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Carmelized
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Restaurant Carmel offers classy comfort foods
by SARAH MUSGRAVE
If you’d travelled somewhere exotic, then came back to Montreal
looking for a homey meal with a hint of foreign flair, Restaurant Carmel
would be just your ticket. This new eatery occupies the swank Mile-End
space vacated last year by the short-lived Restaurant Bernard. It looks
exactly the same—stacked stone walls, crackling fireplace and wood
booths—as the venture it replaced, but the vibe is considerably
more fun.
The menu features ingredients that are a little bit local and a little
bit loco. The list of appetizers ranges from maple-tinged salads to
smoked tomato soup, with a bunch of whimsical creations in between.
To start, my friends both ordered the tartlet with wild mushroom and
goat cheese ragout ($7). The gently stewed filling had a rich, dense
fragrance and came on a homemade mini pie crust that looked too firm
but had just the right buttery consistency.
The beet, apple and Oka salad ($7) was served in a light, flaky filo
cup. The first bite was extremely refreshing, hitting the tastebuds
with a blast of cloves and cinnamon. After a few more mouthfuls, though,
the flavour became tiring. The elements in this dish could work well
together, but the overall effect just isn’t subtle enough to whet
your palate for more.
When it comes to main courses, the selections are fairly meaty. Risotto
is the only real vegetarian option and, fortunately for the non-carnivorous,
it doesn’t skimp on mushrooms and pine nuts ($15). Although the
grains of rice were just this side of undercooked, the sauce was packed
with a rich, pungent flavour.
Carmel also offers a gourmet style shepherd’s pie ($18)—comfort
food with class. It’s a great concept: instead of the usual ground
beef, potato and corn layers, it’s been reinvented with mashed
sweet potato and caribou meat. The familiar hearty taste was boosted
with added seasonings, but we agreed that the spicy tomato jam that
accompanied it was a little too heavy-handed. While not a heaping man-sized
portion, it made for a satisfying meal.
My main course also mixed the traditional with the original. The St-Grégoire
pork chop was a nice, big, thick cut of meat bearing impressive charcoal
striations on the outside ($18). For neurotic people like me who like
to check how well their swine is cooked, Carmel’s dark lighting
can be a bit disconcerting—and the texture didn’t give me
a clear indication. The star anise peeking out from below the meat explained
the licorice flavour and played nicely off the deliciously sweet and
sharp abenaki apple compote. It came with creamy mashed potatoes, beets
and a Bugs-Bunny-looking carrot—very cute.
For dessert, we tried a good crème brûlée and an
excellent chocolate and caramel mousse.
Carmel has all the makings of a great neighbourhood spot, but it’s
not quite there yet. The kitchen—manned by the former chef from
Copacabana—is a strong creative force, but needs to lighten its
touch. Most of the dishes hit us with a wallop of flavour right from
the start, so the different tastes didn’t really have a chance
to unfold. The service is well-meaning, gentle and friendly, but not
completely polished. The sensitive frat-boy types waiting the tables
weren’t on top of water refills or timing—there were long
delays between courses. To be fair, there were large groups to deal
with that night, and we were offered free drinks to make up for the
wait.
If Carmel ever became as slick as its predecessor, it wouldn’t
be as charming. Right now it’s almost great, and I’d be interested
to try it again in a few months. :
Feedback? restoagogo@hotmail.com
Restaurant Carmel
Address: 245 Bernard W.
Phone: 276-6222
Hours: Tues–Thurs 6–11pm; Fri & Sat
6pm–midnight; closed Mon
Best features: decor, good vibe, inventive dishes
Alcohol: yes
Vegetarian friendly: limited
Credit cards: yes
Wheelchair access: one step up
Price: $25/person before tax, drinks or tip
Rating: **1/2 out of ****
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