Eat and Drink

Carleton-sur-Mer has long cultivated a culture of good food and comfortable lodging. People come from far and wide to enjoy this beautiful setting in the Gaspésie’s Baie-des-Chaleurs, but most of all for the dining scene, which has become especially appealing.

Among the offerings is Le Marin d’eau douce on rue du Quai, owned by the Benhamidou family, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2024. To mark the occasion, the restaurant offered a series of dinner-shows for guests all summer long.

Since 1999, they’ve served menus inspired by Gaspésie terroir, French and Moroccan cuisine. Chef-owner Mohamed Benhamidou, long separated from his father Mustapha, but finally reunited with him in Carleton-sur-Mer, took over in 2023 and shares his love for Gaspésie and Québec terroir cuisine, but always with a pinch of Moroccan inspiration.

In the 1990s, after working in major Québec establishments, Chef Mustapha Ben Hamidou decided to settle his small family in Carleton, in the baie des Chaleurs. In 1999, Mustapha, a Moroccan immigrant, bought café l’Indépendant and transformed it into Le Marin d’eau douce, now a must-visit in Gaspésian gastronomy. Today, his son Mohamed, his wife Iman, his daughters Fatima, Assia and Aicha, and a fine, passionate team are there to offer the best of terroir cuisine.

Le Marin d’eau douce occupies a house built in 1820 by Narciss Leblanc, known as "Buck Wheat". He was a blacksmith with a shop facing the sea. A few other owners followed. In 1980, Pierre Landry bought the property and turned it into a café restaurant, "Le Café l’Indépendant". Ten years later, in 1990, three local friends bought it and kept it as a café restaurant.

Then, in 1999, Mustapha Benhamidou acquired the building just steps from a beach on the Baie des Chaleurs, offering a stunning view that aptly complements chef Mohamed's refined, sunny cuisine. Mohamed has been in the kitchen since 2023, after several years as maître d'hôtel and general manager. Today, they still strive to make it a must-visit for lovers of fish and seafood, as well as meat and game. It's a warm, friendly place. Not to mention a wine list worthy of the finest cellars.

Among the specialties on the menu, Mohamed serves the delicious products of his adopted homeland, all with a touch of his Moroccan roots: grilled octopus with fennel and lime; scallops from the Îles with saffron lentils; lamb shank with Eastern spices.

 

Le Marin d’eau douce received a certificate of excellence in 2005 from the Guide Debeur, an annual gourmet magazine. The restaurant is among the 500 best restaurants in Québec, selected from approximately 15,000 establishments. This distinction was awarded in recognition of the quality of its products and service.

Mustapha Benhamidou was no newcomer to the culinary world when he bought his own restaurant. He had already spent 29 years in professional kitchens across Morocco, Europe, Québec, and Canada. His son Mohammed has since taken over with honour and confidence, knowing that the institution still has its place in the Gaspésie scene.

The chef-owner notes that the restaurant is open year-round, even during the end-of-year holidays. The team takes a well-deserved break in January. He also mentions that it's always best to reserve to ensure a warm welcome.

Le Marin d’eau douce
marindeaudouce.com
215, rue du Quai
Carleton-sur-Mer, QC G0C 1J0
418-364-7602

By Gaëtan Vaudry

Connoisseurs of fine dining in Matane are familiar with Pub La Fabrique and its namesake Artisanal Brewery, located on Saint-Jérôme Avenue. Matane's first artisanal brewery sprung up in the summer of 2010. Owned by the cooperative Le Cabestan, it has been gaining popularity ever since.

At Pub La Fabrique, you can enjoy an excellent pub-style meal featuring fish & chips, burgers, sandwiches, salads, and appetizers, along with sipping on a finely brewed beer made on-site, or one of the 35 whiskies that have built the establishment's reputation. During my meeting with Jean-Pierre Boutin (pictured), a member of the cooperative's board, the La Fabrique team had just unveiled their much-anticipated Holiday menu (discoverable here), to the delight of the place's many patrons. This menu is available every evening from 4 PM until mid-January.

Pub La Fabrique is simply stunning. With a cozy decor spread over two floors, it regularly hosts shows by emerging artists, drawing crowds to Saint-Jérôme Street, and often creating a buzzing atmosphere in the pub.

