Casual French Bistro Coeur de Loup is Set to Open in La-Petite-Patrie This Month

The owners of Plateau fine-dining spot Le Chasse-Gallerie are preparing to open a casual french bistro in La-Petite-Patrie within the month.

Partner Vianney Godbout (who co-owns the venue with Carl Gaulthier, also of Le Chasse-Gallerie, and two new owners, Nicolas Corneli and Hudrick Durand) told Montreal Eater Monday that Coeur de Loup is “ready and just waiting to feed people,” but facing delays with acquiring a liquor license. He estimates that this final step should be completed within the month, at which point the Bélanger Street venue will open to the public.

While Le Chasse-Gallerie is more oriented toward fine dining, Godbout hopes Coeur de Loup will be far more casual, a homey bistro for late-night wanderers and fellow members of the service industry.

He came upon the idea to do a casual spot after frequenting Montreal’s late-night restaurants, like the Plateau’s L’Express, after his shifts at Le Chasse-Gallerie. He hopes the restaurant, which will remain open on Sundays and Mondays, when many other spots are closed, will be a haven for fellow members of the restaurant industry.

“I found myself going after service to the same spots,” Godbout said. “I wanted to do something more approachable and a bit more bistro.”

Straying away from the tasting menu format of Le Chasse-Gallerie, the menu at Coeur de Loup is made up of à la carte items and sharing plates. Each dish is an adventurous spin on a classic french bistro item; those who are really adventurous might enjoy the peanut butter and jelly foie gras parfait or the caesar beef tartare.

As is the case with Le Chasse-Gallerie, Godbout plans to source all ingredients from local Quebec farmers, a step he sees as important in giving back to other small businesses.

“It’s just a little bit more work because on my free time, I do have to spend a whole day going to farms to pick up the produce,” Godbout said. “But it’s not more expensive. We know exactly the produce we’re working with, where they come from, what happened, you know who you’re helping.”

Godbout sees the farm-to-table bistro menu at Coeur de Loup as “joyful,” and hopes the atmosphere in the restaurant will match.

“This restaurant, seriously, to me, it’s like a party,” Godbout said. “I want it to be playful and as fun as possible.”

STATUS: Coeur de Loup is set to open in late May or early June. It will be open from Thursday to Monday, 5 p.m. to 12 a.m.

• A Hearty Québécois Bouchon Is Headed to Petite-Patrie [EMTL]
• All Le Chasse-Gallerie coverage [EMTL]
• Coeur de Loup [Official]