Le Violon
Restaurant · Parc-Laurier
4720 Rue Marquette, Montréal, QC H2J 3Y6, Canada
"Le Violon sits on a quiet Plateau corner, but buzz about the restaurant is getting louder and louder. The project from chef Danny Smiles (who gained recognition on Top Chef Canada and later at Chuck Hughes’ seafood-centric Le Bremner) feels measured and mature, but not at all stiff or showy. The menu is a steady evolution, so I was pleased to find two favorite dishes on rotation during my recent visit: beef tartare swirled with tahini, and ricotta gnocchi in a rich, earthy cavolo nero pesto. Both were standouts, as was a dish of sea bream served with the season’s first peas in a super velvety beurre blanc. The room itself is a stunner: lots of wood, powder-blue walls, and crisp white linens under the watchful gaze of a colossal Dalmatian, painted by artist and Le Violon co-owner Dan Climan. Best for: Just as great for a date night or birthday dinner, as it is for a just-because evening out." - Valerie Silva
"Le Violon is a finely tuned instrument! A quartet of partners compose a delicious culinary melody that unfolds within an elegant decor, decorated with premium materials and bathed in natural light. The contemporary score borrows from both the English-speaking world and the French: bluefin tuna, tomato, and olive oil in the style of a gourmet pan con tomate; fish & chips revisited with monkfish in a gribiche sauce; beef cheek bordelaise and its Joël Robuchon-style potato purée; and, for dessert, carrot cake with cream cheese icing and butterscotch sauce. The concise menu comprises a dozen dishes, supplemented by a few specials inspired by the market, which your server will talk you through. Reservation mandatory; hip young clientele." - Michelin Inspector
"Fancy but not stuffy, Plateau newcomer Le Violon is delighting Montrealers with its warm service, sophisticated menu inspired by the Italian, Egyptian, and Irish roots of the chef-owners, a predominantly natural wine list, and clever cocktails, including a very nice gin-infused take on a Vesper martini. We’ve loved their interpretation of kibbeh nayeh, hand-cut raw beef with bulgur that’s liberally laced with tahini, as well as their gochujang-glazed sweetbreads and pillowy gnocchi in a cavolo nero sauce—all of which we’re hoping will stay on the menu for a while. Sit at the banquette underneath the huge painting of a Dalmatian for a picture-perfect moment, and make sure to check out the Varlhona Basque cheesecake or any of their other spectacular cakes before you leave." - ivy lerner frank
"Fancy but not stuffy, Plateau newcomer Le Violon is delighting Montrealers with its warm service, sophisticated menu inspired by the Italian, Egyptian, and Irish roots of the chef-owners, a predominantly natural wine list, and clever cocktails, including a very nice gin-infused take on a Vesper martini. We’ve loved their interpretation of kibbeh nayeh, hand-cut raw beef with bulgur that’s liberally laced with tahini, as well as their gochujang-glazed sweetbreads and pillowy gnocchi in a cavolo nero sauce—all of which we’re hoping will stay on the menu for a while. Sit at the banquette underneath the huge painting of a Dalmatian for a picture-perfect moment, and make sure to check out the Varlhona Basque cheesecake or any of their other spectacular cakes before you leave. photo credit: Two Food Photographers photo credit: Two Food Photographers photo credit: Two Food Photographers Pause Unmute" - Ivy Lerner-Frank
