The Holiday season is in full swing here in Montreal and the city is every bit merry and bright from frosty shop windows to music enhanced street lamps, colored lights on historical building and even our very own iconic “ugly” Christmas tree!
The dining scene in the city is no less festive:
This week Gen’s Delights recommends a couple venues, well steeped in holiday tradition, whose spectacularly themed decors will make your family / office brunch, dinner or 5-7 quite memorable!
Brunch or dine the Parisian way at License IV
1524 rue Notre-Dame Ouest
Offering Parisian charm and hospitality in the heart of Griffintown, Bistro: License IV and chef Darryl Crumb will serve up the great classics of the French brasserie with an authentic tricolor holiday menu, decor and background soundtrack that pays tribute to Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg.
For Breakfast lovers, you will definitely want to check out their musical, retro Jazz brunches, offered every Sunday from 10 to 3 pm with live piano music from none other than Radio-Canada 2015-2016’ revelation of the year winner Guillaume Martineau!
Ladies’ nights is celebrated every Thursday evening, with 2 for 1 specials on selected wine, sparkling wine and cocktails. Oysters are offered every Tuesday at $1 a piece!
To ring in the New Year in style, License IV is pulling out all the stops with a champagne evening that will revive the sweet madness of the Parisian nights on the Champs-Élysées.
All attendees will sip a flute of Deutz champagne and enjoy an elaborate 4-courses New Year’s Eve dinner along to the tunes of a live Jazz band that will play music reminiscent of the parties held at historic establishments in the City of Lights during the crazy years. Past midnight, DJ Pierre Benjamin will spin groovy beats until 3am.
For more information on menus, prices, reservations and special musical events, please visit:
Bordelle: A bit of Naughty and Nice to ring in the New Year
390 St-Jacques West
Are you seeking to relive the thrilling elegance and grandiose eccentricities of the roaring 1920’s?
Head down to Bord’Elle – Boutique Bar and Eatery, where a unique, Great Gatsby inspired supper club is nestled right in the heart of the Old Port of Montreal.
The restaurant recently celebrated its 1st year anniversary hosted by none other than reality TV star Jonathan Cheban from Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
Guests and friends of the establishment were treated to rhythmic beats by DJ Yo-C, while savoring new menu bites, champagne and signature themed cocktails all evening. Live entertainment came in the form of “naughty but nice” burlesque divas, who dangled from swings and travelled from the top mezzanine of the Champagne room and Whisky Parlor down to the energetic crowds of the Grand Foyer below.
Heavily influenced by the roaring twenties with an overall, up-beat club ambiance, Bord’Elle’s décor and booths recreates the grandeur of the era, while keeping sharply modern with quality cuisine inspired by fusion Asian-French-Mediterranean dishes.
This is the perfect location for a classy, fun night out with your friends or to celebrate the Holidays with style!
You won’t want to miss out on their up-coming “A very Gatsby New Year’s Eve party” reserved for those over 25 years of age, that is sure to bring the house down!
For more information please visit
Le Blossom bar – Montreal’s Neo-Japanese hand roll and sake bar
1101 boulevard de Maisonneuve Est
First and foremost a sake bar – this recently opened Japanese restaurant is the latest project by restauranteur Dan Pham (Le Red Tiger, Kamehameha Snack-Bar) and his partners.
Situated in Montreal’s ‘Village’ neighborhood, this laid back, eatery specializes in traditional Japanese handrolls, private-imported sake as well as offering contemporary Japanese dishes with flair:
The main decorative element of the restaurant is a stunning, flowering pink cherry blossom tree created by designer Guillaume Ménard of Atelier Mainor that whisks you into the atmosphere of a beautiful spring day in Japan.
The restaurant’s design, including its 28 seat bar, is inspired by a Neo-Japanese décor that draws reference to the 1982 movie “Blade Runner.”
With an intimate and elegant setting, this is the perfect spot to bring a date or to enjoy a drink or two after work with colleagues during this Holiday season.
For more information on Le Blossom, please visit:
Microbrewery Passport: For Beer and Cider lovers :
For those who love discovering new drinking establishments and who wish to ring in the New Year with a fresh tapped beer or cider, there is currently a new microbrewery passport available for purchase on restomania.ca, which will allow you to enjoy 3 to 5 beer tastings from a selection of more than 74 kinds of craft beers in 19 participating institutions around the city.
Those interested will need to purchase a booklet good up until the 31st of May 2018, for only 20 $ tax included, on restomania.ca that will be sent directly to your home.
Overall, I find it to be a very good deal for those who wish to enjoy a pleasant 5 to 7 aperitif with friends or colleagues.
For this edition, some of the participating restaurants include: Pub West Shefford, Annexe St-Ambroise, Brasserie Saint-Denis, and several 3 Brasseurs among others.
For a complete listing of establishment and to purchase booklets please visit: www.restomania.ca