The Extreme Gourmet, 2006-08-09

La Crême de l’Extrême: The Extreme Gourmet Visits L’Express
David J. Birnbaum, djbpitt+xml@pitt.edu, 2006-08-09
If you are looking for L’Express, look down, since the signage for this Montreal take on the Parisian bistro is labeled not on the façade of the building, but only in the black and white tiles on the sidewalk in front of the door. Once you find your way inside, though, the decor, the service, and especially the food are all happily reminiscent of dining precisely in an upscale Parisian bistro, and only the lack of smoke (a recent government policy in Quebec province) betrays the fact that you are on this side of the pond.
L’Express boasts a long stainless steel bar opposite a mirrored wall, with deep red trim throughout and a louvered skylight in in the rear. Tablecloths and napkins are paper, tables and chairs are simple and comfortable, and despite the close placement of the many tables, and the fact that every seat fills by 9:30 in the evening, the room feels neither crowded nor noisy. The large picture window in front looks out on Rue Saint-Denis, but there are no bad seats, and our location alongside the condiment side table (see photo at right) reminded us that we were in an establishment that takes its food seriously.
The diner’s biggest risk once inside L’Express is failing to pay attention to the main course, not because it isn’t excellent, but because it can lose itself between the superstar appetizers and desserts. No matter how many times I return to L’Express, I always order the incomparable marrow bones (see photo at left). The four polished white towers, capped with tender-crisp cabbage lids, encase rich, silky marrow, set to a consistency just shy of melting, with a flavor that is simultaneously subtle and intense, and that is complemented perfectly by the accompanying coarse gray salt and crisp toasts. Another winning appetizer is the warm goat cheese salad, which consists of three rounds of mild but flavorful cheese set on toasts, and the creamy tang of the cheese both contrasts and harmonizes with the accompanying salad of arugula, frisée, belgian endive, and other greens. Our authentic French server warned us away from the sorrel soup, which he thought too sour, and in a restaurant that takes its food as seriously as L’Express, we were happy to trust his advice. Other promising appetizers include such old and familiar favorites as rillettes, celery root remoulade, and, of course, foie gras (which is becoming ever harder to find south of the border).
One of the pleasures of a restaurant that styles itself after a French bistro is renewing one’s acquaintance with French bistro food. The veal kidneys, accompanied by fried potatoes, are tender on the inside but with a satisfying gentle crunch, and although the creamy mustard sauce is a little too mild for our taste, L’Express knows how to cater to diner preferences, and provides a crock of dijon mustard and a mason jar of tiny and perfectly vinegary cornichons as condiments (see photo). Further evidence of this sensitivity to diner preferences is the restaurant’s suggestion that guests order their steak tartare mild, medium, or spicy, and we note with admiration that the mixed green salad on the side of this dish is constructed from completely different greens from those that accompany the goat cheese appetizer. When we failed to recognize all the components in the savory filling in the homemade ravioli, our server identified it as a complex yet harmonious combination of beef, veal, pork, ricotta, and spinach, sauced to advantage with a rich beef gravy and mushrooms.
With one exception, the cheese selection on a recent visit was simple and classic: Quebec cheddar, camembert, and roquefort. More unusual and very much worth a try was the fourth offering, the selles-sur-cher, a creamy unpasturized natural-rind goat’s cheese with a light ash coating, which is accompanied by walnuts in half shells (note to the management: a nut pick would have been welcome). In a restaurant so clearly in touch with its roots we hoped to find familiar and traditional profiteroles, but the tarte au chocolat, made with a luxurious ganache of 75% dark Tanzanian chocolate and dusted with a bitter powdered cocoa, fully satisfied our chocolate craving. Our waiter advised us to allow it to warm for a few minutes, which enhanced both the texture and the flavor. As good as these desserts are, though, the star of the menu is the luxurious Ile flottante (see photo at right), a large globe of ethereal meringue floating in a light custard and capped with a glistening, crackling dome of caramelized sugar glaze. Someone at your table needs to order this dish. And, of course, to share.
The wine list is, as one might expect, well endowed with French selections, but also broadly international and covering a wide range of prices, and the Château Grand Chambellan Lalande-de-Pomerol 1998 suggested by our waiter was a good match for our substantial main courses. With the dessert course we found that the recommended Sancerre contrasted crisply with the richness of the cheese, and the Graham’s 1998 crusted Port both merged with and stood up to the intensely rich chocolate. The staff is attentive and able to answer any question about the food, and a behind-the-scenes tour showed three chefs working very efficiently to keep the excellent kitchen in smooth operation.
Oh, and L’Express opens at 8:00 a.m. for breakfast, but that’s a topic for another day.

L’Express
3927 Rue Saint-Denis
Montreal, H2W2M4
514-845-5333