Mon Lapin, a neighbourhood restaurant in the heart of Montreal's Little Italy. Inventive and delicious fare, all the seasonal favourites on an ever-changing menu by chefs Marc-Olivier Frappier and Jessica Noel, and team. Visionary wines, a list filled with vibrant and eclectic bottles.
Across reviews, Mon Lapin is widely praised for inventive seasonal dishes, a warm intimate atmosphere, and a dining experience that many call a standout in Canada. The service is repeatedly described as attentive and knowledgeable, with wine pairings and menu explanations that elevate the meal, though a few readers note moments of overcrowding, speed, or overly persistent attention. Portions are often described as small and prices high, with some guests feeling the experience is about culinary artistry more than meat on the plate, while others celebrate the finesse and balance of flavors. The menu emphasizes local ingredients and frequent changes, with signatures like the scallop pétoncle croque, preserved leeks with smoked mussels, and buckwheat cake standing out for many; the overall impression is one of creative presentation and thoughtful pairings. Reservations are hard to secure and the ambiance can be noisy, but the consensus is that the quality of food and service justifies the hype for many, even as a minority call it overrated or inconsistent.
Quel restaurant formidable ! La cuisine & le vin étaient délicieux, comme je m'y attendais :) Ce qui m'a vraiment surpris, c'est la qualité du service. J'avais vraiment l'impression que l'équipe travaillait en parfaite harmonie. Ils étaient extrêmement sympathiques & compétents, & je n'avais pas du tout l'impression d'être simplement dans la section d'un serveur, comme c'est souvent le cas, même dans les bons restaurants. Pas de photos, trop bon pour attendre !
We were so happy to snag one of the latest reservation times for our trip to Montreal. Top tier service that made the best recommendations including food & drinks. For a group of 3, we arrived with a comfortable appetite & shared 7 plates & 3 desserts. Reduce the number of plates if you're looking to sample the dishes but increase the plates if you arrive hungry. Everything we ate was impeccable. Mezzalune di patate was my favourite dish of the night. The shitake mushrooms were a burst of flavour. Buckwheat cake was the recommended dessert that was remained more consistent on their menu. Set the Resy reminders if you plan to visit, you won't regret it.
Always amazing food, the menu changes constantly (except a few signature dishes) so you probably won't have the same dining experience twice if you come here. I recommend the buckwheat cake, it's perhaps the best cake I've ever had in my life. As for food, the scallop sandwiches are great, basically anything seafood will also taste great! If you want to, you can let your waiter decide your dishes for you, I can assure you whatever you end up eating here, you will thoroughly enjoy it. Even if you're not a wine drinker, let them recommend at least one to go with your food & you won't regret it!
All I can say is wow! Loved the food & how imaginative it was! Great service with knowledgeable staff! We will definitely go back although getting a reservation isn't easy. The only negative might be the limited selection of cocktails compared to selection of wine & beer.
Came here pre-covid & before they were very known & my experience then was top notch. There was a dish of whelks (bourgots) that I still dream of till this day. It was mouthwatering, buttery & so fresh. I went a few years after the expansion of October 2020 & comparing both eras, there's a bit of a difference. The food isn't as wow as before but for the price & the taste, still amazing & definitely still stands out in the Montreal food scene. Some of the dishes that sounded so intriguing on paper made it seem like it would be a hit or miss. The radish + tarama sea urchin + pig ear starter is the perfect example of a risky combination of ingredients. Everything was amazing separately but together they seemed to be fighting for the spotlight, clashing in terms of umami. You could, of course, just go for the safer choices like any pasta dish. The mezzalune, for instance, was simply divine. I can't believe I was going crazy over just potato & mushroom flavors. Insane! Boudin in blanket was another coup de coeur for me, especially how well everything blended together. Perhaps if the pork cheek was a little softer, it would have stolen the show. But out of everything, the buckwheat cake remains their signature dessert & for good reason. I usually don't go for layered cakes but this one is an outstanding exception & must-try! Overall very happy & with the menu changing all the time, I definitely will be going back to try new things.
