Helena — Restaurant in Montreal

Let's begin with the negative and finish on a high note.

For starters I've only been here once, secondly the online menu that attracted my attention is out of date by at least a year I was told and the dish I was curious to try no longer available, they were definitely understaffed, water refill was a tooth pulling experience, maybe they should invest in 1.5L clear glass bottles so at least the patron can help themselves and the waiter can see if the glass is empty as opposed to dark blue drinking glasses that no one can see how much water is left, the bread was served cold misleadingly in a white cloth bag that instantly wet your appetite for HOT oven fresh baked bread, butter was not served though I think that was actually a good idea because I didn't particularly like it at all, salt and pepper mills were not available at our table or any table, not a white cloth experience but priced as such Started with a waiter and ended up with the door greeter/supervisor??!? The cutlery when we sat down were sticky and needed replacing The location for where we were sat was extremely high traffic yet despite this, we found it difficult to get attention The presentation of the dishes could really do with improvements

We were hungry, we had pre-booked another restaurant and were seated but after seeing their menu in person I opted to leave, we decided to walk to another restaurant 10 minutes away and we literally checked every restaurant menu on the way because we were so hungry we figured we'd take something closer, having taken a wrong turn we end up across the street from Helena and so did a quick online review of the menu before crossing the road.

Did I mention that it was 9pm and we hadn't eaten since 11am but had been walking and touring the Montreal and Old Montreal area?

We were hungry and in my opinion, they delivered a 10/10 on the taste!!! The asparagus salad was probably the second best presented dish of the night, the rest flopped in my opinion but it tasted good,

the kale, choureço sausage soup was extremely delicious but very unappetizing to behold not sure what to recommend as improvement. It was hot, hearty, flavorsome, the right thickness of broth, worked extremely well with the freshly fine cracked pepper that came three minutes into my dish. Amazing

Then the black cod served with mashed sweet potatoes, and garden fresh vegetables definitely a hit. Firstly the cod was perfectly cooked, there was only a small part like half a fork serving that was slightly undercooked but delicious, the choice of vegetables really worked well, my only criticism is my carrot piece was the one closest to the leaves and too much of the green was left uncut plus, it could have been cooked more for a more tender texture. Taste wise another 10/10.

Finally the poached pear dessert, not what I expected taste wise but the flavors, crunch and textures did mingle well together. The presentation was by far the best of all the dishes.

I very very rarely tip below 20% but due to their lack of service, clearly they appeared understaffed I was forced to reflect this in a 10% tip and I actually didn't feel bad about it because in any other situation I'd have opted to find another restaurant given how many things red flagged in the first ten minutes before even placing an order. Though I am grateful I stayed because the food was actually very deserving of high praise.

I wish them luck on finding more high quality staff because on my return to Old Montreal I'd want to stop again and do...

I am shocked with the horrific treatment of guests Restaurant Helena displayed yesterday evening.

We had a reservation for 6 people at 9pm, and were called just as we were arriving to the restaurant 10 minutes before our reservation to inform us that our table wouldn’t be ready before 10pm. To think that the restaurant felt it was appropriate to give a notice that short during peak hours on a Saturday night shows how little regard they have for their clients. God forbid guests that come from Laval, the West Island or anywhere that would require a decent commute can end up being told minutes before their reservation that their table would not be ready for another hour!!

The short notice was completely laughable, but their approach in the conversation was somehow even worse. We were told to either wait for the table or leave as they would not be forcing any dinner guests to make way for our reservation. It is standard practice in the restaurant industry that when you seat a table around 7pm, that you inform them that they have the table till 9 for their meal in order for the restaurant to honour their guests’ reservations. Instead we were not offered any apologies, and were told to take it or leave it and either be seated no sooner than 10 or cancel the reservation altogether. Their hostess was completely cold and classless in her approach, and the manager did not come out to speak to us when requested.

I have NO INTEREST in returning and I will never encourage someone to spend their hard earned dollars at this joke of a restaurant. A reservation means nothing here and unless you’re a free spirit that takes life as it comes, I’d recommend going somewhere that honours your bookings. I strongly discourage anyone and everyone from supporting Helena and Portus360, I will never step foot in their restaurants again and will ensure to advise all those I know to...

I was craving Portuguese and it just so happened that several other well-known Portuguese restaurants in Little Portugal were closed for summer vacations - advantage Helena!

This restaurant deserves a Michelin star. Full stop.

The food was divine, the service impeccable, the atmosphere and ambiance exquisite. We enjoyed two of the three course tasting meals, which was really more of a six course meal. It was worth every penny. The octopus, which I generally don't eat because they're too smart and most people don't get it right, was absolutely extraordinary. I could see chef Helena working with her crew, and you could tell nothing but the very best was expected. It shows. Having recently enjoyed a meal at a Michelin starred restaurant in Kyoto, I think Helena is well on its way to scoring one for themselves. I will definitely return, I honestly can't wait. The restaurant is gorgeous, I enjoyed sitting in the front, but next time I'm looking forward to enjoying the sumptuous decor of the back. Ask to be seated there. This is a very elegant and classy restaurant, fun to dress up for. And the "Portuguese Negroni" was exceptionally smooth, matched only by the selection of Tawny ports.

Every dish, from the amuses-bouches to the dessert, was pure perfection: artistically plated, cooked and seasoned to perfection, presented with utmost care and respect.

As a journalist who focuses on politics and environmental issues, I don't often get to write restaurant reviews, but I'll make an exception for Helena. I would give them 6, 7, or 10...