Île Flottante — Restaurant in Montreal

Overall: This place didn’t quite meet expectations. From the ambiance to the service and the taste, it was underwhelming. If I really had to give credit for something, I’d say the staff were friendly and enthusiastic—they introduced the dishes quite fluently.

Taste: The mussels had sand in them, and I crunched down on a mouthful. The fish had a rubbery taste that even the sauce couldn’t cover. The chicken was so dry, I felt like I was on a diet just eating it. The cabbage was overcooked to the point of being burnt—oddly enough, the parts that weren’t charred were even more bitter than the blackened ones. The starter flatbread was large enough, but the cheese smelled overwhelmingly strong, the outside was burnt, and the inside was undercooked. As for the dish pairings, they were certainly... creative: pork belly with garlic strips and half-roasted potatoes, chicken with radish, seafood with celery and fennel, and then there was the dessert—orange chrysanthemum jelly with vegetable meringue, flat noodles, and ice cream. Speaking of that ice cream, the giant chunks of salt on top gave me quite the shock with their saltiness! The whole meal was like a series of mismatched pairings that just didn’t make sense.

Ambiance: The dim lighting was supposed to create a cozy atmosphere, but it only highlighted the thick layer of dust in the few places with light—it was impossible to unsee. When they brought out the crystal glasses, I genuinely thought they were scratched-up plastic because of how cloudy they were. The chairs were small, hard, and uncomfortable, making the whole experience physically unpleasant.

Verdict: It wasn’t inedible, but it wasn’t good either. The sauces were overly oily and heavy, which made the meal feel cloying. I’d give it a score of 50-60 out of 100, but not...

A fun experience to try, yet a bit disjointed.

The restaurant has a 6-course Tasting Menu for $120 per person (prices do not include 15% tax and 25% tip). In addition to the wine pairing options, Île Flottante’s cocktail menu is also very appealing, so my sister and I chose to pair cocktails for this dinner.

The special thing here is that diners will not know what they are about to enjoy. The menu focuses on seasonal ingredients with a creative style. There is no menu here, instead, “the menu is [their] voice” (quote from the waitress). Everyone orders the same Tasting Menu with the option to pair with wine or cocktails.

The beetroot salad was the first appetizer, beautifully presented, and the fresh taste was suitable to start the Tasting Menu – the taste was balanced and acidic to stimulate the taste buds. The next appetizer was corn & cornbread – the buttery taste and I really liked the slightly chewy texture of the bread, which went well with the dressing and vinegar.

The potato wedges were surprisingly fresh, the use of lemon foam enhanced the flavor. The duck however was not as tender as I would have liked and the taste was quite ordinary, similar to duck dishes from other fine-dining restaurants in Montreal where the dressing had a sour taste from the vinegar. This dish was beautifully presented but the taste was nothing special.

The first dessert was very refreshing with sorbet, ice cream and mixed fruit. The finale was beautifully presented following the theme of cornbread – not too sweet, yet it was just okay.

Overall, the dinner was beautifully presented, but some dishes felt disconnected, a bit disjointed and lacking in flavour. The dishes lacked balance and cohesion, which was a shame.

CA$194 / 1 person ~ 3.6 million...

If you only read this far in the review, please know that ÎIe Flottante's staff is so incredibly kind, caring, and accommodating. I visited here with my partner about a week ago, and we accidentally arrived an hour earlier than our reservation due to a mess-up on our end with time zone differences. We were still seated immediately, and they informed us of our error and said they would do their best to get us fed as soon as possible. Our server suggested we start with a drink, so that's what we did. The sommelier brought out two fabulous dry white wines to try, and I chose a glass of biodynamic wine that I would not have chosen had I only read about it and not tasted it.

We both have dietary restrictions, but about 20 minutes after we were seated, they were able to bring out the first course. Unfortunately, right before this happened, I began to feel ill with what I would learn later was the start of a painful sinus infection. The first course, a meat, cheese, and fresh produce course, was delicious, but I realized I wouldn't be able to continue eating due to not feeling well. My partner informed our server, and she was empathetic and said she would only charge us for drinks. My partner and I have both worked customer-facing jobs and always try to be gracious and unobtrusive, so we apologized effusively. The chef came out to make sure everything was ok and to ask if there was anything they could do. I apologized again for any trouble that they went to accommodating both our earliness and dietary restrictions, and he could not have been more kind and understanding. It was more than professionalism; it was personal authenticity and kindness.

We'll certainly be back, next time, for...