Supporting Matane's Businesses

La Fabrique - Artisanal Brewery brews around 25 beers, ranging from their classics to seasonal varieties, including oak barrel-aged beers. As Jean-Pierre Boutin explains, the brewery strives to use local products as much as possible, aiming to support businesses in Matane and the surrounding region.

If you're passing through Matane, a stop at the pub and the adjacent La Fabrique Brewery is a must. At the latter, you can sample the establishment's offerings and visit the official shop, which boasts an array of products.

Pub La Fabrique La Fabrique - Artisanal Brewery
360, Saint-Jérôme Avenue 366, Saint-Jérôme Avenue
Matane (Quebec) Matane (Quebec)
418 566-4020 418 566-4020
publafabrique.com publafabrique.com

The Acadian Coast has more to offer than just beaches and cultural attractions. Its culinary pleasures are quite appealing too. The region of La Sagouine and that of Shédiac, the lobster capital of the world, are examples.

In Bouctouche, the land of La Sagouine, you can expect to find distinctive spots. The Restaurant la Sagouine, next door to the gîte of the same name, right in the heart of the city, is a perfect example. For those looking for a novel gastronomic experience, you can enjoy Acadian dishes or famed seafood here. Tour buses regularly drop off passengers for an afternoon meal. The breakfasts are especially renowned.

The famous Marché des fermiers of Bouctouche welcomes local food lovers every Saturday from May to December.

In the heart of the city centre, on rue Main, the restaurant La Coast was founded in 2012. Its new owner since 2024 continues the tradition of this family restaurant, which quickly became a favourite with both locals and tourists. Seafood in various forms is king here, but they also serve a variety of dishes such as steaks, burgers, chicken, pasta and salads. Up to 16 beers and other beverages are on tap, plus a bottle selection, one of the largest in the region. Breakfasts are renowned and popular.

Inspired by characters from Alice in Wonderland, the playful bistro le Moque-Tortue, in a large house on rue Main, lets you play, escape, and eat, all in one place. With the largest board game collection in the Atlantic region as well as well-designed escape games, it offers a varied menu of good, well-prepared dishes. Seafood takes centre stage. The Sunday brunch alone is worth the trip. There’s music on the terrace every day throughout the summer.

Not far from Moque-Tortue, owners Sébastien and Heater offer Adorable Chocolat. The place offers a range of chocolates made on the premises from simple, natural ingredients, and is also a café serving soups, sandwiches, and desserts. In the mornings, you’ll find fresh brioches and viennoiseries. They now also serve alcoholic cocktails alongside a wide selection of coffees, daily until 6 p.m.

As if that weren’t enough, these same entrepreneurs have acquired the ciné-parc Neptune, back in operation since May 2024, where they will also run the canteen under the name Morse et Marteaux, to continue the "Pays des Merveilles" concept. They also secured the operating contract for the Plage Parlee canteen in Pointe-du-Chêne. Sébastien Després dreamed of a Texan-style meat smoker. He built one and installed it at the drive-in’s canteen. It will be used to smoke chicken and beef over a wood fire, to be served at both canteens and his two restaurants in Shediac.

Note: every July since 1949, Shédiac has welcomed its renowned Festival du homard celebrated across the city with a host of culinary activities. Don't miss the Grande Table on the main street right in the heart of downtown.

Believe it or not, 2024 marked 10 years since the arrival of Microbrasserie Le Malbord in the Gaspésie landscape. Housed in a completely renovated former grocery store by the sea in the heart of Sainte-Anne-des-Monts’ historic district, Le Malbord has become a welcoming gathering spot, bringing this heritage building back to life with a chic, rustic decor featuring creations made from recycled objects.

For language lovers, "malbord" is a folk expression for Haute-Gaspésie, the other Gaspésie that refuses to be forgotten. The Gaspésie is often associated with Baie-des-Chaleurs. Malbord refers to the other side of the Gaspésie. "For us, it's a way of saying it's worth stopping in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts. There are fine products and a fine community of all ages, super involved," says co-owner Félix Labrecque.

 

Sainte-Anne-des-Monts is the largest municipality in Haute-Gaspésie, yet it is also the Québec town that has seen the steepest population decline in recent years. It therefore deserved a little entrepreneurial energy.

