“Imaginary” Europea – Montreal

This is the first post of it's kind. I did not eat at this restaurant. Although a very trusted source almost pushed me to the break of insanity last night. I think it's pay-back for all the torture I've put him through with my mouthwatering meals over the past year.

As I lay on the couch eating my popcorn last night, a series of emails came through that made me wish so badly that I was somewhere else. That place was Europea. I've never been to this restaurant, but my colleague Jean-Marc has never stopped raving about it. He and his wife go every time they're in Montreal. Since he has only guided me in the best direction in terms of wine, I trust his taste in food matches mine to a t. Which is why i'm going to share with everyone, the torture I suffered last night. I won't rate the restaurant, since I haven't actually eaten the food, but I will depict each plate as JM did throughout the evening.

It started with a series of amuse-bouche. Coconut shrimp in coconut milk. Goat cheese and parmesan lollipops with purple basil. Followed by a mise en bouche of lobster cream cappuccino with truffle shavings.

Two additional amuse-bouche were thrown in as a surprise, a trilogy of melon (cute little squares that would have taken a rookie chef about an hour to cut) served on oriental soup spoons with a sauce that JM didn't pay attention to as they described it because he was in too much awe by the visual of the treats in front of him.

Appetizer of seared and smoked salmon, celeriac and crab salad, granny smith apple caviar - oh my! Scallops and veal sweetbreads. Parsnip and bok-choy cabbage with wine reduction.

For the main, fresh ravioli with ricotta and shiitake mushrooms, porcini emulsion, grilled portobello, alba truffle sauce and roasted scallops with Blanche de Chambly beer beurre blanc emulsion, barley risotto, rice lettuce espuma.

Wine – Anvers Shiraz from Australia.

All this was followed by a wave of 2 desserts. The first one being a baignet, crême brulé, coconut mousse with passionfruit. Second was an assortment of bite size pastries that were so incredible, he had to put his blackberry away because the keyboard was getting wet.

Final dessert (as if the others weren't enough) – freshly spun cotton candy and madeleines. The cookies were just out of the oven. Oh, and another surprise, home made smore ice cream bar.

Insane. The table d'hôte is 56.50 per person. JM would pay twice that for the experience he had. The wine was $70 (probably $30 in the liquor store). Service is the best of anywhere he's eaten. And if all this wasn't enough, with the bill comes a nice bag that has a homemade loaf of zucchini bread to take home.

Reservations: 514-398-9229
www.europea.com

Thanks Jean-Marc, thanks a lot. I hate you.