| Anise | |
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6-course dinner: $65 (Canadian) / $110 with wine 9-course dinner: $90 (Canadian) / $140 with wine 104, Laurier Ouest, Montreal, QC / 514 276-6999 |
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Anise did not live up to my expectations. Maybe they were too high,
but my expectations tend to increase with the size of the bill. We
ordered the six course tasting menu with three matching wines. The food had
its ups and downs. Some dishes were very good; others had serious
flaws. None of them made my mouth water. The food seemed to
emphasize presentation over taste. At C$65/person, it was worth trying, but I won't be back. The matched wines weren't worth trying. They were
dull and did nothing for the "matched" dishes. Although
balanced, the wines were not complex and did not exhibit flavors or
textures that enhanced the food. The C$45/person price
tag seemed stiff, to say the least. For a total bill well over
C$100/person, I expected more and was sorely disappointed,
especially after having eaten at Brunoise the night before.
The dishes: Amuse-bouche: Tzatziki (yogurt sauce w/ garlic and cucumber): very rich, creamy and well flavored :))) Appetizer 1: Chilled soup of preserved tomato broth and avocado puree: refreshing and pleasantly sweet :) Appetizer 2: Falafel w/ tahini sauce: dry; my local Middle Eastern restaurant does a better falafel (!) :((( Appetizer 3(a): Scallop seviche w/ seaweed salad and seaweed tempura: nice, yummy, though hardly moan-inducing; simple and familiar components :) Appetizer 3(b): Duck tartar w/ bulgur, marjoram and basil oil: nice, creamy texture, but lacked savoriness :( Main course(a): Red snapper w/ eggplant puree and tomatoes: wonderful; tender and juicy fish, well complemented by slightly smoky eggplant (finally, a great dish!) :))) Main course(b): Lamb chop w/ apricot sauce and bulgur: meat was tender and juicy, but lacked seasoning; sauce too delicate to stand up to meat; bulgur was dry and flavorless :((( Cheese: slab of sheep milk cheese w/ port reduction and over-dry toast: forgettable (though, it's rare I like a cheese course) :( Dessert: pineapple sorbet w/ basil sauce: refreshing (but paled in comparison to panna cotta at Brunoise!) :| Bread basket: unusual, interesting breads, such as cardamom rolls (yummy) :) |