Le Pois Penché Continues to Gain Notice as One of Montreal’s Finest French Brasseries

Glenn J. Nashen: A new Vietnamese experience at Tran Cantine

When it comes to a Vietnamese dining-out experience in Montreal look no further than the Tran Family. Following up on our recent sensational night out at the newly launched Hang Bar in Old Montreal, Judy and I, along with our friends Dana and Jeff accepted an invitation to Marilyn Tran’s diner in St. Henri, aptly named Tran Cantine.

Review of Restaurant Hang: Glenn J. Nashen: Montreal’s Top-Notch Vietnamese Cuisine

What secret treasures await when a new restaurant opens? One can only imagine, until being lucky enough to be exposed to the sights, smells and tastes of Restaurant Hang. Such was the experience on a recent Thursday night when my wife and I made reservations at what has been billed as the “first haute cuisine Vietnamese restaurant” in Montreal. Sure, our city has plenty of upscale trendy places, but nothing quite like this new concept in Asian fine dining. It tantalized all of our senses, from the moment we walked through the doors and took in the sumptuous decor. Hang arrives as the newest restaurant in the renowned hospitality group JEGantic’s portfolio. Vietnamese cuisine will be elevated from its usual humble “mom and pop” eateries to a refined haute cuisine experience that celebrates the unique flavours of the Southeast Asian country. Montrealers will be fittingly welcomed to come “hang” and indulge in a culinary journey that reflects Vietnam’s rich heritage with an innovative spin on favourite dishes. We were greeted by Joyce Phanekham, the effervescent general manager, who was helpful and attentive to her guests throughout our two-and-a-half-hour dining experience. She promptly introduced us to one of the most personable restauranteurs we have yet to meet, Marylyn Tran. Marylyn teamed up with her husband Alain and the folks from JEGantic to create an experiential and uniquely Asian venue for traditional, authentic Vietnamese cuisine in a class of its own. And who better to know how to achieve this pinnacle other than the Tran family who already own several restaurants under the Tran Cantine banner? After all, Marylyn was raised in her parent’s kitchen where she acquired her unique taste, over at their St. Denis Street Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Tay Ho. The family started this business back in 1986 and it is still going strong. Indeed, the name Hang is a nod of appreciation to Marylyn’s mom. Marylyn grew up cherishing the culinary and cultural intricacies that captivated their family, friends and clientele and eventually branched out, opening her own chain of traditional Vietnamese restos. Located between Griffintown and Old Montreal, Hang will surely attract the young in-crowd, as well as tourists seeking a memorable night out on the town. Marylyn introduced us to her right-hand man, Marco, a knowledgeable and experienced server and cook who took care of us for our date-night. He described in great detail each dish served, with ease and familiarity as though he himself was the chef. We started out with, what else, Pho Wagyu Consommé, a classic noodle soup that Hang has enhanced with its elaborate preparation: 14 hours of cooking over at Tran Cantine. It had many delicate ingredients including Wagyu beef and fresh rice noodles. The aroma of truffle alone made this a mouth-watering winning choice. Judy’s Franco-Viet Salmon Tartare tasted “like the ocean.” This dish of salmon was served with old-fashioned mustard, crispy rice, shallots, green onions and long red peppers. My Five-Spiced Buttered Scalloped – Ngo Vi Houng consisted of three pan-fried scallops each nestled in its own Asian soup spoon and bathed in secret fish sauce. They were garnished with crushed nuts and a hint of lemon making them simply perfect. Judy enjoyed her main course of Vegan Red Curry, a locally sourced seasonal vegetable medley stewed in red curry paste, coconut milk, palm sugar and julienned taro. I literally licked my fingers while eating a homemade order of Banh Mi Foie Gras. Imagine pan-seared foie gras, caramelized onions, pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber, coriander, and homemade mayo with Hang special sauce on a soft baguette, an ode to Alain’s native city of Paris. It was served on a large banana leaf, and the garnish on all their plates was a work of art. So too was the elegantly designed cutlery. Joyce describes Hang as a chill environment to linger, drink, talk and share delicious dishes among friends. All the staff were extremely personable, friendly and helpful. The decor features exotic nature elements that mimic the dense greenery of Da Nang’s jungle. The soaring ceilings, leafy chandeliers and striking wood columns add an impressive grandeur to the place. There was a great vibe throughout our evening with lots of smiling, happy young patrons. Indeed, owing to the immersive bar environment diners must be 18 or older at Hang. Finally, our dessert was served. Gateau au Pandan was quite distinct and attractive but we both decided that the Creamy Coconut Flan with Banana was the clear winner. Hang has a flair for mixology. From our opening round of shots to our cocktails, and mocktails and ending with a Vietnamese Coffee Martini, they are pros at presentation, taste and hospitality. Marylyn and her crew may be new to the high-end market but the high-end market is also new to Vietnamese cuisine. They are truly passionate about their mission and are on a winning track. Our experience was delightful and our evening was enriched by their warm and hospitable demeanour. We felt like we were hanging out (no pun intended) with friends and family around an exquisitely prepared table of outstanding cultural cuisine. Who could ask for more? Hang is poised to become Montreal’s new must-visit dining destination. It is located at 686 Notre Dame Ouest in Old Montreal, Tuesdays to Saturdays from 5:00 p.m. Visit hangbar.ca or call 514 910-2227.

