L’Autre Version Serves Meticulous, Impeccable Plates in Old Montreal

Thanks to the talents of chef Samuel Sauvé-Lamothe and pastry chef Kevin Charland, Old Montreal's L'Autre Version wins over the critic for Le Devoir in a big way today. Jean-Philippe Tastet forms his opinion over the course of two visits, for lunch and for dinner, calling the restaurant a highlight of 2015 so far. In his appraisal of Sauvé-Lamothe's skills, honed, in part, at kitchen stints in Copenhagen, the critic brandishes some trademark snark: "Ça va sûrement plaire aux élites de chez nous qui ne jurent que par la Scandinavie et se pâment devant la première aiguille de sapin saupoudrée sur une assiette. Si le chef s’était appelé Ulf ou Søhren, c’eût été mieux, mais Samuel devrait faire l’affaire, on en trouve à Stockholm, Oslo et København."

In his summary of Sauvé-Lamothe's food, Tastet uses words like lumineux, méticuleux and irréprochables. There is forethought and a concerted effort to keep plates simple; from seabream with bergamot and dill oil to piglet with carrot juice and sea buckthorn. Desserts soar too—Charland is an artist, writes Tastet, with a bright future: "[C]e jeune pâtissier ira très loin et est déjà loin devant." There are a couple of negatives, however. The wine list could be more accessible and affordable, for one. Also, the critic is surprised by a lunch bill that comes in at $92 rather than the $30 tab he expected. Regardless, L'Autre Version gets a strong recommend from Le Devoir. Opportune, given that terrasse weather is here.