Women-led kitchens in Montreal
Through hard work, perseverance and tenacity, these famous women chefs have managed to break through, making a name for themselves in a world that is less and less dominated by their male colleagues. Here are some of the best venues in Montreal where they will welcome you.
Helena Restaurant
438 McGill, Montréal, QC H2Y 2G1This is one of three Portuguese restaurants run by chef-owner Helena Loureiro. Chez Helena, at rue McGill, reinterprets Portuguese tapas and grills in its own style: stuffed calamari, salt cod croquettes, tagine of calamari, grilled beef sirloin with butcher's sauce and confit egg, stuffed pork tenderloin with figs and port wine … shall we continue?
Portus 360
777 boul Robert-Bourassa, Montréal, QC H3C 3Z7Another of three restaurants run by chef Helena Loureiro. Seafood is the centerpiece at this establishment. Be tempted by the tapas (cod, sardines, salmon, octopus), bouillabaisse, salt cod, grilled sardines and a fine selection of meat (sirloin, pork tenderloin, pig flank, etc.). Also on offer are delicacies imported from Portugal.
Mesón
345, rue Villeray, Montréal, QC H2R 1G8The head honcho at Tapeo, Marie-Fleur St-Pierre, has opened a second restaurant in Villeray: the Mesón. The four co-owners (Victor Afonso, Sébastien Muniz, Pedro Oliveira and Marie-Fleur) welcome you to this laid-back bistro, serving dishes with a hint of the Spanish sun. Try their cocas: hot flatbreads topped with salted cod, goat's cheese, serrano ham or mushrooms and sausage. Enjoy roasted halibut, turbot fish soup, rice with clams and dumplings or rib of beef with bone and fries. And then perhaps a dash of nougat to top it all off?
Bar A Tapas Tapeo
511 Rue Villeray, Montréal, QC H2R 1H5How could we overlook the famous tapas bar in Villeray Street, brought to life from the imagination of chef Marie-Fleur St. Pierre? You won't know where to start when ordering. Will you go with the tapas frias (marinated olives, chicken liver mousse, carpaccio of pork, marinated swordfish, yellowfin tuna and more), or with the tapas calientes (tomatoes on the vine, cod croquettes, beans and pine nuts, chorizo, scallops with bacon, fried mushrooms and egg)? They also provide a catering service.
Restaurant Graziella
116, rue McGill, Montréal, QC H2Y 2E5"When the restaurant is full, all of the smells, the hustle and bustle give me a thrill, taking me back to the [feasts] of my childhood." These are the words of chef and owner Graziella Battista; they give you a good idea of the warm atmosphere that surrounds you when seated at this establishment on McGill Street. We went there at dinnertime to sample the antipasti, gnocchi, risotto, organic duck ravioli, saddle of rabbit and liver mousse, guinea fowl breast and a crostata alla ricotta for dessert.
