Bistro Nolah is, & will continue to be, a hidden gem in the West Island of Montreal.
Before I finally indulged myself & experienced its offerings, almost everyone I know was raving about it. "The best elevated cajun food in the city" they were saying....& to that statement: I wholeheartedly agree.
From the subtle ambience, to the genuine manners of the staff, this establishment has come to be one of my absolute favourites in "the West".
I ate there with my mom, who is mutually an eloquent woman with a refined taste. Not afraid to speak her mind, she is always honest about her outlook on a restaurant. To be clear, she also very much enjoyed the tastings & libations of Nolah.
Upon ordering our meal, we were graciously offered a New Orleans delicacy known as "a hushpuppy". A hushpuppy is a bite sized, savoury ball, made with a cornmeal-based batter; that is deep fried. Sometimes being overly dense & over-fried, they can be too chewy. To my surprise, these hushpuppies were absolutely crisp on the outside & had a perfectly tender interior.
For our appetizers, we ordered the Louisiana crab cakes & shrimp tacos. The shrimp tacos, although as delicious as anticipated, did not go beyond anything ordinary. The crab cakes however, were absolutely scrumptious. The fried cakes bursted with crab flavour, rightfully highlighting it as the hero ingredient of the dish. Served with a mildly spicy aioli & some corn niblets, every layered flavour & texture accentuated the flavour profile of the crab.
As for the entrées, we ordered the jambalaya & blackened catfish to share. Both dishes sang a sweet, melodic Louisiana song. They were truly delectable. The deconstruction of the jambalaya was innovative in presentation & made for a combination of different bites. This dish included all the familiar flavours of a jambalaya & enhanced every single one. It included jumbo shrimps, a tomato-based, dark roux, sauce with rice that was packed with creole herbs & spices. The added vegetables & micro-greens were unnecessary but provided the "fine dining" touch.
The blackened catfish simultaneously tickled our tastebuds & unquestionably transported us to the docks of New Orleans. A perfect blend of spices, alongside fresh sautéed vegetables & raw shaved radish, the balance within each & every ingredient was a perfect equilibrium. A truly authentic & grasping touch, on the fish, was the orange "Pontchartrain" sauce. I have never seen this sauce served with fish anywhere in Montreal. The name of the sauce derives from Lake Pontchartrain in southeastern Louisiana & like the lake, the thick, buttery sauce, was teeming with fish.
To end such as stunning meal was an even more stunning dessert. The bread pudding, being a humbling & when done correctly: crowd pleasing dish, was luscious & delightful. Topped with fresh fruit & a Jack Daniels syrup, it was frankly hard not to finish. Simple, not simplistic, this is a staple in southern cuisine & was executed with such finesse & ease (as it should be).
Bistro Nolah is a distinct establishment & in all honesty, an exquisite restaurant that is recommended to anyone who loves cajun cuisine &/or looking to expand their culinary horizons.
Excellent food, excellent service. We each started out with a hush puppy. My husband started off with the crab cakes, I with the seafood gumbo - delicious, with a good-sized scallop & shrimps, but I wish there was a little more seafood thrown in. My husband's main course was the shrimp jambalaya, mine was one of the evening specials - pork osso bucco - both delicious as well. For dessert, we selected the trio - bread pudding with a chocolate torte, & beignets - also excellent.
A little out of our usual dining budget, but well worth the occasional visit. I would definitely go back there.
