Junjun — Restaurant in Montreal

I've postponed writing this review because I've never experienced such appalling restaurant service before.

My sister and I chose this establishment to celebrate New Year's Eve with their advertised 6-course + dessert tasting menu. We arrived punctually for our reservation near opening time, and were excited by the positive reviews we'd heard—which only amplified our ultimate disappointment.

The ambiance was admittedly pleasant. The place had dim lighting and tasteful decorations, which created an intimate atmosphere perfect for a special occasion.

Our initial service was promising. Our waiter was exceptional and was the true highlight of our evening. He graciously accommodated our request for non-alcoholic versions of their cocktails and answered our questions about the menu diligently. Both he and who appeared to be the manager would present each course with detailed descriptions, which we appreciated as newcomers to Filipino cuisine.

However, the pacing was problematic. Most of the time, we found ourselves with uncomfortably long waits between courses. The evening took a shocking turn as we awaited our sixth course. The manager abruptly asked us to pay and leave because "other people were waiting." This was bewildering since we had arrived early for our reservation and our pre-paid 6-course meal was incomplete as we hadn't received our final course and dessert.

After paying, we remained seated expecting our remaining food. Minutes later, the manager came back and asked us to free our table. Stunned and already frustrated by the excessive waiting times, we left without explaining that our meal was unfinished. Looking back at our bill, at least we were not charged for the full 6 course + dessert meal.

I would give one star, but I am giving an extra star solely because the service provided by our waiter was truly exceptional.

What should have been a special celebration became a deeply disappointing experience and a sour start to the New Year. I cannot recommend a restaurant that treats reserved guests as so, regardless of how good their...

Me and my friend wanted to eat somewhere close by especially because it was raining. Having been to Juniors so many times, we wanted to try something different. I’ve always noticed Junjun since it opened officially but never had the chance to visit. Today we decided to go when it was a quiet night for them due to the rain. We were served by Rey who went out of his way to create an unforgettable dining experience and was lovely to chat with about the history of the dishes. We decided to try the $85 6 course menu. I asked if the Pandesal was included in the 6 course menu and it wasn’t but Rey served it to us as a complimentary dish which was very kind of him. How could I resist bread at a restaurant? Every single course went beyond my expectations. My absolute favourites were the seared scallop on top of a leek puree and the beef carpaccio with a bone marrow sauce. There was 1 menu item that paled in comparison to the other 5. That was the ravioli filled with langoustine. I found the langoustine’s natural taste was being covered by the thick ravioli itself and the overpowering sauce which consists of mushrooms and truffle oil. I let Rey know of my friend and my personal ranking of the dishes and he took our opinions very seriously. We ended up having a talk about constructive criticism and how it’s good to hear the good and the bad. Rey’s friendly attitude and open mindedness was a refreshing experience that complimented the food. At the end of the meal, Rey asked us if we would like to try the dessert on the house if we had room. Knowing me, I always have room for dessert so I said absolutely! Unsurprisingly, even the dessert was delicious. The fermented coconut topped a rice cake dessert along with a coconut caramel sauce. It wasn’t too sweet and can be compared to the cassava cake at Juniors. However, the cassava cake will always hold a special place in my heart. Once again, I would not hesitate to visit again and the food is absolutely worth the pricing. Thank you to the...

Jun Jun is a relatively newish restaurant (Jan 2024) serving an elevated level of Filipino cuisine. In partnership with the neighboring Junior on Notre Dame street, Jun Jun welcoming atmosphere does set the right tone along its narrow and deep layout, including a small bar area. A long pine green wall contrasts against an opposing white wall and dotted with bleached maple tables and black chairs...overall it works.

The menu is not atypical Filipino food...more inspired by than actual dishes. For our large groups we ordered one of everything (at least...on two dishes we asked for re-orders). I will not go though every dish but call out what we found were the stand outs...NILIGASA SA MISO (a calamansi braised cabbage with miso glaze...very, very tasty. So much so we ordered in twice), KAMTENG PINAKBET (a baked sweet potato dish...also excellent and twice ordered), ARROZ CALDO (a mushroom risotto which, I am not clear on the Filipino connection, but was a big hit at the table) and the KABIBI (seared scallops...again, delicious). Furthermore, the only two desserts available were also excellent and we were hard pressed to determine which was our favorite; either thee TURON MILLE-FEUILLE or the BIBINGKA. Either way, both are great!

Service was excellent. The server was extremely friendly and simultaneously professional and casual with the food (especially the appetizers) being delivered almost immediately after ordering and the food flowing seamlessly after that. Definitely a place to checkout and try. Enjoy!

NOTE: With regards to the menu option...as we were leaving the young talented chef gracious met us at our table and subsequently informed us that the menu would be change in a few weeks to reflect a Spring season so I am not sure what on this Winter menu will...