But before they even think about the potential and probability of adding post-dinner entertainment, the concept of Citizen's menu needs to be fine-tuned. Labeled Asian cuisine, Citizen is a Teppanyaki style restaurant where your main course is cooked right in front of you. Yes, flames come to life, but these chefs are not here to put on a knife-throwing circus show.

“From our raw bar to our four main Asian cuisines including Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese and Thai,” Lamasse says, “you will enjoy an experience straight from Asia with a modern twist”.

Menu items like fresh fish, seafood, beef, chicken and salmon are indeed beautiful in presentation. The Chilean sea bass is cooked twice, once steamed in sake and miso, then grilled on the Teppanyaki with a butter sauce and served with vegetables, soup and miso at $25 to $42 (coming in 4oz. to 8 oz size portions). Other options are the six-ounce filet de boeuf grillé in a red wine sauce and the honey-lemon poulet grillé, both priced at under $20 a dish.

The sushi is recommended as they praise their sashimi the most. Prices are very reasonable and your server will suggest items in a price or quantity range of your choice. Business crowds relish the Thai lunch dishes and young professionals in suits or jeans dine for dinner. Unpretentious and definitely calculated in every way, Citizen Grill tops the list for Montreal '08. –A.B.