Thibault Dambrine
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L'avenue is the most trendy, unusual and cool restaurant I have visited in many years.
The l'Avenue brand is a small but apparently successful franchise operation, with additional branches in Montreal, Toronto and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. We visited the restaurant that started it all, on Avenue du Mont Royal.
We arrived on a rainy Sunday morning. After a long wait, during which we noticed a lot of customers exiting with doggy bags, we were served by an enthusiastic uniformed staff member by the name of "Jaws". The menu is very much a brunch type of deal, with the usual omelettes, eggs benedict, bacon, sausage and potato combinations. The maple syrup and the coffee are included and bottomless.
The portions were generous, the quality and the freshness of the food was good, but it was the atmosphere inside the restaurant that made it most interesting.
The black overall F1 pitstop style uniforms, worn by very energetic, mostly 20-something staff, the decorations on the wall, the hanging motorbike,all contributed to a different, almost rebel << we do things our way >> vibe.
The menu is simple but presented with edgy artwork, consistent with the general "we are different" look and feel of almost everything in the establishment. We used paper menus but most of the clients, on average much younger than myself, used their phones for that information.
In the same spirit, the washrooms are a must see. One is decorated with professional grade graffiti. The other one has a spinning disco ball and mirrors on the walls. Pretty interesting!
The music (techno beat) was a bit loud for me, but in this context, it was part of the intention to convey that funky, different way of doing things we are otherwise familiar with.
Overall, beyond the food that was good and generously portioned, brunch at l'Avenue was an experience.
I would go back, probably would go for pancakes this time, to take advantage of the always delicious, bottomless maple syrup. At the end of the day, restaurant are, above all else about the food :)
Well done, l'avenue!