There’s a shiny new dining spot in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, as three former staff from downtown stalwart Bouillon Bilk open Hélicoptère today (July 4).
The restaurant, located on Ontario East, is bringing some heatwave-friendly fare for its debut — for example, halibut gravlax with almonds and cherries, a ricotta-tomato dish with the intriguing twist of kombucha, and zucchini with a North African spice blend, burrata, and citrussy tagette, to name a few. The menu leans towards smaller plates, with a handful of bigger options including sea bass and veal dishes.
As Eater reported in the spring, chef/co-owner David Ollu’s menu will be somewhat seasonal, and drawing influence from a range of cuisines without firmly putting itself into any one camp. With the presence of tortellini, cavatelli, and nduja, there’s certainly a marked Italian presence, yet items like a challah dish with fresh cheese and shishito peppers draws from all over.
Ollu and his team of Mélodie Perez-Mousseau and Youri Bussières-Fournel told Eater that the aim is definitely not to replicate Bouillon Bilk or its sibling restaurant Cadet — indeed, the restaurant seems to lean a little more casual than its owners previous job — a promising neighbourhood restaurant, to be sure.
Beyond food, Hélicoptère should have promising wine and dessert programs: Bussières-Fournel brings sommelier skills to the table, while Perez-Mousseau is a pastry chef. Perez-Mousseau has already been in action for several weeks now — Hélicoptère has a next-door cafe, Hélico, which opened in May as a daytime-only operation focused on coffee, pastries, sandwiches, and other lunch fare. It also does weekend brunch, although it appears Hélicoptère will be absorbing that service.
STATUS — Hélicoptère is open at 4255 Ontario E from 5:30 to 11 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday for brunch; Café Hélico is open from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.