Restaurant Parapluie — Restaurant in Montreal

For a place whose slogan is “welcome home,” it didn’t strike my partner and I as either homey or particularly welcoming. We went at opening since it was the only reservation available that evening, but it all felt so rushed it was almost comical.

A minute after sitting down, we started with one of their gin-infused cocktails, which came with a mini spoonful of caviar on the side. The drink was decent, if a little flat — salty, briny fish eggs help but felt a bit outta place. To actually enjoy the taste throughout the drink, you have to awkwardly lick small portions off the spoon, which is clumsy, messy, and honestly kind of unappealing.

Barely three minutes later, the server came over to ask about food and wine. Drinks were still 5/6th full, and we thought we made it clear that we wanted to take our time, enjoy the experience, with no rush.

Despite that, the server stumbled into a sorta automated, rehearsed-sounding, surfacy wine spiel, leaning on words like “interesting” and “lovely” without offering any real description of the wine’s profile. Whatever — I get just memorizing a simple thing about the wine, but he works at a wine-focused restaurant, so you’d think he’d know it better. He then immediately fetched the chosen bottle, brought it over, and had us taste it right away — while we were still on our second sip of the cocktail, which made it impossible to distinguish or appreciate anything about the wine.

Two seconds later, we’re now holding two additional full glasses of wine we didn’t want or need yet and still have 2/3 of the cocktail left; the first plate arrives. Guys, we’ve been here for eight minutes. Foreplay. Chill.

The portions, for sharing, were on the smaller side, the pacing was relentless. One dish after another, no time to breathe, enjoy a glass of wine, or have an uninterrupted conversation. Anyway, the server recommended four dishes, so we got what he suggested. Without dragging this out too much, here’s the gist: the food was good, but the flavor profiles were very classic, very straightforward which I expected, i dont want / need anything pretentious… overall everything was tasty, but it felt very safe — nothing surprising.

Back to pacing, at one point, we dipped outside for a cig between the 3rd and 4th plates and as soon as we sat back down, the last dish landed. It was clear they wanted us out. I get it, small spot that relies on table turnover to make their profit… but I’m not the lingering type. This was so fast we finished eating, and our wine bottle wasn’t even halfway done… they had us out the door within an hour of arriving, despite us spending upwards of $350 and still tipping decently.

Another thing often times ignored, but crucial to get right imo: the music. The music selection here is just so damn basic. Fine, but it’s so poorly curated. You’ve got a record player and a shelf with a record on it, clearly, someone here likes music? Can we broaden the horizons a bit? You’re running the same mid, funk playlist everyone else uses. Get out of the Spotify algorithm, please. It’s boring, uninspired, and uninspiring. There’s nothing magical, researched, romantic, interesting or deep — nothing to discover. Doesn’t make me want to hang out at your spot.

Bref, wanted to love Parapluie, but it didn’t hit. It’s a cute joint, but it all feels so predictable and kinda try-hard. Because of that, it’s ultimately / unfortunately, devoid of any real vibes. The whole thing felt like a copy-paste of what’s already being done in other corners of Montreal’s “fine dining” scene — competent but often soulless. And for what it’s worth, when people spend nearly $400 on a four-course meal recommended by the server, they shouldn’t end the meal at Starbar for slices of pizza.

Also thx for the free pannacotta — gotta say the server was friendly and nice. Service was hasty and clumsy, but the staff were kind. So final verdict… would come back if it didn’t feel like it’d probably be the same, but then again you’ll do just fine catering to diners who match the vibe: unadventurous and...

Upon a friend’s recommendation, I tried this restaurant today with lobster, scallops, lamb with green peas, and salmon. All the foods were fresh, tender, and full of natural flavor. It fully met our expectations. However, something very concerning happened during our meal.

The younger chef used a spoon to pour sauce over a raw tuna dish. Immediately afterward, he LICKED the spoon and then dropped it back into his utensil bucket. This bucket already contained several spoons and a small spatula, all mixed together and nearly full. Throughout the evening, he repeatedly used tools from this same bucket to scoop sauces and transfer the salmon to the serving plate - especially during rush hour, these tools were in constant use.

At first, I thought I might have seen it wrong. My friend also doubted it. But then we both clearly saw the SAME action happen AGAIN!!!

We fully understand that professional chefs may occasionally taste sauces or ingredients to ensure quality—that's a sign of high standards, which we admire. However, this should be done in a sanitary way, such as placing the sauce on the back of the hand or using disposable tasting tools. Licking a spoon and returning it to a shared bucket for continued use is unacceptable.

After we paid, we raised the issue with one of the servers, but it seems there was a misunderstanding—he assumed we were referring to the head chef and reassured us that the head chef uses a dedicated container for used tools. We had indeed noticed that the head chef appeared more cautious. However, we double-checked and saw no such separate container on the young chef’s station. On two occasions, we witnessed him return a licked spoon back to the shared utensil bucket.

To be honest, any customer who sees this would feel extremely uncomfortable and find it difficult to enjoy the meal afterward. After all, no one would be okay with the idea of potentially consuming saliva from a stranger—it can carry bacteria or viruses and even cause cross-contamination. This is not only a matter of professional conduct, but a serious food safety issue that affects every customer. We truly hope that a restaurant so carefully run and dedicated to flavor won't be compromised by such a serious...

Spectacular service with scrumptious food! My wife and I showed up on the wrong night having made a mistake on our reservation. Nevertheless the kind hostess, (who we later learned was the co-owner), graciously pulled some strings and found us a nice table. From there on we had a lively night, tasting a delicious selection of dishes and desserts. A couple of the highlights of the night were the powerhouse of flavour, the“Oignon rôti, Louis d'or, oignon trois façons”, and for dessert the gorgeous Italian Panna Cotta. But the show stopper came late into the evening, when a young sous chef experimenting with a dessert of his own creation, (which will hopefully make it onto the menu someday), made a magnificent donut sprinkled with orange zest. It most decadently melts in your mouth. I hope to return to Parapluie, (but this time with a proper reservation), and sit at the bar, where you’re treated to a wide open view of the cooks hard at work in the kitchen, as if they’re performing for you on stage....