Lov, a new botanical restaurant in Old Montreal
McGill street welcomed a new restaurant, a unique destination for health food lovers called LOV. This establishment boasts Local, Organic and Vegetarian as the main pillars of the concept, which is also the name, and I had the opportunity to enjoy a delicious dinner.
As much as I would like to talk about the food first, I have to begin with the decor by Jean-Pierre Viau and Jacinthe Piotte. Jean-Pierre is special to me because I worked with them when I designed the stores for the family bakery business, Au Pain Doré, before the husband, kids and need for blogging came along. He did a great job with the stores back then and hit it out of the park with LOV. They created a warm ambiance and cozy atmosphere while using a combination of rich materials and recycled elements. They strived to keep most of the space’s original elements, while creating a unique environment true to the business’ values. Among the features: local handmade tableware, textile artwork by a Montreal artist, antique and almost untouched windows, and a more laidback section with terrariums. The resulting style is eclectic, Zen, refined and local and since I had the pleasure of eating there, I got to sit in the laidback terrarium section in their lovely white wicker chairs hung from the ceiling that actually swing! How nice was it to eat great food and swing like a little kid again without a care in the world.
Now onto the food and the chef! The woman behind LOV’s menu is Stéphanie Audet, previously part of the Crudessence team. She is passionate about nature and everything it has to offer and has created a 90% vegan menu whose main inspiration is botanical, with an emphasis on organic and local products. Stephanie is an expert in plant-based gastronomy and conscious cuisine and loves to use seasonal products to create a positive experience for the body that is also a delicious treat. She says, “I want to offer food that is healthy, good for the planet, and tasty, too!” Well, she absolutely delivered. Although I did not partake in any alcohol that evening, LOV has an elaborate list of natural wines curated by Steve Beauséjour (Rézin) who is an organic and natural wine expert and plays a central role in the LOV experience. Each wine is carefully chosen and supports the philosophy behind Stéphanie Audet’s conscious and delicious eats, creating an immersive experience with nature. LOV also has a list of fresh cocktails created by Romain Cavelier (Mal Nécessaire, Henri St-Henri, L’gros Luxe), featuring recipes made from herbs and niche products.
The cocktails are simple yet refined and I will definitely have one when I return. What I did have the chance to sample was the food. I began with the kimchi fries because who doesn't like fries with mayo, kimchi and wakame! I also had the MUSE, which was roasted cauliflower with tahini, lemon and curry. Once I devoured those entrees, I moved on to the main dish. I ate the Hero bowl which consisted of sesame tempeh, red peppers, eggplant, rapini and cabbage. It was delightful and tasty. I definitely recommend it. My dinner date had the BURGER BIG LOV and she was not disappointed because she dies for avocado, kale, cucumber and lots of Aioli.
So if you haven't figured out that I adored this restaurant, I suggest you give it a try. This lovely joint is open from breakfast until dinner, from Monday through Saturday and is now offering brunch on weekends from 10h to 3h pm. Please feel free to check out their website for more info because I guarantee that you will fall in LOV.
