To celebrate the end of another school year, my friend and I decided to try a new fancy restaurant in Montreal. After some diligent researching (a.k.a. googling), we decided on trying EVOO, which is located near Lionel Groux metro station. Every week the menu at EVOO changes based on the freshest local ingredients available.
The concept of EVOO is contemporary French, with inspiration from Classical French, Irish and Southern Mediterranean flavours. The lunch menu is simple: 2 courses for $18 and 3 for $21. Normally, dinner and weekend brunch is à la carte; however, on Thursday nights there is also a promotion of 3 courses for $35.
Photo by Helena Lin
The Ambience
When my friend arrived at EVOO, it was just a few minutes after they opened for lunch so we had the whole place to ourselves.
Photo by Helena Lin
Our waitress kindly showed us to the table by the window and quickly explained how the lunch menu works. She was extremely friendly, giving us recommendations of her favorite dishes per course and allowing us ample time to order.
Photo by Helena Lin
As I looked around the restaurant, I instantly fell in love with their simple and understated decor.
Photo by Helena Lin
Pre-meal
Of course, my friend and I opted for the 3 course lunch meal at EVOO. To begin, we ordered the limoncello cocktail which consisted of gin, limoncello, mint, cucumber, and soda. New favourite cocktail, just saying. I may be biased as I am a huge fan of all things gin, but this refreshing drink really hit the spot as it wasn’t overly sweet.
Photo by Helena Lin
Not long after our drinks arrived, we were served warm, house made buns infused with roasted tomato and herbs, along with olive oil on the side. The buns were the perfect size to keep us from being hangry but also didn’t immediately fill us up.
Photo by Helena Lin
The Starters
Fish Croquette – smoked king salmon, shrimps, fennel alla Romana
Photo by Helena Lin
This was my first time eating salmon and shrimp croquettes and I’m a fan. The salmon and shrimp croquettes had a great crust and were extremely light and warm in the centre. The fennel salad was acidic, herbaceous, and a great accompaniment to the croquettes.
Orzo Salad – grilled vegetables
Photo by Helena Lin
Served cold, the orzo was perfectly al dente and tossed in a delicious herby vinaigrette. In turn, the roasted peppers, eggplants, and zucchini provided vibrance to the dish while the sour dough croutons added crunch.
The Mains
Grilled Pork – potato, rainbow carrot
Photo by Helena Lin
One of the options for the main courses was the pork chop. It was grilled to perfection, with a delicious char and crust, while remaining succulent and tender. The sides included butter braised rainbow carrots and a luscious potato mash with green onions.
Salad – crispy egg, heirloom tomato, kale, duck breast.
Photo by Helena Lin
The Chefs at EVOO are simply geniuses to have come up with the idea of panko crusting a poached egg and deep frying it. This crispy egg was served on top of a warm kale and heirloom tomato salad, dressed with a zesty vinaigrette and topped with beautifully smoked duck breast prosciutto. I am still having dreams about that egg…
The Dessert
Pistachio Financier – hazelnut and chocolate mousse, braised rhubarb
Photo by Helena Lin
The dessert was not only beautiful to look at, but delicious to eat. The pistachio financier was toasted to be warm, and it retained a crunchy outer layer while remaining soft and spongy on the inside. The hazelnut and chocolate mousse is what I imagine Nutella would be like in adulthood — sophisticated and refined, but just as delicious. It was so light and airy, almost cloud-like. The sweetness of the mousse and the financier was complemented with some tart braised rhubarb.
The Verdict
All around, the food at EVOO was delectable. Although the cocktail was a bit expensive at $10, it was extremely delicious and I have been asking bartenders to recreate it ever since. Each dish was creative, clean and executed perfectly. It’s true that the restaurant is not the most student budget friendly, however the food is well worth it and the lunch menu is a steal for $21.
I would say EVOO is the perfect restaurant to go to for a date or a celebration with friends.