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Possibly the most shimmering vegan-vegetarian restaurant you ever did see is arriving in Old Montreal tomorrow. The name is LOV (standing for Local, Organic, Vegetarian) and it comes from Dominic Bujold, the man behind Pizzeria No. 900, the success which has now expanded all over Montreal.
The very bright and airy spot on McGill Street seems to be styling itself as an all-purpose vegetarian eating spot — it’ll be open up to three meals a day (see the exact hours below, and each of the three menus comes from chef Stéphanie Audet, previously of Crudessence. The menu is about 90 percent vegan, and unlike Crudessence, definitely not all raw. While the “botanical” inspiration for the menu will appeal to the hardcore clean eating crowd (see: açai bowls at breakfast, quinoa crackers on the snack menu), the overall vibe of the menu is that it’ll please crowds who may be a touch nervous about any food with the descriptor “vegan” applied.
Drinks-wise, LOV’s upscale aspirations are clear — Steve Beauséjour of wine agency Rézin (the man behind Chez Lavigne’s adventurous living wine list) put together an all-natural wine list, and cocktails from Romain Cavalier fit definitively with the botanical theme — light, herby and with liquor from relatively small-batch producers; a decidedly Smirnoff-free zone.
And as for the design — the photos below do the talking, but it’s both shiny and modern, with earthy touches in the form of terrariums and textiles.
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Patricia Brochu
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Patricia Brochu
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Patricia Brochu
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Patricia Brochu
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Patricia Brochu
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Patricia Brochu
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Patricia Brochu
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Patricia Brochu
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Patricia Brochu
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Patricia Brochu
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Patricia Brochu
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Patricia Brochu
STATUS — LOV opens Friday, December 2 at 464 McGill Street. It’s open from 7:30 a.m. weekdays until 3 p.m. Monday, 9 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, and 11 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and open Saturday from 11:30 a.m. until 11 p.m.