In 2012, three people from very different backgrounds, yet all concerned about their future and aware of the buzz then surrounding microbreweries, decided to take the plunge and seize the opportunity before them. After two years of small-scale brewing experiments in the basement of one of their homes, they moved forward with their project by acquiring and renovating the building on 1ére avenue.



They even considered growing hops… but after careful thought and recognizing the lack of potential, the project never materialized.

In the meantime, they had their first self-designed beers brewed at Pit Caribou (Percé) and le Naufrageur (Carleton-sur-Mer), and finally welcomed their first customers in November 2014. A year after opening, Le Malbord celebrated the start of in-house brewing with modern equipment and recipes carefully crafted by the owners.

 

From 2018, Thierry Lafargue, a forestry worker, and Félix Labrecque, an architecture enthusiast, carried on the Malbord adventure on their own.

Le Malbord now offers refined craft beers with recipes inspired by the richness of the terroir. The owners describe their products as "beers to share and discover, beers that assert themselves over time. Good sea or bad, they cling to your palate like crags of rock to the sea. They’ll take you on a journey, letting you discover their flavours as well as the beauties of our corner of the country, with its mountains and endless sky."


The bistro bar serves 11 house-brewed draft beers at all times. Several products, including the white, blonde, red and black beers in 473 ml cans, are sold in grocery stores and shops across Québec. For hearty appetites, the pub-style snack menu offers tasty dishes. There’s also a dedicated shop selling Malbord clothing and accessories, plus beer to go.

 

Once a venue for cultural events and discovery, the emphasis is first and foremost on fun! As a small team, they occasionally host a comedian, a fun quiz or karaoke nights.



Le Malbord is open year-round from Thursday to Sunday. In summer, you can enjoy the front terrace and watch the beautiful sunsets over the Saint-Laurent.

Microbrasserie Le Malbord
lemalbord.com
178, 1ère avenue Ouest
Ste-Anne-des-Monts, Qc G4V 1C9
418 764.0022

Autumn morning light bathes the place. The old building sits proudly under the trees of rue de l’Évêché, just steps from the lively rue Saint-Germain with its many shops.

The restaurant, popular for 30 years, can accommodate up to 120 people across two floors and on the terrace in fine weather. Beyond the splendid ancestral staircase crowned by an impressive chandelier that’s visible right from the entrance, more than a thousand birdhouses, including some of the most original, adorn the building’s various corners, the work of the restaurant’s founder, Alain Bellavance. The new owners have taken over and continue to grow the imposing collection.

  

In fine weather, an outdoor terrace in front of the elegant Victorian house is a genuine, sunlit haven of peace in the heart of downtown Rimouski. It lets guests enjoy the gentle sun while beautiful mature trees provide shade.

Built in 1920 by retired priest Georges Gagnon, the building is distinguished by a distinctive Gothic-inspired front portal that dominates the facade, and by splendid galleries that wrap around three sides of this ancestral home. Its turned-wood posts, supported by volute consoles at the top of the balustrade, are original. As a result, past and present owners have ensured this treasure, now over a century old, is preserved.

It was Julie Lacroix and Alain Bellavance who created this brand-new restaurant concept in June 1995. A few years later, another business group took over, and the great adventure continues, much to the joy of a growing clientele.
Finally, in June 1995, Central Café underwent a major management transformation: the previous owner wanted to retire with no successor in place, so a group of employees and a few other individuals interested in keeping the business going decided to move forward and turn it into a solidarity cooperative. The group received help and advice from an expert to work on this worker cooperative project.

There are 16 people, several of them long-time employees, who have been members of the cooperative for nearly 10 years. general manager Nancy Dubé, one of the project's initiators, explains that the model's success lies in the strong sense of belonging created by this management and operating structure: rather than working for a boss, members work for their own organization and take part in decisions. There is also talk of significant tax benefits.

 Nancy Dubé, general manager

Central Café is a member of the Association des restaurateurs du Québec and Saveurs du Bas-Saint-Laurent, an organization tasked with promoting Bas-Saint-Laurent products. The restaurant prominently features the region's agri-food products in its dishes and prides itself on supporting local artisans, who are a source of pride for the region.

