I'm honestly aghast at some of the reviews of Le P'tit Plateau. People who find the service odious? People who find the food bad? I believe there must be two things going on. 1) people have to realize this is a small restaurant with a menu-fixe that has exactly two sittings; it is incumbent upon the restaurant to provide for client's needs during each sitting; it is incumbent upon the clients to arrive in a timely fashion to allow the staff to do their job - being 30 minutes late is much more of an imposition than guests can imagine because it interferes with the entire workflow of the restaurant and potentially compromises the second sitting. 2) the food is excellent, locally sourced, and unusual in the sense that it is not chicken breast or roast beef; rather it is some of the tastiest and subtle game flavors one can find in Montreal - and prepared with the chef's respect for the ingredients. Bring your own wine - what a fantastic concept - and well suited for this fine French food. At one time or another, my guests and I have eaten Bambi, Thumper, Donald Duck, and Mother Goose - all being exquisite. My favorite is the lamb, which is nothing short of astonishing. I never seem to have room for dessert, and yet I always manage a bit of my spouse's :-) Make a reservation for the second sitting, arrive a few minutes early or just on time - as if you were going to a friend's home for dinner, and settle in for some of the best dining available in the city.

My raw-fish eating friends love Sushi Yasu. I stick to vegetarian options and the chicken teriyaki. The vegetarian rolls are tasty and of a pleasant consistency. The chicken teriyaki is quite delicious - but altogether too much chicken. When friends are visiting and the cry for Sushi goes out, we're all happy with Sushu Yasu.

The restaurant is typically busy - always a good sign. Perspective: Vietnamese food is perhaps my favorite of the Asian styles. Tonkinese soup is definitely my favorite soup. I crave it regularly. So how is Sao Sao? The imperial rolls arrive in one of two conditions - blindingly hot or tepid. Sadly, tepid is the norm. They lack character and crunch. The Tonkinese soup is merely okay - even though they do traditional with tripe. The base broth is bland. I'm not sure it has ever seen coriander. The grillades are good, but the beef is somewhat off - I think it may be tenderized. The pork, on the other hand, is very good indeed. Do I go back - yes. Often, no. Each time I'm hoping for change. Sao Sao is only so so.