On a recent Sunday, I headed down by the Atwater Market to finally check out a brunch spot I had on my list for a few months now – EVOO Cuisine Soignée. This contemporary and stylish looking restaurant does a brunch service on weekends. The menu is relatively small but provides much variety outside of the usual fare you can get from many brunch locations.
As a starter, my friend and I ordered a side of housemade Nutella or NutellOO with some toasts. This was quite a treat and an excellent way to start the meal. Perfectly smooth texture with a wonderfully strong chocolate taste that just screams out “we melted down actually chocolate for this”. The hazelnut note was less than normal Nutella but still very present. Very well done.
Next up, we ordered a side of the Ricotta fritters. They came in 3 varieties – fennel, coriander and a third one which I forgot actually. All three were quite good although I really didn’t pick up any hint of coriander in that one. A dense yet fluffy interior with a crisp exterior, the ricotta comes through with the richness of each fritter. The sugar and the pastry cream added the appropriate sweetness.
As a main, my friend ordered the baked potato with spicy salsa verde. Right off the bat, this thing was a monster. A ridiculously huge plate that my friend couldn’t finish and even with my help, there were remnants. When even the waitress notes picking up the plates that most people don’t finish it, you know you are dealing with a big dish. The dish works pretty well – the combination of the poached egg, the creme fraiche and cheese with the actual potato creates a nice richness and creaminess. The smoked bacon adds a little crunch and the salsa verde, while not as spicy as it was implied by our waitress, added a very nice kick to the dish. Definitely something I never would have expected for brunch.
On my end, I ordered the sausage roll with spicy red cabbage and mint compote. The roll was a large whole sausage with caramelized onions wrapped in puff pastry. Very good although I must admit that I had expected the interior to be a sausage and onion filling. Because the sausage was whole, as soon as you cut it, the pastry just fell off the sausage. A pretty minor issue in reality. The red cabbage added some texture and bite to the dish all while giving that little hint of spice. The mint compote was nice and light – the perfect way to cleanse the palette as you went about your meal.
This was a very nice experience from beginning to end. The service was friendly and attentive all while being timely. The variety of the menu is a nice plus for them – very creative options for people who want something else out of their brunch. I truly looked forward to coming back at some point for their dinner service.
Cheers!
EVOO Cuisine Soignée
3426 Notre-Dame Ouest
514 846 3886
Ramblings from the Complex Mind of a 30 Something 
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