Europea

Although there are thousands of restaurants to choose from in Montreal, it’s difficult to find a lunch table that matches the impeccable attention to detail that you will find at Restaurant Europea. Over the holidays I paid a visit (my first ever) to the restaurant with one of the Montreal Food Divas and I was wildly impressed right from the get go.

The name Europea is as well-known on the Montreal restaurant scene as Jérôme Ferrer, the talented chef who opened the restaurant well over a decade ago. While I have frequented the Europea snack shop in Old Montreal and I’ve gushed about the burgers at Jerry Ferrer, I’ve never been inclined to drop into Europea. With a reputation as lofty as that of this internationally frequented restaurant, it was a little intimidating to walk in the door but from the second we walked in we were put at ease.

One of the most spectacular reasons to drop by Europea for lunch is the astounding service. Each employee we come across greeted us warmly and at the table each service was set to the table simultaneously with Olympic precision. When I called to reserve earlier in the week I was asked about allergies and intolerances and everything I mentioned had been noted and transmitted to the wait staff. Service with level of impeccable attention is a welcomed treat in an industry where good service can sometimes feel like an afterthought.

Of course the food at Europea is given the same profound attention as those who will enjoy it. Our 4 course tasting menu started with a couple of inventive amuse-gueules that were delightfully presented. We started with the Europea classic lobster bisque cappuccino before continuing with truffle popcorn, crispy and lightly salted rice chips and dried and seasoned beef that hung from a mini clothes line. Being a waiter and seeing people’s reactions to the presentation for the first time must be a delight. We followed up with a savoury beef tartare mixed with smoked duck ham and our main courses were a perfectly cooked steak with potatoes and juicy strips of crisply fried Cornish hen. The desserts, a wonderful lemon pie cristaline, a puffy pink cotton candy bonsai, dollops of meringue and warm lemon and fennel madeleines capped the meal off wonderfully.

If you have time to spend on treating yourself to a lunch that offers something extra I highly recommend reserving a table at Europea. It was well worth the wait and I am already looking forward to a return visit.

For more visit their website here.