Back From Van Horne Hiatus, Chef Eloi Dion Delivers Small Plates Menu at Mimi la Nuit

An exclusive look at what to expect from the new Old Montreal restaurant.

by Ian Harrison Dec 8, 2014, 11:25am EST

Via Mimi la Nuit [Official Page] and All Opening Alerts [EMTL]

Mimi la Nuit, the "petite boîte de nuit" from architect Michel Lemieux, Edward Zaki (Chez Victoire, BarBounya) and Simple Plan member Jeff Stinco (Mangiafoco, Le Shinji, Laurea, Lorbeer, Drinkerie), is now open in Old Montreal (seven days a week, 4:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.).

Formidable partners aside, the big news is in the kitchen. Chef Eloi Dion, who won raves at Van Horne in Outremont, is back. Management describes Dion's cuisine at Mimi la Nuit as "décoiffée."

Have a look at the small plates-driven menu, the restaurant's official PR spiel and a photo gallery of the interior by Eater photographer Randall Brodeur.

MIMI LA NUIT OPENS IN OLD MONTRÉAL

Montreal, December 5, 2014 – Starting tonight, a small yet extravagant nightclub in Old Montreal will welcome gourmets, wine lovers and night owls. Created by Jeff Stinco and Edward Zaki, Mimi la Nuit will offer a warm welcome to patrons every day of the week, from 4 PM to 3 AM.Located on the former premises of the Catholic Sailor’s Club – a mariner’s house created in 1893 to calm the eagerness of sailors on stopover in Montreal – this neighborhood bar designed by La Firme (Quai no4, Huis Clos, Manitoba) is a subtle wink to its stormy past. Noble and industrial materials sit well together in the three dynamic and intimate spaces created by the building’s ancient stone walls.

FOOD AND DRINK

Chef Eloi Dion’s meticulous craft (Club 357C, Van Horne) is inspired by the cozy atmosphere of this neighborhood bar. The menu is an array of small tossed dishes that make sharing a must, and the open kitchen is an open invitation to dip right into the action.The venue’s spirit is reflected in its neat wine list developed by Sindie Goineau as well as in the signature cocktail menu created by David Schmidt.

BUT WHO IS MIMI?

Mimi La Nuit is a strong, liberated woman who is the living legacy of 22 Saint-Paul Street, a place where Montrealers have been celebrating their city’s nightlife for decades. Madame la Nuit likes good food, great wine, and can often be spotted well into the early hours of the morning surrounded by close friends. She also loves Champagne, so if you see her, offer her glass… she just might tell you all there is to know about these old walls.