Today, over 27 people run Central Café, which is open year-round, 7 days a week.
Guests particularly appreciate the quality of the menu, which offers a good variety of burgers, pasta, pizzas, smoked meat and cutlets. For sides, you can choose from a bowl of house fries, French onions, Atlantic smoked salmon or house parmesan fondue, some of the kitchen's delights.

 

The kitchen strives to create unique recipes, concocted by the cooks and prepared on site from local ingredients and products. They're also proud of the delicious original desserts made here.

Central Café is well worth a visit for those who appreciate delicious food, a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere, and a stay in a setting rich in history and quality cuisine. Home delivery is available at all times.

Central Café
centralcaferimouski.com
31, rue de l’Évêché Ouest
Rimouski (Qc) G5L 4H4
418 722-4011

By Gaëtan Vaudry

Since 2017, Microbrewery La Mouche has been turning heads with its beers, almost exclusively crafted from Quebecois ingredients, without any additives.

Right off the bat, Kelly Mansbridge, the head of sales and marketing at the young Natashquan microbrewery, shared her insights on a slight slump the Quebec microbrewing industry had been experiencing for several months, as reported by some media in November: "It's certainly not easy," she candidly noted. "With many microbreweries in Quebec and a vast range of products available to enthusiasts, the market is becoming increasingly competitive."

Natashquan's Own Wild Yeast

Gabriel Turner, the artist and craftsman behind the success of La Mouche's beers, originally from Montreal and adopted by Natashquan, founded the microbrewery in 2017. He brewed his very first beer at the Microbrewery St-Pancrace in Baie-Comeau, before moving to Natashquan three years later. "Gabriel loves Natashquan for its wild nature, its unfenced lands, and the social life of a welcoming community," Kelly proudly mentioned. "Passionate about this beautiful region of the North Shore, Gabriel aimed to create jobs in the area. He wanted to produce a beer for the local people." After extensive research and development, Gabriel achieved his goal, brewing beers with Quebec hops and grains, and even cultivating his own wild yeast in Natashquan!

I had the opportunity to taste only one product from Microbrewery La Mouche: Mlle Manon, a gently wheat beer with little bitterness, inspired by German hefeweizens. This beer's effervescence is lively, almost sharp. In its large bottle, one finds a hazy, foamy, and sparkling beer with a fresh and pleasant grainy flavor. Mlle Manon is remarkably refreshing, which is exactly what I look for in a beer!

Mikushkuau: The Microbrewery's New Beer

Microbrewery La Mouche offers more than 16 varieties of beer, from Bomber Jaune to Mickey Finn, including Cosse Boom, Pelletier, Pirate, Muddler, Pompier, Green Butt, and Colibri, to name just a few. Did you know that each beer name refers to a fly used in fly fishing? For instance, the microbrewery recently announced its new beer, Mikushkuau ("The sky is red" in Innu language), inspired by a fishing fly specially created for the company by Audrey Ringuette, founder of the North Shore enterprise Shakutaimu. Ms. Ringuette offers introductory fly fishing courses for everyone.

La Mouche's beers are available at over 150 locations in Quebec, especially in establishments specializing in microbrewery beers (see the list here).

Microbrewery La Mouche
33, Chemin de l'Aéroport
Natashquan (Québec)
418 962-6003
microbrasserielamouche.com

In 2025, experts and inspectors from the Guide Michelin, one of the world’s most illustrious references for restaurant classification in France, delivered their verdict for the very first Guide MICHELIN Québec selection. Nine restaurants crowned with MICHELIN Stars were revealed in Montréal, Québec and Rimouski.

The inspectors also travelled elsewhere in Québec to experience remarkable tables. As a result, Chez Mathilde Bistro in Tadoussac is featured in the prestigious Guide MICHELIN selection.

As they celebrate the 18th anniversary of their establishment, owners Mireille Perron and Jean-Sébastien Sicard consider this recognition an exceptional gift, to say the least!

