Meet Basterd, Villeray’s Comforting New Day and Night Neighbourhood Spot

A new lunch, dinner, and brunch restaurant with has opened in Villeray, right across from Jarry Park.

The name — Basterd — might seem a little out-there, but it actually plays neatly into the restaurant’s plans.

“The name comes from category two vegetables, the ‘ugly’ ones,” says owner Marc Emanuele Martin.

“We really wanted to keep a certain edge to it — even if we could have gone with ‘Les Indésirables’ or something.”

Basterd is aiming to be eco-conscious in the food it uses, for one, by taking on those ugly fruits and vegetables that are still good quality (but just a little ugly-looking), and also by aiming to get local produce only from the nearby Jean-Talon market (as much as possible — not much is “seasonal” to ice-clad Montreal winter). To that end, the restaurant preserved some 600 pounds of tomatoes last fall, before vendors at the market switch over to using imported, non-seasonal ones. Shunning a large walk-in fridge, the restaurant will keep only a small inventory, to ensure quick turnover.

Behind the project is Martin (who brings previous experience at Le Boucan and Ferreira Café), and his co-owner Lucio Carlomusto, who owns Old Montreal’s Seasalt and Ceviche, which opened in 2016. In the kitchen they’re joined by Élyssa-Ann Tanguay (on pastry and the daytime menu) and sous-chef Benjamin Lebrun.

In terms of menu, Basterd is aiming to be somewhat of an all-rounder — lunch service will cater more to the office crowd in the area’s various loft buildings, then by night, there’s more of a condo crowd from developments on de Castelnau and Gary-Carter streets.

As a result, Martin says he aimed for a comforting but healthy menu, drawing on varied influences, and striking a balance between “masculine and feminine” — for example, a steak dish with horseradish sour cream gets lightened up with a celery salad and seared blood orange, while a vegan dish takes a heavier approach: mushrooms on toast are cooked in white wine and served with cashew cream.

By lunch, smaller, fusiony items like duck spring rolls and a fried chicken banh mi are also on offer.

On the bar side, Basterd will focus on more classic cocktails like Sazeracs, a daiquiri, and a Vieux Carré, leaning into Quebec-distilled liquors, and wines will skew natural, with a list put together by Charlotte Sauvé; coffee and non-alcoholic cocktails.

Basterd/Supplied

As for the space, it’s bright, with large street-facing windows — flowery wallpaper from Aurore Danielou is rather eye-catching. With design input from agency Folio, the design is a mix of sharply modern and DIY, with old tavern-style chairs sourced from a CEGEP, and tables with hand-made legs.

STATUS — Basterd is open at 260 Gary-Carter (across from Jarry Park) for lunch Tuesday to Friday from 11 a.m to 3 p.m., dinner Tuesday to Saturday from 5:30 to 11 p.m., and brunch Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Monday.

• Restaurant Basterd [Facebook]