Mile End’s Le Pier 66 Closes Briefly After Owner Dies — And Other Shutters

MILE END — Tragedy at Bernard Street seafood restaurant Le Pier 66 as co-owner Pierre Jean died last week at the age of 53. Jean opened Le Pier 66 in early 2016 with two colleagues, Jessie Lassonde and Marc-André Lavergne from the former L’Autre Version in Old Montreal. In a Facebook post on the restaurant’s page last week, it was noted that Pier 66 would be closed out of respect for Jean’s family and friends, but it’s definitely not the end for the restaurant. “The team wants to keep his memory alive, and honour his commitment to the restaurant and to making his dreams come true. For that reason, we will welcome customers again from Tuesday 31 October.” La Presse has a full obituary.

MILE END — Just steps away, sushi restaurant Kazuma is also closed, but this one looks a little more permanent: the premises on the corner of Bernard and Hutchison are fully papered over, although with no public acknowledgement of the closure. Kazuma was only in the space for a little over a year, although the sizable venue with its large, aesthetically-pleasing fish tank has been a long-time sushi restaurant (it was previously named Maiko, and switched names following an ownership change in 2016).

OUTREMONT — Another shut-down, just around the corner: after six years, Lajoie Avenue Thai restaurant Galanga shut its doors. A note on the door states that with an impending lease renewal, Galanga’s owners decided it was time to call it quits; speaking to Le Journal d’Outremont, co-owner Claude Tremblay says he’s satisfied with what Galanga did, but also adds that rising costs and the generally hefty time commitment contributed to the decision. Too bad, since Galanga was a solid spot for Thai food that went beyond the straight-up curries and pad thais.

Seen any bankruptcy notices or papered-over windows in your neighbourhood? Tell us about it.

• Le Pier 66 Makes a Big Splash on Bernard With Fish and Seafood Galore [EMTL]
• Nécrologies [La Presse]