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
Table 51 Restaurant and Bar made its debut at Carrefour Laval in 2010, branching out to add a Decarie location next to the old Blue Bonnets in 2019. Jimmy Kosmas and his wife, Vikki, are behind this successful operation.
I have been a regular at Decarie since it opened. In the summer of 2024, Jimmy renewed the restaurant’s lease at Carrefour Laval and decided it was time for a refresh. What was supposed to be a temporary closure lasted just over a year. “Once we got started, we made the decision to do a total gut job,” he explained. “It was important for us to incorporate trends, fashion and lifestyles. We really wanted to add to the experience. I think when we opened in 2010, we were ahead of our time. I can proudly say we are ahead of our time again.”
The refurbished Laval location is an absolute masterpiece. I could see that the moment I walked through the front door. It has 190 seats, an attractive bar and beautiful décor featuring artwork, greenery and customized carpeting. Even the washrooms are fashionable.
See my Instagram video chat with Jimmy
Jimmy made an important decision vis-à-vis his staff, retaining them all. They were assigned to the Decarie location, working three-day weeks and being paid for five. “When Laval reopened, we needed a seamless transition and it worked,” he said.
Jimmy and his brother George grew up working with their dad in a small family restaurant. In 1995, the trio steakembarked as partners on a Nickels Deli franchise on St. Hubert and Belanger. Three years later, they sold the place and opened a Baton Rouge in Galleries D’Anjou. That last 18 successful years. In 2010, the folks from Cadillac Fairview came knocking on their door. They wanted a unique concept restaurant at Carrefour Laval and they were certain that the Kosmas brothers could rise to the challenge. That they did! Table 51, with a casual chic North American fusion menu, was an instant hit. This is precisely the case today.
Where did the name of the restaurant come from? “Table 51 was the table number where I sat each day at Baton Rouge,” Jimmy said. “And it is the table number where I sit at Carrefour Laval and Rue des Jockeys. I am not the kind of guy who wants to sit in an office. I want to be right there with the clients.”
As for the conception of the menu, the brothers said they just wanted to make food fun again. “We came up with a menu where everything was created from scratch,” he explained. “The only things we have frozen are the shrimp and the ice cream.”
Jimmy salutes his wife, Vikki, who works hand in hand with him. Between the two locations, they tend to work seven days a week. The parents of two teenagers are devoted to their trade. “Vikki is a force in my business,” he says.
On the night we dined out in Laval, our server was ever so friendly Maro. It is nice to have someone who knows the menu by heart and has a good sense of humour. We started with some drinks, a blushing beauty mocktail for me (mango juice, raspberry syrup and egg white) for me and a Moscow Mule for her. The latter is a simple, classic cocktail made with vodka, spicy ginger beer, and fresh lime juice, served in a chilled copper mug to keep the drink cold.
As a starter, we had the double-wrapped lobster tacos. This is usually an order of three, but we added one so we could each enjoy a pair. The crispy taco shells featured the lobster with mango and sweet chili lime.
There was a special on this night, a porterhouse steak with mamma fries. While I usually go for their house staple, the braised beef, the steak was calling my name. It came on a cutting board, ordered medium rare. I promised myself I would only eat half, but it was so good I finished it all.
My dining partner had another favorite, the Club 51. It is a to-die-for roasted chicken, smokehouse bacon, tomato confit, green apples, Gruyère and basil mayo served on soft ciabatta bread. “This is the best club sandwich I have ever had,” she said.
There are so many other choices; some regulars go there twice a week. We also appreciate the take-out option. That became an important opportunity for us during the COVID-19 lockdown and they perfected the format.
Also worth noting are the salads, stuffed zucchini rolls, salmon tartar, the mini burger trio, grilled octopus, oven-roasted chicken, salmon, Korean short ribs, pasta and more. For dessert, we shared the decadent key lime pie. Their favorite, though, is the fried Oreos served with vanilla ice cream and the black forest brownies, served with ice cream and cherry coulis. The latter is a throwback to one of my favorite desserts anywhere. “Yes,” acknowledged Jimmy, “we are turning the clocks back a little with that one.”
Table 51 Restaurant and Bar is located at Carrefour Laval and 5475 Rue de Jockeys off Decarie. For more information and opening hours, please call 514-781-8851 for Laval or 514-316-5152 for Decarie. Log on to http://www.table51.com/en/ to see the full menu and opening hours.
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