 ince opening this summer, Aszú has managed to pick up some serious steam. Fitted with a calm, contemporary decor and a bistro-tinged, eclectic menu, the dining room fizzes with energy. Owners have kept menu options light, easy-to-share and social: ideal for the front cocktail area (and hand washers).
Aside from a re-thought bar area, (re) designers didn't fiddle too much with the dark, rich, cozy vibe of former tenant, Au Cépage. Aszú effuses elegance, surrounding the room with hefty stone walls and a handsome, main dining room floor-to-ceiling, glass-fronted wine cellar. Aszú is welcoming, inviting you to sidle up to one of the high-tops at the front while you wait for a table.
David Couture, previously sous-chef at the ill-fated Auberge Hatley, has revamped and tightened the mostly light-bite bar menu. On the other hand, the dining room selection is modern French Bistro with a fittingly strong wine pairing program. The nibbles that we tried suited the spirit of the place as well as the season. Warm, spicy, citrus terrine-style foie gras served with a Sauternes jelly is a fine choice. The flavour progression was amazing. Another winner, the lobster bisque, consists of three bisques: ginger, a lime-infused soup, and a variation on tarragon; that's a lot of bisque.
If you can afford only one blowout meal this season, you should try Couture’s lobster strudel. The sensational plate features fresh steamed lobster with seasonal mushrooms and spinach, wrapped in a filo pastry and served in a cognac lobster sauce. Another good option is the duck magret, which comes with a hearty amount of wild rice and is smothered in a spiced grain of paradise sauce.
Aszú’s wine-dominated drink menu is its standout feature. The extensive, by-the-glass list offers 50 wines and 5 Champagnes. From a South African chenin blanc to a New Zealand pinot noir, the selection is diverse enough to satisfy most palates and pocket books; stock bed-side Tylenol. Service at Aszú is still slightly inconsistent, so be patient. – A.J.
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 AT A GLANCE
Aszu
212 rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Montreal, QC
514-845-5436
French
Old Montreal
Venue:
Restaurant
Hours:
Mon. to Fri.: 12:00pm - 3:00pm and 6:00pm - 10:00pm Sat.: 6:00pm - 10:00pm
Price Range:
$$$ (Within Reach)
Payment:
Master Card, Visa, American Express
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THE BUZZ
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IN THE AREA
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2 Reader Reviews | This small underground restaurant has a French bistro hole-in-the-wall kind of vibe. Once you go down the stairs, the first part of the restaurant is a bar with stools and high tables...nothing impressive. The dining area is in the back of the restaurant, with about seating for 30 people. Service is top notch, with wine recommendations adapted to your meal and taken from an impressive selection of wines by the glass. Go for the champagne by the glass with your dessert...it's pricey but well worth it. You can also opt for a bottle if you know what you want to drink. But the whole point of this place is its wine selection and variety so that was a big part of what made our night, even though a bottle would have been cheaper overall than separate glasses. The menu is very flexible, you can have meal or tapas portions...you can also opt for the table d'hote if you're just trying the place out for the first time and aren't confortable ordering a bunch of stuff that you don't know if you'll like. That's what we did. It was $35 for an entree, main, dessert. Overall, a nice place to go on a date or with a small group of friends. One tip though, take the regular tap water instead of their bottled water when they ask you...unless you're OK paying $10 for regular water in a fancy bottle. Take that money and order yourself a nice glass of Bordeaux instead.
1. Madi's Review :: December 31, 2006 Madi's Rating: 3 Stars |
This small underground restaurant has a French bistro hole-in-the-wall kind of vibe. Once you go down the stairs, the first part of the restaurant is a bar with stools and high tables...nothing impressive. The dining area is in the back of the restaurant, with about seating for 30 people. Service is top notch, with wine recommendations adapted to your meal and taken from an impressive selection of wines by the glass. Go for the champagne by the glass with your dessert...it's pricey but well worth it. You can also opt for a bottle if you know what you want to drink. But the whole point of this place is its wine selection and variety so that was a big part of what made our night, even though a bottle would have been cheaper overall than separate glasses. The menu is very flexible, you can have meal or tapas portions...you can also opt for the table d'hote if you're just trying the place out for the first time and aren't confortable ordering a bunch of stuff that you don't know if you'll like. That's what we did. It was $35 for an entree, main, dessert. Overall, a nice place to go on a date or with a small group of friends. One tip though, take the regular tap water instead of their bottled water when they ask you...unless you're OK paying $10 for regular water in a fancy bottle. Take that money and order yourself a nice glass of Bordeaux instead.
2. Madi's Review :: December 31, 2006 Madi's Rating: 3 Stars |
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 212 rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Montreal, QC |
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MBO Montreal :: Montreal Restaurants & Dining Guide
