Maïs is Bringing Back Pop-Up Wine Bar Parasol This Summer — And Other News

MILE END — St-Laurent taqueria Maïs tried out a summery pop-up wine bar and restaurant named Parasol last year in their airy, alleyway-facing private dining room, and did well enough to bring it back for summer 2017. In place of Maïs’ menu, Parasol will do more vegetable and seafood-oriented dishes cooked on charcoal to fit the beachy setting. Wines are on the natural side, and a small cocktail list will be put together by bartender Bradley Langdon. It’ll be open Thursday to Monday from 5 to 11 p.m. beginning June 22 — reservations accepted via email. In other Maïs news, the restaurant has beefed up its hours — they now do lunch and afternoons from Tuesday to Friday, as well as Monday nights from 5 to 11 p.m.

GRIFFINTOWN — Coffee spot Kitsuné has changed hands, changed names, and is taking more of a mixed bar-plus-coffee approach to business. New owners Kimberly Houston and Darien Pons have dubbed it Café Buvette Chez Ann as of this month, and kicked the rebrand off with a cocktail and food truck event, attended by the Dim Sum truck.

MILE END — There has been a change of hands at soigné tavern Wilfred sur Laurier — chef Michel Ross, who impressed various diners upon opening in 2014, has left the restaurant to get into teaching. His role is taken over by the duo of Daniel Dreisziger (who was already at Wilfrid, but has prior experience at now-closed St-Denis French spot Au Cinquième Péché), and Sophie Veronneau, who appeared briefly on season 3 of Radio-Canada culinary competition Les Chefs.

ST-HENRI — Pandan, the Thai rolled ice cream spot that opened last year, has moved from its St-Jacques location for this year’s scooping season. It’s now located on St-Henri’s main commercial strip, at 3504 Notre-Dame West.

AHUNTSIC — Do you like your artisanal meats served with booze? Then you’re in luck as Fleury West charcuterie-and-more counter Ça Va Barder have acquired an alcohol permit — no word yet on what they’ll do with it, but presumably it involves serving some combination of beer, wine, and/or liquor.

PLATEAU — Bright and eclectically-decorated Laurier East Mexican restaurant El Zaziummm has had a small makeover to celebrate 25 years in business, courtesy of new-ish owners Élody Bachoffner (Abreuvoir) and Alexandre Proulx (Quai No. 4).

El Zaziummm

El Zaziummm

ALL OVER — Online restaurant reservation service OpenTable loves making top 100 lists, and they’ve compiled the 100 best outdoor dining restaurants in Canada for this summer according to their own ratings. Eight are around Montreal, including Hoogan et Beaufort and Maison Boulud — but it should be noted that only restaurants who use OpenTable (a paid service) would be included on this list — in Montreal, that leaves plenty of restaurants out.

• All Maïs coverage [EMTL]
• All Wilfrid sur Laurier coverage [EMTL]
• Ça Va Barder!, a New Meat Shop and Lunch Counter on Fleury [EMTL]