A Classy-Moroccan Influenced Bistro Arrives on Beaubien — and Other Openings

PETITE-PATRIE — New bistro Darna Bistroquet has opened on Beaubien at Christoph-Colomb. With two Moroccan-Canadian principals behind it (one of which has substantial experience at Ferreira Café). Deemed “charming” in La Presse, it’s a casual-yet-refined spot with more than a few touches from North African cuisine, with menu items including a confit lemon chicken tagine, grilled haloumi with mint and cumin, and kefta skewers. It’s not strictly Moroccan, but generally centres around Mediterranean flavours. There’s also cocktails that fit neatly with the approach (fig margarita, anyone?), and natural wines.

OUTREMONT — Outremont has a Thai restaurant back in its repertoire, with the recent opening of Tham Ma Da on Bernard. Run by chef-owner Chitakone Phommavongxay, share plates make up much of the menu, and there’s a focus on street food with items like papaya salads, tamarind chicken wings, as well as northern Thai-style khao soi gai, a curry noodle dish.

DOWNTOWN — A sort-of hummus-centric fast casual restaurant has arrived on Guy Street just north of de Maisonneuve. Humus Bol is the name, and while it’s not quite as laser-focused on puréed chickpeas as Montreal’s lone hummus bar Birona, it boasts various bowls loaded with beet, spinach, or classic hummus (or its eggplant sibling, baba ghanouj), rice, falafel, and more.

Ichiraku Kawaki/Facebook

GRIFFINTOWN — Sushi is the name of the game at Ann Street newcomer Ichiraku Kawaki — and so is ramen, and chirashi bowls, and poke, and donburi. So really, it’s quite the Japanese all-rounder.

SHAUGHNESSY VILLAGE — Sainte-Catherine Street newcomer La Maison du Nord-Ouest is now open, specializing in Chinese noodle soups at affordable prices (mostly around $10 to $12). Different options are served with rice or potato starch noodles, and spicy chicken, beef brisket, seafood, and more. (Despite the name implying north-western Chinese cuisine, the menu also leans towards Sichuan food, from the country’s south-west.)

OLD MONTREAL — There’s a new “upscale” burger counter on St-Laurent at Notre-Dame — Saint Burger is fresh to the corner, and its schtick is that it’s open 24 hours for the bar and club crowd.

PETITE-PATRIE — A new option for Neapolitan-style pizza has landed on Bélanger: Bistro Napoli is cooking up classics like margherita or sausage-fior di latte pizzas.

Station Verte/Facebook

LITTLE ITALY — Way further up St-Laurent, a new salad purveyor has opened near the corner of Beaubien. The name is Station Verte, and fancy salads are the centrepiece of the menu, with options like a kale Caesar with prosciutto or “Cobbécoise”, an earthier take on the classic Cobb salad. There’s also poke bowls and a couple of soups.

• Un «bistroquet» comme à la maison [La Presse]
• Thammada: convivialité thaïlandaise sur l’avenue Bernard [Tastet]