The West Island Has Its First Peruvian Restaurant, Complete With Ceviche

DOLLARD-DES-ORMEAUX — The West Island’s first Peruvian restaurant has arrived: Passion Ceviche is now open in DDO’s Marché de l’Ouest. Expect a tight menu of staples from the South American country — as the name suggests, ceviche figures prominently, with three options that incorporate an array of citrus, seafood, sweet potato, plantain, and more. Other staples from Lima include lomo saltado, a Chinese-Peruvian fusion dish of sautéed beef, and ají de gallina, with chicken in a yellow pepper sauce. A couple of house-made drinks are offered too, including chicha morada, a refreshing sweet drink with a purple corn base.

Passion Ceviche/Supplied

The counter service spot is headed up by chef Jose Maravi, who brings substantial experience from Lima — he’s focusing on carefully-crafted, home-style food. Due to its market location, Passion Ceviche is mostly a daytime spot (although it’s open to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday evenings) — Maravi does have a longer-term goal to open up a larger restaurant with alcohol service and more.

POINTE-CLAIRE — Also out west, Toronto noodle import Kinton Ramen is now open in Pointe-Claire as of February 29 — find it at the corner of Brunswick and Saint-Jean boulevards. The purveyor of porky Japanese broth has been in expansion mode in Quebec since 2018 — this is its second suburban location (following Laval), and there’s a bunch more located in Montreal proper, mostly around the downtown area.

Les Dés Branchés/Facebook

ROSEMONT — Masson Street has a new option for beer, snacks, and over 250 board games, with Les Dés Branchés now open on the promenade at 8e Avenue. Beyond the games, expect tapas-esque food options rather than your standard fried bar fare — the menu features tartare, octopus, and a few bigger plates too, in a bright space with a charming checkered floor.

GRIFFINTOWN — A promising new option for wine aficionados just opened on William Street. Vendetta Vin et Canapés is serving exactly what the name suggests — for wine, the focus is on natural wines, with a strong list offering a rather eclectic selection (unfiltered Japanese imports, anybody?).

Giulietta/Supplied

PARC-EXTENSION — Yes, it’s not quite Parc-Ex but anyway: Neapolitan pizza spot Giulietta is now open at Marché Centrale. As previously reported, it’s owned by the Guzzo family alongside Francis Rodrigue (of Old Montreal’s Jellyfish), who already opened one restaurant under the same name in St-Léonard back in 2018. It’s paired with the Guzzo cinema in the shopping complex (but is open to everybody, not just cinema ticket-holders) and should be a cut above the other mostly-fast food options at Marché Central. The Guzzos appear to be turning Giulietta into a small chain operation — locations are also in the works for Dollard and Terrebonne.

• Kinton Is Now Serving Triple the Ramen in Montreal [EMTL]
• Les Dés Branchés: un nouveau resto-bar de jeux de société à Rosemont [Montreal.tv]
• Un tout nouveau bar à vin et canapés vient d’ouvrir ses portes dans Griffintown [Silo 57]
• Guzzo Cinemas Is Expanding Its Pizzeria Project Into Montreal [EMTL]