options on the paper-topped tablecloth: cheesecake with poppy seeds, fondant au chocolate, ginger tart and key lime pie. We went for the last two ($5). The ginger tart was similar to sugar pie, but much more palatable thanks to the sharpness of the ginger. The key lime was pleasantly tart, on a nice thin crust.

This is definitely a spot to take someone out for a birthday, especially since you can bring your own wine. Another, bigger Bazou in the Village has the same menu and went BYOB a few months ago, definitely a key part of this winning formula.

Bazou

Address: 2004 Hôtel de Ville/1310 de Maisonneuve E.

Phone: 982-0853/526-4940

Hours: lunch Mon-Fri 11am-2:30pm; supper daily 3pm-11pm

Best features: great atmosphere, globetrotting cuisine

Vegetarian friendly: not really

Credit cards: yes

Wheelchair access: no

Alcohol: BYOB

Price: $25-30/person without tax, drinks or tip

Rating: HHH out of HHHH