Rosélys at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth
Whether it is a casual business lunch, a grand family dinner or Sunday brunch, Rosélys at the beautiful Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel offers a refined bistro experience. The restaurant can seat 100 to 150 diners. There is also a private room upstairs that can accommodate 70 people. An accessible ramp is available on the side entrance of the hotel on Mansfield St. Once in the hotel, you can access the restaurant and other areas of the facility. The washrooms at the restaurant are fully accessible.
A meal at Rosélys is an experience and starts with the staff. Manager Antoine Char tours the dining room to ensure that each customer is satisfied. Servers like Sylvain Joyal, supported by the likes of Stéphane Vincent, really make everyone feel right at home. It is Vincent, an employee of 34 years, who gets you set at your table and keeps your glass of water topped up. Joyal has been on board for 30 years, and he has an encyclopedic knowledge of the menu and every ingredient.
Whether it is a glass of champagne, wine or beer on tap, there are plenty of drinks to get your meal started in the right direction. There is a nice array of starters to choose from. My friend and I opted to share the grilled octopus and the Arctic char. The main courses consist of pasta, fish, meat items and even a vegan burger.
I had my eyes on the roasted duck breast from the moment I opened the menu since this is not something you can find at many restaurants. It was prepared exquisitely, with salsify three ways, fermented physalis and vanilla bean jus. My friend leaned on Joyal’s expertise and went for the East Coast large scallops with Yuzu endives, cream of lettuce, beurre blanc, mullet caviar and Lardo di Pata Negra.
Desserts here are the creation of Jean-Marc Guillot, a world champion pastry chef from France. We sampled the morello cherries and signature chocolate dessert (chocolate praline biscuit, hazelnut crumble and sour cherry sorbet) and the caramelized trilogy and boreal crisp (crème caramel with maple syrup, meringue with boreal spices, Breton shortbread with caramel and fleur de sel ice cream).
Rosélys is located at 900 Réne-Levesque Blvd. W. You can reserve by phoning, going online or to opentable.com.
Boustan
Emad Saad purchased the Boustan restaurant brand in 2017. At the time, only the original spot on downtown Crescent St. and three others existed. Seven years later there are now 66 locations and counting. I sat down with Saad and head office manager Kaylea Peres at the spanking new Lachine location, situated in a strip mall on busy Victoria St.
The entry way is completely accessible and so is a seasonal terrasse. There are 32 seats, with tables able to accommodate individuals in wheelchairs. For my friend and I, Saad went behind the counter himself to prepare a pair of delicious mixed shawarma bowls, containing perfectly shaved beef and chicken, with crispy garlic potatoes, rice and salad along with their garlic and special sauces. Saad also handed us what looked like chicken brochettes for us to try. They were quite tasty. Both of us were convinced they were chicken. In fact, they were vegan shiitake mushroom! For sure that will be among my selections next visit.
Thanks to Saad, and of course the original owners, Boustan has become a household name, renowned for its unparalleled Mediterranean cuisine. New openings in Lachine, Park Extension and Montreal North showcase a refreshed, contemporary look and an enhanced dining experience that encapsulates the spirit of modernity and authenticity. The Lachine spot is corporately owned and has already been dubbed as their new flagship.
