by MARK SLUTSKY

Unless you're a wealthy Outremont type, the quietly ritzy strip of Laurier just west of du Parc offers few opportunities for affordable dining. Sure, there are plenty of swanky restaurants tucked in among the boutiques, but who can afford to do more than stare wistfully through their windows?

Restaurant Leméac is one of the more elegant-looking joints in the area, a low-lit place with big picture windows, dark wood trim all over and a long, formidable-looking bar. It is pricey, or at least standard as far as these fine French dining places go, with courses in the $20–$30 range. But wait - all is not lost for the thrifty diner. If you can manage to stave off your hunger pangs until after 10 p.m., Leméac offers an attractive late-dining special that includes an appetizer and main course for the low price of $20. And we're not talking reduced portions here, either. For the quality of food you get, it's one of the best deals in town.

We were seated in a comfy booth that sat along the long, mirror-lined back wall when we arrived at 10 p.m. on the nose one weekday night. The staff seemed to guess why we were eating at that late hour, but were perfectly polite and accommodating.

For our appetizers, my dining companions chose the tian de légumes and the smoked salmon platter, while I went for the croustillant de chèvre chaud. They arrived after no undue delay, and set our expectations very high for the meal to come. The tian de légumes was a little pile of warm vegetables (sliced tomato, zucchini, onions), covered in a thin coating of melted raw milk cheddar, and it was delicious. The vegetables were fresh and soft, and the cheese was out of control, sharp and full-tasting.

The smoked salmon plate was, if anything, even better. They smoke their own salmon at Leméac, and the slices were thin and subtle in flavour, with none of the acrid aftertaste you get with the cheapo stuff. It was superb. My chèvre chaud was pretty smashing, as well. A round, breaded disc of goat cheese, it was topped with julienned apple slices, walnuts and greens. The contrast between the crispiness of the breading and the soft, tangy chèvre was delightful.

After the rapturous appetizers, we were psyched up for the main courses. One of my buddies chose the asparagus and wild mushroom risotto, the other picked the grilled bavette (skirt) steak and frites, and I had the cuisse de canard confite.

My friend pronounced his risotto "fine, but a little bland." The rice was cooked perfectly, for sure, but no flavour stood out. The steak, however, was both appropriately cooked and extremely tasty, crowned with a little round pat of garlic butter. The frites were thin and bistro-style, light and tasty, and served with a portion of lemony mayonnaise.

The canard confit (duck preserved in its own fat) was very good. Cook duck wrong and you get something resembling roast beef; do it right and it should be crisp and delicate, oily but light. The leg was so tender it nearly collapsed when it met my fork, and it had a dark, rich taste. A large salad of mixed greens, not dissimilar from what adorned my chèvre chaud, sat on the side.

We were a little bit let down by the main courses, but only because of the standards built up by the appetizers. On the whole, though, the meal was extremely satisfying, and at $20 a head, a ridiculously great deal. One small complaint: we were misled into believing that coffee was included with the meal, due to the layout of the menu. As we found out when the bill arrived, it was not. The java wasn't cheap, so be warned.

Leméac
Address: 1045 Laurier W. (four blocks west of Parc)
Phone: 270-0999
Hours: Mon-Fri 11:45am–midnight, Sat–Sun 10:30am–midnight
Best features: the late dining special
Alcohol: yes
Vegetarian friendly: yes
Credit cards: yes
Wheelchair access: a couple of steps up
Price: $20 per person after 10pm, $40 before, not incl. taxes & tip
Rating: ** out of ****