236 Rue Saint Zotique EastMontreal, Quebec H2S 1L2
(514) 273-5776
Il mulino was not my first choice restaurant when trying to find a nice place to go during the 2010 Montreal Grand prix. Every restaurant in the downtown area was packed, so I had to look elsewhere. Being in Little Italy, of course known for its great Italian Cuisine, I decided to try the famous Il Mulino. I had read so many great reviews that it was time to go the Italian route. First off let me say before starting this review that I am nowhere near a connoisseur in this food genre and I will do the best of my abilities to critique it.
This small cozy establishment, with a seating capacity of 60, is on the corner of St-zotique and Rue Alma, a beautiful area. We decided to try a variety of their "antipasti","primi" and one "secondi" each. A wonderfully presented plate with small quails and polenta, grilled vegetables and octopus and an array of different sauces to excite the palate. This assortment of "antipasti" was a hit. A Chianti bottle of wine that the waiter brought us went well with all our courses.
For our "primi", a deliciously light gnocchi in an even lighter tomato sauc
e with a little bit of grated cheese sprinkled on top. These were on the top of my list as far as best gnocchi goes, very light and fluffy in texture but I would have particularly liked them with a little bit more filling. On the same plate was a delicious ravioli called "Ravioli Dello Chef", which had a mixture of olive oil and basil.
For the "s
econdi", "Arrosto di Vitello con Cipolline" which was a nice and tender veal chop in a great wine sauce, with cipollini onions. This dish was a great start to the main courses. Next, was a lobster pasta dish cooked "al dente", that lacked somewhat of flavor. The cod was light and cooked very well along with a tasty rose sauce. Another pleasing dish to the senses.
In the end, this place turned out to be somewhat of a disappointment. It is still a good restaurant, even a very good restaurant but not the same as I have read over and over in reviews. The dishes all had something to offer, the restaurant was charming and the waiters did a good job of explaining everything. I would recommend this place only as nice date night for couples who really love italian food, either then that I'm sure I can find better Italian food at a more reasonable price.
Food:8.5/10
Atmosphere:8.5/10
Service:9/10
Location:8.5/10
Price:7.5/10
Overall:8.5/10
This small cozy establishment, with a seating capacity of 60, is on the corner of St-zotique and Rue Alma, a beautiful area. We decided to try a variety of their "antipasti","primi" and one "secondi" each. A wonderfully presented plate with small quails and polenta, grilled vegetables and octopus and an array of different sauces to excite the palate. This assortment of "antipasti" was a hit. A Chianti bottle of wine that the waiter brought us went well with all our courses.
For our "primi", a deliciously light gnocchi in an even lighter tomato sauc
e with a little bit of grated cheese sprinkled on top. These were on the top of my list as far as best gnocchi goes, very light and fluffy in texture but I would have particularly liked them with a little bit more filling. On the same plate was a delicious ravioli called "Ravioli Dello Chef", which had a mixture of olive oil and basil.For the "s
econdi", "Arrosto di Vitello con Cipolline" which was a nice and tender veal chop in a great wine sauce, with cipollini onions. This dish was a great start to the main courses. Next, was a lobster pasta dish cooked "al dente", that lacked somewhat of flavor. The cod was light and cooked very well along with a tasty rose sauce. Another pleasing dish to the senses.In the end, this place turned out to be somewhat of a disappointment. It is still a good restaurant, even a very good restaurant but not the same as I have read over and over in reviews. The dishes all had something to offer, the restaurant was charming and the waiters did a good job of explaining everything. I would recommend this place only as nice date night for couples who really love italian food, either then that I'm sure I can find better Italian food at a more reasonable price.
Food:8.5/10
Atmosphere:8.5/10
Service:9/10
Location:8.5/10
Price:7.5/10
Overall:8.5/10
Good review.
ReplyDeleteIt is as I remember the dishes tasted there.
In the end it is a nice experience, a nice place/ nice atmosphere with good food.
ReplyDeleteThat's it, nothing more.
Too bad...considering their venerable reputation and prices to match, one would expect this place to score top marks in all departments. That said, I'm now curious to give it another try, just to see if this was an off night. A fun comparison would be Primo e Secondo. Good review! p.s. I could tell it wasn't rocking your world when you passed on dessert!
ReplyDeleteHaha you know me too well since when do i pass on dessert, or food period!
ReplyDeleteI would love to try Primo, maybe for the near future.. I think I might be trying a new place this weekend called confusion...