Al Cantuccio

150 Jean Talon East

Price range: Inexpensive to Moderate
Food: Excellent
Service: Excellent
Décor: Good

An Italian restaurant which benefits from its proximity to the Jean Talon farmers’ market, the interior is decorated with mosaic, oil paintings, large plants, an aquarium and mirrors to give an illusion of space. The effect is clean and bright. Tables are close together and, when crowded, the restaurant is extremely noisy. Besides the standard hors d’oeuvres, the menu includes Moules et Palourdes à la marinara. The garlic is not too strong and the wine sauce is excellent. The mixed antipasta is not exceptional but is attractively presented. Soup is homemade, very substantial, hot and very good. There are some delicious items on the menu; the Scallopine de Veau au Citron — tender pieces of veal done with lemon is a choice dish. The Copa Bianca (custard with wine) is on display in the glass case at the bar and probably is a favorite. It is scrumptious. Italian wine, available in three sizes of carafons is excellent. To end the meal, small glass cups of espresso coffee are a change from the usual beverage. On Fridays, a complete fish menu is offered, including an Italian Bouillabaise. Service is cheerful and helpful even when the restaurant is very crowded.

À la carte main dishes at lunch and dinner from $4.95 to $8.75; daily specials $2.50 to $3.25. Open six days a week 11:30 a.m. to midnight Tues. thru Sun. Closed Mondays and Christmas Day. Reservations necessary. Group lunches and dinners at regular menu prices. Fully licensed. Honors CX, AE, MC.

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Notes for 2008 Readers

This restaurant, reviewed in 1976, no longer exists. Another Italian restaurant, Il Bongusto, now operates from the same address.

Share your memories of this restaurant in the comments. If you have period (1974-1979) or current (2006-2008) photographs of this location that you’d like to share, drop us a line at gyron.malloway@gmail.com.

À La Crêpe Bretonne

Four locations:

5182 Côte des Neiges
2080 Mountain Street
808 St. Catherine Street West
360 St. François Xavier Street

Price range: Inexpensive to moderate
Food: Good to excellent
Service: Fair to good
Décor: Excellent

The cornerstone of Louis Tavan’s restaurant empire has expanded to four locations in and around Montreal. All have beautiful décor, a Tavan trademark, with rough walls, exposed beams and oak furniture. The menu lists different crêpes from plain ($1.35) to crabmeat filled ($4.95). There are two different crêpe batters, lightly salted buckwheat for main course dishes, and slightly sweet wheat for dessert-type crêpes. Fillings-to-crêpes ratio has improved of late; the crêpes are now more generously filled. The Salade de Louis ($1.85) is also very good. Service tends to be erratic, depending on location, time of day and luck. On Mountain Street, the upstairs room, known as Le Colbert, is exquisitely designed to resemble the interior of an old ship with beautiful curving woodwork.

À la carte crêpes from $1.35 to $4.95; crêpe du jour, $1.95 to $2.95, includes coffee. Open every day of the year; 11 a.m. to midnight Sun. thru Wed., 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sat. on Côte des Neiges St.; 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Mon. thru Fri., 10 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Sat., 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sun. on Mountain St.; 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. Mon. thru Thurs., 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Fri., 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Sat., 4 p.m. to midnight Sun. on St. Catherine St.; 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mon. thru Thurs., 11:30 am to midnight Fri., noon to midnight Sat. and Sun. on St. François Xavier St. Reservations advisable. Group arrangements are possible. Fully licensed. Honors AC, AE, CB, CX, DC, MC.

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Notes for 2008 readers:

This restaurant, reviewed in 1976, no longer exists. There does not appear to be any business at the former Côte des Neiges location; the Mountain Street location is now a club called Bluroom; the approximate location of the Sainte Catherine Street location is where the Aveda store is today; and we cannot find any business or restaurant at 360 St. Francois Xavier.

There had been a single remaining À la Crêpe Bretonne restaurant, at 5058 avenue du Parc, just below Laurier, but this location is now occupied by Le Margaux, a mid-priced French restaurant very popular with neighborhood diners.

Share your memories of this restaurant in the comments. If you have period (1974-1979) or current (2006-2008) photographs of this location that you’d like to share, drop us a line at gyron.malloway@gmail.com.