Here is what the guide writes about it: "At the confluence of the Saguenay Fjord and the Saint-Laurent River, the site of Tadoussac offers exceptional marine biodiversity. Here, in this wind-swept, isolated village, Mireille (from the region) and Jean-Sébastien chose to settle. Over the years, they’ve built a reputation for their restaurant, which is very busy during its five months of summer opening. One menu is dedicated to land-based products (garden vegetables, forest plants, game), the other to the Saint-Laurent (snow crab, bluefin tuna, lobster, halibut). The seasonings are simple and well-balanced, leaving full room for the flavour of the ingredients."

To see the description of two-star and one-star restaurants in the Guide, it’s HERE.

No establishment, of any kind, can last 85 years without letting its customers catch the scent of its history and tradition.
Especially when your name is La Binerie Mont-Royal.

This essential and symbolic place for traditional Québécois cuisine moved in 2019 to larger premises just a few steps from the original location, better able to welcome its ever-growing clientele. Even so, you can feel how much its owners since 2005, Jocelyne Gingras and Philippe Brunet, value this aspect of their legendary establishment.
What's more, when they took over, they were both nearing what is usually taken to be retirement age. Now, retirement is far from their thoughts, even though they've long since passed that age. "We just kept going," jokes Jocelyne, who worked much of her life as an accountant, her first profession. She worked in hospitality and restaurants for a while, both here and elsewhere.
That's because Philippe, for his part, has restaurants and hospitality in his blood. He spent years in senior roles in the restaurant and hotel industry, with the Hilton chain (including the one in Québec), then at Disney in Orlanda, Florida, before returning to Québec and taking on the acquisition of La Binerie.
Founded in 1938 by Léonide Lussier and located on the famous avenue of the same name for 81 years, La Binerie Mont-Royal serves traditional Québécois cuisine in its purest form. Roast pork, stew, bacon, cretons, poutine, pâté chinois... and no less than 32 tonnes of fèves au lard are prepared here each year.

What’s changed since the move? Apart from the decor, though a good deal of it was salvaged, they can now serve 95 people at a time instead of the 23 before. As for the menu, items had already been added over the years since 2005. The winning recipe behind the place’s success was kept, however. "Most of our customers followed us, and the fèves au lard are definitely still the star," says Jocelyne, who still spends many hours at the stove preparing meals and at her pastry oven making her meat pies and other treats you can buy to go.

Notably, there’s no deep-frying in the kitchens. Everything is oven-baked. In the basement, they’ve even rebuilt the legendary fèves au lard oven from rue Mont-Royal. Philippe prepares the recipe and bakes them every day.
Ask them which part of the year is busiest and the answer is surprising: December, in the lead-up to Christmas. Their traditional Québec Réveillon dishes have become increasingly popular: soupe aux pois, ragoût de boulettes, tourtière, mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables, fèves au lard, and more. All are prepared in individual portions and can be ordered in whatever quantity you need. Other offerings include pâté chinois, meatloaf, ragoût de pattes et boulettes, roast pork, maple ham, beef with vegetables, and more. Several varieties of pies (apple, raisin, sugar) and meat pies (salmon, chicken, meat, tourtière) are also available to round out these meals.
To move with the times, they’ve added four poutine varieties to the menu, all with oven-baked fries.
Finally, don't look for the huge vertical sign that once adorned the rue Mont-Royal facade in front of the building. It couldn't be installed on rue Saint-Denis, so they hung it in the stairwell to the mezzanine, where it's a hit. Like everything else, for that matter. The counters with banquette seating, dotted with small Tiffany-style lamps, are charming and encourage conversation, which has always mattered to Jocelyne and Philippe.

It's a safe bet people will still be talking about it in 80 years.
The kitchen closes at 2pm early in the week, but stays open until 9pm on weekends.

La Binerie Mont-Royal
labineriemontroyal.com/
4167, rue Saint-Denis,
Montréal, Québec H2W 2M7
(514) 285-9078

By Pierre Perreault

From the outside, it's easy to miss, blending into the facade of the building that also houses the Cabaret Lion d’Or at the northeast end of the Village. But step through the door of Au Petit extra and you're in a space decidedly from another era: an imposing bar at the far end facing the entrance, coffered ceilings hung with beautiful chandeliers and light fixtures, and tables dressed in white. The walls are lined with grand, stylish mirrors in various styles, and finally there's the giant chalkboard, where the menu is handwritten in fine script that adds to the venue's charm. 

