by SARAH MUSGRAVE

Le Centaure

What better place to gamble on love than at the racetrack? Le Centaure, the restaurant in the Hippodrome clubhouse, is the kind of “classy” establishment designed to make the little guy feel like a big shot. While the unwashed masses huddle a few floors below, high-rollers can take in the Montreal skyline, be served by waiters in bowties and bet on the horses without waiting in line. Conversation comes easily as you peruse the complimentary race program and check out the action through the enormous windows, while wagering as little as $2 per race. The food is unexceptional but edible. To start, get a shrimp cocktail or a Caesar salad. Main courses include beef kebabs, roasted chicken, prime rib of beef and a surf and turf platter. The table d’hôte might feature venison or fish, but these can be longshots compared to the standards on the menu. The real winner here is the retro-cool atmosphere, including the track that dates back to 1907.

Address: 7440 Décarie, Phone: 739-2741, Hours: races Wed, Fri, Sat 7:30pm; Sun 1:30pm, Price: $20 - $25/person before drinks, tax & tip

Restaurant Lucca

Rustic yet refined, Lucca serves market-fresh Italian cuisine without sacrificing style for substance. It’s a place where the staff on both sides of the kitchen seem to be genuinely interested in food. The fried calamari appetizer is melt-in-your-mouth tender in a divinely light batter. The salad of arugula and parmegiano combines bitter greens, shaved cheese and a zesty dressing. Mains here are deceptively simple, from filet mignon with porto to a fish duo with grilled vegetables. The seafood linguine is laden with clams, shrimp and cubes of fish, while the risotto con funghi, infused with porcini mushrooms, walks the line between soupy and solid admirably. For dessert, the tiramisu looks like it was scooped from a fluffy snow-peaked mountain and sprinkled with fresh raspberries and cacao. Pricey wines get their due in enormous glass goblets that will impress your coveted connoisseur. The only downside is the hefty bill, and the fact that your date might want to hook up with the chef instead of you.

Address: 12 Dante, Phone: 278-6502, Hours: Lunch weekdays noon - 3:30pm; dinner 6 - 10:30pm; closed Sun, Price: $35/person before tax, tip or drinks

Bazou

Housed in a former garage, Bazou works the funky fusion thing with its eclectic décor, imaginative cuisine and humorous, automotive-themed menu. To begin, les démarreurs include Toyota wonton triangles filled with minced duck in a mango/papaya sauce or Datsun dates stuffed with garlic and wrapped in bacon. Appropriately, you get into the bigger cars for the main courses. The list includes Pink Cadillac salmon, Pontiac pork with a purée of pears and apples, and a rack of lamb Lamborghini seasoned with port, berries, honey and rosemary. The Canard Camaro comes with a layered veggie terrine that looks like a Rothko painting, and the Corvette bavette is accompanied by great fries. In addition to being BYOB, another plus here is that meals include potage or salad, so you don’t feel cheap if you can’t spring for an appetizer. Just don’t let your sweetheart miss out on desserts like cheesecake with poppy seeds, fondant au chocolate, ginger tart and key lime pie. :

Address: 2004 Hotel de Ville, Phone: 982-0853, Hours: Lunch Mon - Fri 11am - 2:30pm; supper daily 3pm - 11pm, Price: $25 - 30/person without tax, drinks or tip