La Fabrique Montreal

Beet, Orange and Mango Salad

Let me start off by saying La Fabrique is amazing. Everything about the place is perfect. The design, both interior and exterior is impeccable, the service was well-timed and the view from the terrasse at the Annexe was beautiful. Boasting minimalistic wooden chairs with ultra low backs, vintage/rustic decor (typewriter, spigot type faucets, warm wooden paneling) and a friendly and inviting vibe, the restaurant finds an optimal stylistic balance somewhere between antique and modern. On top of all of this, the food is great.

Our waitress started off by suggesting the Salvatore cocktail to start. Mixed with homemade ginger ale it was a tad sweet and bubbly – the portion was generously poured. She was very well informed on the menu, highlighting for us the freshest dishes from both the entree and mains section and pointing out the popular dishes too. We started off with a beet, orange and mango salad which was refreshing and light, a perfect accompaniment to the summer weather and a nice prelude to the ordered special (details to come!). We also had eggplant mozzarella dish which came spread on top of warm bread with the cheese all melted right on top – it had the softest texture and the most satisfying taste ever… Yum. The special of the evening was braised pork shoulder: it came in a good quantity – just the right amount. The pieces were sliced in longer rectangular form and were fanned around the center of the plate, interspersed with shelled shrimp, julienned carrots and potatoes. The plate was totally wiped clean by the time I was done with it, save for a few sliced potatoes. The other dish we had was the lamb burger with goat cheese and date chutney that came with duck fat fried fries. This one was, according to the diner, one of the best burgers he has ever had. The lamb was juicy, pieces literally falling out of the bun and onto the plate, and the mix of sweet and salty from the goat cheese and the chutney was delectable, giving off a unique taste like no other.

For dessert we had the Jean-Louis micro-ondes which was a fluffy chocolate cake drenched in thick chocolate sauce – the surprising thing about it was that while the dessert itself looked almost cloyingly thick, it didn’t taste that way at all! You could easily slice through the pastry with your spoon/fork and when put on the tongue, the cake almost melts in your mouth. To finish, we were delivered a jar of homemade cotton candy. Oh sweet goodness!

All in all, lovely evening. Definitely, definitely coming back very soon.