January 10, 2011 – Proving once again that Montréal is a foodie town is the recent ranking of two of our restaurants in Air Canada's enRoute magazine's top 10 new restaurants of 2010. That is Cava, which rings in at number 3 and Le Quartier général, which ranks number 10.
Located in the hip enclave of Montréal's Mile End on the busy corner of Parc and Saint-Viateur, Cava earned its enRoute nod for Greek cuisine that showcases the culinary traditions of the mainland. Cava's owner, Costas Spiliadis, is no stranger to accolades, having made a stellar name for Milos, his much-talked-about seafood-focused restaurant. But with Cava, Spiliadis takes his inspiration off the shore and inward, shining the spotlight on meat dishes, part of Greek cuisine at its finest.
Guests at Cava are treated to a feast, whether it's the melt-in-your-mouth paidakia (grilled lamb chops) with tzatziki or giouvetsi (veal shoulder) and orzo with dry goat cheese shavings, or they can even sink their teeth into organic Kansas beef dry-aged on site. The wine list features excellent vintages overall, many from the homeland. The restaurant's décor is minimalist yet stylish; high ceilings, beautifully refurbished mosaic floor tiles salvaged from a local church, dark wooden chairs and thick linen tablecloths achieve an overall effect of simple, refined elegance.
Le Quartier général, at the corner of Gilford and De Brébeuf in a quiet residential area of the busy Plateau Mont-Royal, has been breaking out on the restaurant scene as a classy go-to "Bring-your-Own-Wine" (BYOW), and attracting legions of admirers in the process. Chef Olivier Racicot has concocted a French-bistro-inspired menu that's as accessible as it is delicious.
Racicot serves up mouth-watering fare that includes snails with Bayonne ham and tomato concassé, Stanstead rabbit loin stuffed with rabbit confit and rabbit chorizo, or suckling pig, to name just a few of the many palate-pleasing delights. With its high ceilings, warm lighting and convivial ambiance, Le Quartier général is quickly gaining ground as a BYOW favourite among Montrealers and guests.