Glenn J. Nashen’s Five Alarm Culinary Adventure at Sushi Taxi

Not even a major shutdown of Notre Dame Street in Little Burgundy could keep us away from a gastronomic luxury take-out of sushi and Asian fusion at Sushi Taxi. No exaggeration! The fire department literally closed down the street for an emergency. However, the conscientious staff called to say, ‘stand by’. As soon as the ‘all clear’ sounded we headed into the bistro-chique locale.

Glenn J. Nashen discovers more than a good dinner at Casa Grecque in Chomedey

I was looking for a tasty, family-friendly take-out dinner and Casa Grecque in Chomedey was my next pick. My family and I love plentiful Greek salads and tangy appetizers, particularly during long, cold Quebec winters when delicious, plump red tomatoes are not in abundance. What I found at this spacious, well-decorated restaurant in Chomedey at the corner of St. Martin Blvd. and Daniel-Johnson Blvd. was far more than I could have imagined.

Nashen does Take-Out: Bistro Amerigo still heating up on Monkland

Bistro Amerigo may be a relatively small eatery, but during the pandemic lockdown the well-known West-End restaurant is doing large scale take-out and delivery. I last reported on Amerigo some two-and-a-half years ago and have returned numerous times with friends and family since then. The local “Garde Manger Italien” (or kitchen pantry) has maintained its flair for fine authentic dishes at reasonable prices, not far from home.

Glenn J. Nashen grabs a kosher slice at PizzaPita Prime

PizzaPita has been going strong in the Snowdon area for more than 30 years. With their recent move across Decarie Boulevard to the former Pizza Hut location in front of Decarie Square, at the corner of Decarie and Vezina, they have a prime spot to garner the attention of thousands of commuters, shoppers and locals each and every day. Hence they’ve rebranded PizzaPita to PizzaPita Prime.

Mike Cohen

Mike Cohen, born and raised in Côte Saint-Luc, has long been active in the community as a volunteer, journalist, and consultant. He profiles restaurants in Montreal and beyond.

mikecohen.ca and @mikecohencsl

Le Pois Penché has steadily earned a reputation as one of the city’s standout French brasseries, thanks in large part to the vision and passion of its owner, Imad Nabwani.

Nabwani’s fascination with the hospitality industry began at a young age while growing up in Syria. That early interest led him to formal training in hotel and culinary management, graduating in Hospitality Studies from the prestigious École Hôtelière de Lausanne, followed by the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ).

As vice-president of the renowned Queue de Cheval Group, Nabwani oversaw some of Montreal’s highest-grossing restaurants, including La Queue de Cheval, Trinity, and 40Westt. In 2011, he purchased Le Pois Penché, which has since grown steadily into one of the city’s most popular Parisian-style brasseries.

“Our dishes are familiar yet distinctively original,” Nabwani told me during an interview a few days after my first-ever dining experience at the restaurant. “Our warm hospitality will immediately make you feel like family. This restaurant is the realization of a dream I’ve cherished since I fell in love with French gastronomy and wine as a young man working hotel jobs in Paris. I was 17 at the time, and I promised myself I would one day own a French brasserie. It remains my daily aspiration to share the food pleasures I discovered in the City of Lights, infused with the multicultural spirit of Montreal.”

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Located downtown on De Maisonneuve Boulevard at the corner of Drummond Street, Le Pois Penché offers 120 seats, a private room that accommodates up to 80 guests, and a seasonal terrace for 60. The restaurant is open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.

As part of Montréal en Lumière, Le Pois Penché will present a “Vintage Chic” brunch inspired by Parisian cafés of the 1960s and 1970s, blended with Montreal flair. The menu will feature main courses, desserts, and cocktails evocative of the era. Chef Josserand Valiquette and his team will welcome guests on Sunday, March 1, starting at 10:30 a.m.—an experience I hope to enjoy soon.

Le Pois Penché specializes in French comfort food classics with Montreal accents, including seafood platters, steak frites, onion soup, duck confit, and brunch favorites.

For dinner, we began with cocktails, followed by a tray of a dozen freshly shucked oysters and a half lobster served in the shell. The main courses featured Alberta lamb sirloin with gratin dauphinois potatoes for me, while my dining partner enjoyed duck confit accompanied by fingerling potatoes, Brussels sprouts, smoked duck lardons, and peppercorn sauce.

We saved room for dessert, indulging in crème brûlée, profiteroles, and ice cream.

The menu offers many other tempting options, including fresh fish, homemade rigatoni with tiger shrimp, lobster bisque, salmon tartare, beef tartare, and more.

I also had the pleasure of meeting Fede Sanchez, who handles communications for the restaurant. He proudly shared that Le Pois Penché has increased sales by more than 200 percent since Nabwani acquired it.

Hospitality, Nabwani says, remains one of the restaurant’s core pillars. “How we make our guests feel is our number-one competitive advantage,” he insists.

More recently, Le Pois Penché expanded its offerings with a French-style catering service, handling everything from intimate private receptions to large-scale corporate events. During my visit, I met general manager Mehdi, who arrived directly from Paris, as well as Clément, one of the restaurant’s most praised servers. Guests frequently single out his gracious service—and that of the entire team—in online reviews.

Nabwani is well aware of the challenges of the restaurant business. “To survive ten years is already a success—and we’ve surpassed that,” he says. “We continue to do better.”

Le Pois Penché is located at 1230 De Maisonneuve Blvd. West. Hours are Monday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Tuesday to Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., with dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, visit lepoispenche.com or call (514) 667-5050.

Le Pois Penché Continues to Gain Notice as One of Montreal’s Finest French Brasseries

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