Troika
The "very red" trappings, antique samovars and the tiny candle-lit lanterns are warm and inviting. Strolling musicians "Sergei" and "Sergei" further break the ice with rousing renditions of Russian folk music. Fine china, real silver and super-attentive service makes you feel like Russian nobility of the old empire, and that aspiration is also reflected in the fare. This is not "Soviet" cuisine. It is "Franco-Russe," a hybrid of French cooking incorporating Russian ingredients predating the revolution. So, it's no surprise that Chef Jerome Boully is French, not Russian. The food is outstanding. Neophytes can enjoy a degustation menu or, if you don't want to go the whole hog, try the wild boar, or the shrimp and scampi theatrically flambéed at your table. Of course, there is caviar ironically; it is imported from Iran since quality controls are better. You can sample 30 grams of Sevruga for $74.00 or go entirely berserk and order the 50-gram trio of Sevruga, Ossetra and Beluga for $410.00. Apart from typical top shelf offerings, Troika imports seven unique brands straight from the home country that you cannot find anywhere else in the city. - SC
2171, rue Crescent, Montreal, QC, 514-849-9333, $$$$



Vauvert
After its opening in Hotel St-Paul in Old Montreal, Vauvert Restaurant immediately charmed the posh, exclusive crowds of city— cosmopolitan hotel guests included. The reputation of Vauvert begs for a characterization on urban design that’s showcased by a décor delivered with unique precision. The cuisine is definitively Français, with a Mediterranean touch created by Chef Pascal Leblond, the former lunchtime chef of the hotel’s first restaurant Cube. Nighttime stars are reflected in the décor by countless small lights dangling from the blackened, multi-angled ceiling (resembling a canoe). The general aesthetic is dark, black to say the least, with devilish connotations such as a soothing fireplace positioned in a wall dripped with black paint. Black fur on only one barstool represents the luxuries of the devil and massive tree trunks located in the corners contribute to a woodsy setting. Marilyn Manson could call this his vacation home. - AB
355 McGill Street, Hotel St. Paul, Montreal, QC, 514-876-2823, $$$$



Verses Sky
This classy kid, hovering high up in the Hotel Nelligan, deserves the honour of your visit if only for its classic-bar tenacity amid rampant swankification. As you sip your $10.00 White Sangria you take a glimpse around the terrace, complimented with dried flowers and candles, the crowd grows as the sun sinks away into a black Montreal skyline. But have you ever thought about the fact that Verses Sky is one of the best outdoor patios in town for those many, many days when there's a chance of showers? Indeed, sitting inside Verses during a summertime rain shower is a true Montreal pleasure, the smell of the ozone off the park, the sight of hipsters splashing in puddles, the knowledge that when it clears up you'll have a good chance at one of those prized tables within the confines of the fence. – R.B.
106 rue St-Paul Ouest, Hotel Nelligan, 514 788 2040, $$$



Wunderbar
In German, “wunderbar” means wonderful and, in many ways, Wunderbar - located in the dimly-lit seductive W Hotel – really is. First, when you finally get in the club (there are throngs of local hipsters, as you can imagine, who want to be seen at W’s sensation), you are welcomed by gorgeous staff. To me, that is enough, but there is more to Wunderbar than beautiful faces. Audacious, on a thin line between classic and edgy, the place impresses by its many stylish details, such as the lighted ceiling in the V.I.P. cave-like area - this heavily coveted VIP area alone marks a sexy temple of cool. Elsewhere in Wunderbar there are silver banquettes, a few logo-ed chairs and a projection screen displaying images of seductive scenery behind the DJ station. Walking into this club is sort of walking in a New York it spot; there are teams of gorgeous people you have never seen before, which is quite a feat, since Montreal’s club scene is sort of a big village. - CG.
901 Square Victoria, W Hotel, Montreal, QC, 514-395-3100, $$$