Le Vin Papillon is the latest sibling from the Joe Beef and Liverpool House family and it’s at once familiar yet totally original. Meant to be the feminine addition to the duo of big, masculine sister establishments (see my meal at Joe Beef), this lovely wine bar has a lighter touch on the food and decor while retaining the off-beat quality that made them all famous.
Enjoy the terrace out back while the weather is still nice and take your time savoring the eclectic menu of small plates and fantastic obscure wines.
Easy to share, you’ll want to try a generous and various spread of the dishes and wash it all down with a bottle or two of their unique selection, natural and bio picks all coming from small, local producers and distributors.
You’ll still find the much-loved comfort food aspect on the menu, but this time it has been transposed to small, veggie-focused plates. Think grilled corn with foie gras and eggplants topped with caviar, crème fraîche and eggs and you get a pretty good idea! Some will blow your mind away (smoked carrots éclair), and others will leave you wondering ‘but why?’ (Celeriac with lobster sauce) and it’s all the fun and originality of eating here.
Beets panzanella style
Rye éclair with smoked carrots
Fried squash blossoms with sauce gribiche
Smoked sturgeon with gnocchi fritti
Foie gras corn
Eggplants & caviar
Beef with tomatoes
Celeriac with lobster sauce
Calamari, zucchini and verbena
Razor clams
Blueberry sorbet
Concord grapes tart
While you might have to wait a bit for a seat at this ‘no reservation’ restaurant, you’ll find it way more accessible than scoring a table a Joe Beef. You can even opt to drop by for Happy Hour (it opens at 15h) for a nibble and a glass of wine or have a long and merry dinner with friends savoring all the delectable and creative vegetables your stomach can handle, and surely discovering exceptional wines.
Le Vin Papillon
2519 Rue Notre-Dame O.
Montréal, QC H3J 1N4
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