Critics Love Le Pink Flamingo, L’Express, and Larry’s

OLD MONTREAL — Thierry Daraize is positively excited about The Pink Flamingo. A facelift and sweeping menu changes have transformed the former Harlow into the ultimate supper club with "sexy" feminine decor. The critic enjoys the vegetable dishes — ven if they lacked some seasoning — while his T-bone accompanied with chimichurri sauce was a hit. Slight nuances with presentation were a concern, but the quality of the meal prevailed for a "charming" experience. [Journal de Montreal]

MILE END - Lesley Chesterman finally makes her way over to the recently reviewed Larry’s, a wine bar meets restaurant meets butcher shop. Chesterman doesn’t glow over the wine selection but the food grabs her: "From the moment that first slice of cucumber hit my tongue, I knew this meal would be a hit." The terrine makes her salivate, the grilled trout is "sinful," and only a bowl of pork ribs offers real disappointment. All told, the small plates at Larry’s set it among the city’s best wine bars a.k.a. "one of the highlights of my summer." Three stars. (The Gazette)

PLATEAU MONT-ROYAL — La Presse’s back-to-the-future summer tour continues with Marie-Claude Lortie returning to a classic in l’Express. Despite the construction horrors that lay outside its doors on St-Denis Street, the 36-year-old bistro has navigated changing times and trends with "elegance." There are nothing but kudos for chef Jean-Francois Vachon, whose "transition" into this kitchen has been so smooth he leaves no trace on the timeless menu. Lortie is taken with the small touches, while the restaurant’s signature bone marrow dish is "rich and divine," the calf liver with tarragon is a discovery waiting to happen, and the baba at dessert is "impeccable." Will Lortie return? "Obviously." [La Presse]