Globe
The young and divorced dwell over bottles of Chianti while nearly retired CEOs drop like dollar sacks onto the puffy furniture. From the coveted middle spot, cocktail swillers scope the room for minor celebs and anybody who's anybody. The feel is more of an upscale Miami nightclub than a Montreal Restaurant and, unfortunately, has some of the attitude to go with it. While the staff are hot and the bouncers friendly, on any given night you are guaranteed to run into some who think they are part of Montreal’s elite and will do anything to affirm their perceived position in society. Main courses range in price from the quail with raspberry sauce to roasted corn fed chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy. A roasted salmon and back ribs in red-wine sauce are also contenders. Globe is one of a few Montreal restaurants offering an unapologetically haute-cuisine experience as chef Alex Rolland pumps out high-minded tasting, local and organic menus, which are sometimes improvised for individual guests. – JS
3455 Saint-Laurent Blvd., Montreal, QC, 514-284-3823, $$$$$



Koko
Nothing makes me hungry quite like a little Art Nouveau. I don’t know what it is. Most architectural styles have no impact on my appetite, but for whatever reason, Art Nouveau just makes my mouth water. If you’re like me then you absolutely have to try Koko, a new restaurant opening in the chic Opus Hotel that has adopted the design style of the adjoining space. A glass, steel, and concrete framework is decorated with glittering chandeliers, iconic furniture and plenty of black velvet (just like the song). With a look that impressive, the kitchen could serve up swill and they’d still have reservations set around the clock. Fortunately that’s not the case. Executive Chef Don Letendre has put together a menu of Pan-Asian cuisine that combines Eastern and Western cuisine in dishes like hamachi sashimi with pan-seared foie gras, spicy masala lobster with curried lentil hash, and bengali blackened salmon with mango salsa. There’s something in the restaurant to stimulate every single one of your senses, so be fully prepared to that experience (ie, no ear plugs, tongue guards or blacked out contact lenses). - MBO
10 Sherbrooke Ouest, Montreal, QC, 514-843-6000, $$$$



Le Social
Sheer exclusivity compounded by mystique oozes from Le Social's confines. Rumours hint at a secret side entrance used to usher in VIP. So be alert to all newcomers creeping in from dark passageways. Like an extension of a Bond film, this English-style manor reeks of affluence and prestige with passwords in full effect. Who could have predicted Peter Lyall’s 19th century red sandstone gem would cocoon an elusive nocturnal culture over 100 years later? Your first clue to its whereabouts will be the herds of fashion savvy youngsters amidst wealthy professionals begging for inclusion into this secret society. Chandeliers drip through stairwells and street-like lamps droop adjacently over a grandiose marble bar casting a yellowy glow. Lavish leather sectionals and antique furniture straddle "reservation only" coffee tables; a strange twist on seating arrangements. Dazzling orchids garnish every open space and the addition of a shower and Jacuzzi upstairs in the washroom suggests that no expense has been spared to enhance the decadence. - ML
1445 Bishop St., Montreal, QC, 514-849-8585, $$$$$



Med Bar & Grill
Along the trendiest street in Montreal, competing against the likes of Primadonna and Buonanotte for the most beautiful, sophisticated and wealthy customers, Med stands on its own two feet just fine. Although Buona boasts plates signed by celebs, Med has seen its fair share of famous faces, yet doesn't display proof on the wall. With a similar trendy atmosphere as the aforementioned supperclubs, Med's surprisingly intriguing fare allows it stand out in the crowd of predictable pastas and simple dishes. They not only greet the Lamborghini drivers, but the neon-coloured Lamborghini drivers as well (i.e. aren't afraid to take risks). Their fare includes many adventurous ingredients that might seem surprising side by side, but they will also empty their patrons' pockets. If you plan on visiting during the Grand prix, you'd better reserve because space goes fast. This locale is great for a romantic evening, delicious cuisine and a night of dancing ahead (hence supperclub). – MK
3500 St. Laurent, Montreal, QC, 514-844-0027, $$$$



Narcisse Bistro & Bar à vin
If you were looking for just one word to describe basement restaurant of the Auberge du Vieux Port, it would be "luxe." Located in Old Montreal, Narcisse exhibits many of the grown-up virtues, the ones your parents talked about - calmness, assertiveness, style. The menu is typical of your high-end hotel restaurant, with a number of old menu favourites split evenly between meat and fish. It's well prepared but not necessarily memorable fare: from duck gizzard walnut salad, to high-grade filet mignon, to mushroom-stuffed raviolis and quails with a raisin sauce. All in all, creativity and flair are not why people come to this subterranean favourite. It's also an unobtrusively formal, suit-and-tie place, with staff in the once-ubiquitous uniform of white shirts, black vests and neatly knotted ties. - MA
97 rue de la Commune Est, Montreal, QC, 514-876-0081, $$$$$