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"I checked out Laval’s first microbrewery, Les Insulaires, recently opened on de la Concorde near Notre‑Dame‑de‑Fatima. It’s a big space — roughly 150 people inside plus a terrasse for about 50 more in summer — launched by Festival des Bières de Laval founder Marilène Barale and her husband Guillaume Ouimet, who has years of home‑brewing experience. They run 24 beer lines split between house brews and guest taps from names like Dunham, Dieu du Ciel and Vagabond; the house lineup is rustic and winter‑friendly, with a porter, a New England IPA and a rye among the first five beers. There are also private import wines and mostly classic cocktails, with respectable gin, scotch and whisky options, and the food is pub‑leaning (burgers, hanger steak, Cornish hen) plus smaller plates like gravlax, charcuterie and cheese. The interior is bright and not gritty — plants, cozy couches and flowery wallpaper — with space for music or comedy shows, and the owners are aiming for a family‑friendly vibe. It’s open at 275 de la Concorde E (hours: Sun–Tue 3 p.m.–midnight; Wed 11:30 a.m.–midnight; Thu–Fri 11:30 a.m.–1 a.m.; Sat 3 p.m.–1:30 a.m.; closed Dec 23–25)." - Tim Forster