Kitchen Galerie

60 Rue Jean Talon Est
Montréal, QC
(514) 315-8994

There is a never ending amount of ideas in this world. Innovation is one of the greatest qualities any person can possess. Some ideas fail and some barely stay alive, but others flourish and can go on to be something great. Kitchen Galerie is a different concept than most other restaurants as the two chefs-owners, Matthieu Cloutier and Jean-Philippe Saint-Denis, are both your waiters, hosts and cooks. Located only a few minutes from the Jean-Talon market, daily menus are established based on seasons (meaning only the freshest ingredients are used). There is a maximum seating of 30, so reservations are definitely recommended. This small, cozy, open concept kitchen is nothing impressive...so it must mean that it's all about the food.

On the hottest EVER day in Montreal, we decided to make our way to a restaurant which has no AC, or very little of it. Sitting right by the open kitchen did nothing to help the already 45 Degree weather. This could possibly have been the most uncomfortable dinner I had every had, leaving the table a few times to get some air and wiping the sweat off my brow countless times.

The daily changing menu prices start at 29$ for an appetizer, main course and dessert, which is very affordable. Obviously, our bill wasn't even going to be close to that price. We started off with the "foie gras roti entier pour 4, pommes caramelisees, glace de viande" which was an extra 80$.  They present the uncooked foie gras, the biggest piece I've every seen, before cooking it. It was an absolute pleasure eating that giant piece of fat. I probably have all my arteries clogged and gained 10 pounds, but it was so worth it. After devouring this savory dish, we requested more bread to wipe the delictable oil mixed with the fatty juices. Our plate was returned to the kitchen spotless.

Next, I shared the "Cote de boeuf rotie, jus a l'estragon et legumes racines (pour 2)" (80). Deliciously tender pieces of meat bathing in estragon juice with mashed potatoes. Dish for 2... I think it was more like a dish for 4 because it took up two whole tables! I also tasted the "Care de porc poele, sauce au foie gras, rattes, paris, petit pois, harictos" (34), and I was a little dissapointed that the pork was overcooked. The sauce was nice and the potatoes were tasty, but unfortunately the meat was too tough to enjoy.

For dessert, the creme brulee was the star, with a thick crunchy caramel crust and a custard filled inside...pure perfection. The second best was the "blanc comme cerise" and then the "Joe Couture", a twist on a Joe Louis.

A brutal seating, at temperatures way above the norm, I'm sure I could have enjoyed the food even more if I didn't think I would pass out. The waitress was not that great either, but I assume she was dying of heat also, so no points docked off there. I truly did enjoy my meal here and would recommend it purely for the foie gras pour 4, a dish that is quite rare to find in that proportion and that is quite exquisite. I might retry this place once the temperature has returned to normal to really find out how truly great it is and explore their potential much more.


Food:8/10
Atmosphere:7.5/10
Service:7/10
Location:8/10
Price:9/10
Overall:8/10

Editor's Note: Also to try is their sister restaurant, Bistro Chez Roger located at 2316 Beaubien Est.