The large windows overlooking rue Ontario feature wide-slat wooden blinds that soften the light as needed and keep some privacy for customers who choose to sit at the raised platform running along the storefront. Needless to say, this offers an interesting view of the rest of the dining room and the diners inside. At the back, on a large blackboard, an Oscar Wilde quote sets the tone: "I can resist everything except temptation"

And the temptation is a menu. Au Petit Extra serves classic French bistro cuisine. Opened 38 years ago, it has expanded a few times over the years, growing from 40 to over 100 seats in recent years.

André Baillargeon took over in 2016 after working there for about fifteen years as a maître d’hôtel and sommelier, among other roles, and it remains very popular. At lunchtime, the crowd often includes staff and business leaders from the area, including hôpital Notre-Dame and the many offices and shops. In the evening, pre-theatre diners from nearby theatres, local residents, and people drawn by the atmosphere and flavourful food make up most of the all-ages clientele. Also worth mentioning is the wine list, with its many affordable private-import options, about thirty of which are available by the glass.

The menu remains unchanged at lunch and dinner for now: classic, with a few seasonal changes to the dishes on the menu. Au Petit extra specializes in duck in all its forms: foie gras, confit, and magret. The fish soup and warm goat cheese salad are also very popular at lunchtime. Fish and seafood are always available, and they offer a very good vegan and gluten-free option. With the imminent arrival of a new resident chef, an evolving menu will be introduced that remains just as inviting.

With the pandemic, limited kitchen staff, and frequent closures, they chose to offer a menu with a good variety of appetizers and main courses, while occasionally adding or changing a few dishes, which loyal customers have appreciated, says André Baillargeon. "This pandemic has changed how we do things in many ways, and it will certainly continue to have an impact for a long time. We don’t just want to do well, we always want to do better. That’s exactly the little extra," he adds.

Another curiosity of the place: a rooftop garden. For several years now, Petit Extra has been growing herbs and aromatic plants, vegetables, and flowers on the building's roof, and can offer fresh seasonal produce alongside what they source from the market.
All in all, with its warm decor, inviting atmosphere, remarkable table, well-stocked wine cellar, and attentive staff, Au Petit Extra is as good as any other establishment of this category in Montréal, and we say so without pretension.

Lunch is served Tuesday to Friday, dinner Tuesday to Saturday. The restaurant closes for three weeks in summer and the week after New Year's. The kitchen also provides catering for the two reception rooms of the Lion d'or.


Restaurant Au Petit Extra 

aupetitextra.com
1690, rue Ontario est,
Montréal, Qc H2L 1S7
(514) 527-5552

Le Richmond, the Italian restaurant and market complex in Griffintown, is a far cry from what childhood friends Luc Laroche and Paul Soucie originally envisioned and created. After co-owning Misto on rue Mont-Royal est until 2015, they set out together to combine their respective talents and bring Le Richmond into the world, a first-rate place.

These two enthusiasts of travel and gastronomic getaways chose for this purpose a 3,200 sq ft industrial space dating from the late 1800s on rue Richmond, south of rue Notre-Dame, to set up a restaurant that would bring out the architectural richness of the place, all guided by the creative imagination of renowned designer Luc Laroche.

 
You have to see the result: after expensive and complex investments, in 2013 they opened a 230-seat dining room, with about 30 of those on the mezzanine overlooking the main dining area, and 90 seats in the inner courtyard under a retractable roof. The whole thing is a true masterpiece of good taste and daring. And we haven't even gotten to the menu yet!

 
Black-painted steel, brick, and hemlock wood elements, both structural and decorative, evoke the Montréal of 1886, when this building was built. They are, however, used with a modern approach and help create a friendly, warm decor. When the retractable roof opens onto the restaurant's terrace, the interior greenery echoes the large trees growing outside, and you can enjoy nature and the present moment.

 
In 2016, the jury of the 8th Grand prix du design in Québec was so impressed that it awarded the concept its vote. They noted the quality of this stand-out concept, which delves into history to create an inviting interior.

Success came quickly, so much so that by 2015 the management, now made up of co-owners Ertan Eren (general manager) and Luc Laroche (president), partners in life as in business (photo above), had begun extending the food offering with a new concept occupying the space next to the restaurant on rue Richmond. That's how Marché italien Richmond came about, acting as a kind of "pantry" for the Richmond, as its general manager explains.

