Projet Pilote - Distillery & Brewpub — Restaurant in Montreal

I'll be honest - I had no intention of going to Le Projet Pilote, I didn't even know it existed. The original plan was to go to La Banquise for dinner, but upon arrival, we realized that the wait was an hour, so my friends I pivoted and decided to just go to the restaurant next door to La Banquise - which happened to be Le Projet Pilote, where I had THE. BEST. MEAL. OF. MY. ENTIRE. LIFE. I'm not exaggerating when I say that - truly everything we ordered was a total knockout. My friend ordered an old fashioned and said it was in her top three that she's ever had (which is an incredibly high honor). To eat, we ordered the mushroom toast, scallops, truffle parmesan fries and the gnocchi to share, and each dish was more spectacular than the last. I realized at Projet Pilote that I’d never truly experienced real gnocchi before—theirs was so incredibly light and pillowy, unlike anything I’ve ever had. The truffle parmesan fries were outstanding—easily the best I’ve ever had. Unlike other places that rely on drenching fries in low-quality truffle oil, these struck the perfect balance. They were beautifully crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, and the truffle flavor was present without being overpowering. The scallops were perfectly prepared, and although we were full after our dinner, we knew we just had to try the desserts. We ordered the strawberry shortcake dessert and I forget the name of the second dessert - but both were spectacular. The second dessert we ordered was a hundred layers of the most delicate paper-thin pear sheets, baked into a pie and served with homemade rum raisin ice cream on top - you could taste the rum in the ice cream! In summary, go here, order everything on the menu and spend the rest of your days dreaming...

Let me just say, Project Polite is the cat’s meow! This place has it all: scrumptious food, stellar service, and vibes that make you want to do a little happy dance. Seriously, their food isn’t just good—it’s out of this world. I’ve tried almost everything on the menu and I’ve yet to find something that doesn't make my taste buds sing. Let’s just say, I ate an entire bowl of the truffle fries….

Now, let’s talk drinks. The bartender Jacq is by far one of the best if not the best.

Whether you’re a cocktail connoisseur or a teetotaler, he has you covered. Their drinks are so good, they could make a teetotaler reconsider. For those avoiding alcohol, their non-alcoholic beer is a revelation—I’m still not convinced it’s booze-free! And don’t even get me started on their mocktails; they’re little sips of paradise.

Huge shoutout to the legendary manager, Fred! This guy’s a rockstar. Fred, you make everyone feel like VIPs. Project Polite, you’ve won my heart (and my stomach). I’ll be back soon, and I’m...

Project Polite is hands down the place to be! This joint has everything: top-notch food, unbeatable service, and an atmosphere that just makes you feel good. Every dish I've tried is a slam dunk. They really know how to cook up a storm here.

Now, onto the drinks. Jacq the bartender is literally the best I have ever seen! Whether you’re into the hard stuff or prefer to stay sober, he delivers. The cocktails are a home run, and their non-alcoholic beer is so good, you’d swear it’s the real deal. And their mocktails? They’re on another level.

Note: Give Jacq three words and he will make you a cocktail that will not disappoint 🙌🏽

Pictured Cocktail: Lion, Birthday, Italy

Big shoutout to the manager, Fred! This guy is a legend. Fred, you run a tight ship and make everyone feel welcome. Project Polite, you’ve got a loyal customer in me. Can’t wait to come back...