My conclusion is that this place is overrated. We ordered 7-8 dishes & only truly spectacular was raw fluke. I know to expect this somewhat in Montreal but when I said in French that we have to speak English because my friends French is not so good I watched the waiter spend more time with the francophone couples around us & less time with us. The she came back to ask if we were ready for our last dish, the chicken. We didn't order chicken we ordered wild trout. It's ok, mistakes happen. We were happy to wait for the trout & have another drink. Instead they brought it out after five minutes & it was undercooked, somewhere closer to raw than cooked, as if it had been seared & then bathed in ice water maybe, but no it was just undercooked. We questioned the waitress about it & she told us this is fine & normal how it's supposed to be served. I was skeptical. Then after we pay our check & tip we see another table being served the same trout dish & it is fully cooked & flaky white. Why lie to us? The mistake is no big deal just serve us what we ordered, we don't mind to wait. Clearly she just wanted to be done with us & not bring it back to kitchen or cook us a proper new one. Kind of messed up when you spend over 300CAD This really put a negative taste in my mouth & to be honest the carrots are very boring, the pasta with clams was uninspired. Oyster remoulade wraps were good, but I don't think I will ever come back For such a big reputation this place was a big letdown & also the biggest dinner bill I've seen so far in Canada. Bad combination. The wine list & cocktails are formidable but I think you can spend your money more wisely elsewhere in Montréal
Apr 10, 2024
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The food was tasty, but have definitely had French Italian cuisine in Montreal where there is more attention to detail. The service was fantastic though. You have such great staff!
Apres 1 an d'attente , nous pûmes finalement y avoir 1 place .. l'accueil & le service furent impeccable Côté cuisine , j'avais beaucoup d'attente , malheureusement des lacunes : on ne sentait pratiquement pas le goût des oursins ou des pétoncles , la truite dans une feuille de bête à carde était très bonne mais tiède , le plus décevant fut le boudin ( très ordinaire ) & la joue de porc ; cuite à la perfection mais assez fade Une 10/10 pour les profiterole au foie de volaille Un très bon restaurant mais qui ne vaut pas tout le tapage qu'on en a fait .
Very welcoming place that distinguishes itself with excellent creative dishes along with great wine pairings. We really had a wonderful time overall, & will be back for sure.
Mar 31, 2024
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Outstanding service & impeccable food! Our server Rose was so fun & knowledgeable. I highly recommend the wine pairing. One of the best dining experiences I've had!
Resto de style tapas qui est rarement à l'avantage du client. Bel accueil chaleureux. L'ambiance est bonne. Je donnerais un 6 étoiles pour le service. Toutefois, la nourriture m'a déçu un peu. Je m'attendais à beaucoup plus en terme de produits de qualité. Les plats sont bien apprêtés & goûteux, mais certains ne méritent pas leur prix. Les quantités sont minimes en proportion du prix demandé notamment: croque pétoncle 3.5/5, boudin 5/5, taglioni 4/5 & agneau 5/5, céleri rave 4/5. Belle carte des vins. Une belle experience pour une fois. Personnellement je n'y retournerai pas. Le rapport qualité/prix n'est pas là. Un peu trop dispendieux pour ce qui est dans l'assiette.
La déception était probablement liée aux attentes trop grandes car clairement c'est bon. C'est même très bon. La carte des vins n'est pas a la.hauteur cela dit. La belle surprise est l'addition très raisonnable. Donc le rapport qualité prix est vraiment dingue
Délicieuse découverte, qualité-prix supérieure! Le service ( avec Rose) est impeccable, enjoué & sympathique. L'ambiance est du type bon enfant & les mets de niveau gastronomique. À ne pas manquer !
Mis a part le ..feu restaurant Faucheux de Granby, j'ai adorer ce resto, tout tout est parfait, le service,les plats, non mais ont est où là sur la planète saveurs, merci pour touts
We went here with high expectations, & the food & service did not disappoint. Our server helped us select a fantastic wine, after we described our taste preference & budget. She then curated three courses based off the wine, & every dish presented us with a "wow" moment. Raw sole with radish & brown butter, wow. Rehydrated carrots with smoked oyster sauce, wow. Buckwheat cake for dessert, wow. The list goes on & on. Thank you for a memorable evening, we will be back next time we head to Montreal!