 
Here you'll find a bistro-market-caterer in an open-concept space where you can enjoy a glass of wine and a plate of antipasti at the bar, savour a full meal on the bistro side, and find exclusive gourmet products as well as a selection of takeout dishes.

 
The items available at Marché italien Richmond are prepared by executive chef Liam Fanning and his team: gourmet recipe boxes for preparing your favourite dishes at home, gourmet boxes specially prepared for the virtual 5 à 7, or favourite desserts to satisfy a sweet tooth.

 
The general manager explains that the Richmond anticipates continuing its partnership with the events industry, including the Grand Prix F1 de Montréal and other major annual events. The catering business has continued to grow since the pandemic and remains popular. The Richmond has a room on the restaurant's 2nd floor for receiving groups or holding special events.

A menu that transports and surprises

We sampled a few dishes from the Richmond's menu that truly convinced us of the inspiration running through its kitchens. For starters, the Burrata (roasted eggplant purée, confit tomatoes, prosciutto chips, herb oil) and the Seared Scallops (beurre blanc, salmon roe, sea asparagus, herb oil) two dishes, flavourful and surprising for the taste buds. 

For the main course, the Icelandic cod (fregola, lobster bisque, salsa verde) and the pasta flambéed with truffles, served on a cheese wheel: spectacular! For dessert, a blueberry and lime entremet (almond and citrus shortbread, lime syrup, blueberries) and a chocolate and apricot mousse (apricot coulis, caramelized pecans) completed this Italian-flavoured feast.

A resourceful team
A graduate of Collège Lasalle in 2012 at age 20, Liam Fanning began his culinary career at a very young age. What started as a culinary interest grew into a passion over the years. After his first two years working in various restaurants and high-volume catering services in the Montréal region, he continued to gain culinary experience in Ouest-de-l'Île de Montréal, on Île-du-Prince-Édouard, and across Europe.

Since the opening of restaurant le Richmond in 2013, he has been a pioneer in its kitchen. He worked his way up from chef de partie to executive sous-chef. In 2017, he went to Italy to refine his skills with renowned chefs specializing in fresh, seasonal ingredients. Back in Montréal, Liam became executive chef of Groupe Le Richmond in 2020. Since then, he has designed the menus and overseen the teams at restaurant Le Richmond, Marché Italien Le Richmond, and the dining room, a total of about 30 people.
The owner-partners, for their part, offer complementary talents and experiences that serve the company's interests well.

 
Born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey, Ertan Eren continued his studies in Québec with a second bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering specializing in systems and mechatronics at Université Concordia. After graduating in 2013, he joined Le Richmond and took charge of project management for the group's first restaurants in Griffintown. His knowledge of budgeting, forecasting and finance, combined with his passion for hospitality and gastronomy, led to his promotion to general manager and to his becoming one of the owners of Groupe Le Richmond.

For his part, a true fashion enthusiast and entrepreneur at heart, Luc Laroche began his career in the early 1990s by creating Lùk by Luc Laroche, an ultra-chic men's underwear line. He led its design and marketing in Canada and the United States for over 14 years before setting off to conquer major ready-to-wear houses such as Château Lingerie, the Spanish brand Mango, and then Tommy Hilfiger in New York, where he served as vice-president of retail operations for North America. Returning to Montréal with impressive expertise in finance, business development and retail, he launched into an entirely new venture in 2011: the restaurant business, with Misto. A few months later, he began work on a major project, the restaurant Le Richmond in Griffintown, taking full charge of the interior design and overseeing the project.

 
In addition to all this, for the past five years he has been vice-president, operations support at LCI Éducation, the international division of the renowned Collège LaSalle, which comprises five schools and offers more than 60 programs. It is now present on five continents and has 23 higher education campuses that train over 17,000 students annually around the world.

___________
Le Richmond
377, rue Richmond
Montréal (Qc) H3J 1T9
514 508.8749
lerichmond.com

Le Richmond marché italien/Bistro
333, rue Richmond
Montréal (Qc) H3J 1T9
514 508.8749
lerichmond.com