Working in the suburbs and the general nature of my actual profession limits my opportunities for a nice weekday lunch downtown. So many great options to enjoy if you have the chance. Last month, I had a random Friday off to enjoy downtown. Perfect chance to go out to lunch with my mother who works in town and have a nice lunch. Given the location of her work, I figured that Cafe Parvis would be worthwhile to try.
Located on Mayor street, just a quick walk over from Place des Spectacles, Cafe Parvis is from the same people who run Bar Furco just next door. Similar to its sister, Cafe Parvis certainly has a look to it. An interesting mixture of exposed concrete, brick and wood creates a very lived-in feel. The use of vines and plants all over the interior plus the huge windows create a warmth and relaxed atmosphere. Too bad it was a little too cool to enjoy the terrasse in the front.
Foodwise, Cafe Parvis is all about pizza and salads. My mother went for one of the salad. Beets, pears, arugula, noix de grenoble, goat cheese and a tarragon dressing. A very hearty portion – tons of ingredients and very flavourful. Nice mixture with the beets, the sweet pears, the rich goat cheese and that awesome tarragon dressing. My mother had just the salad and was quite full.
The pizzas are served by the slice. Similar approach as the salad – tons of ingredients and high on flavour. The key thing though is that crust. If that doesn’t hold up, it doesn’t matter. Thankfully, the crust here was on point. Closer to the “Al Taglio” style, the crust was thick with a nice crunch but still chewy. First up, I had the lamb, feta and tzatziki pizza. Great flavour to the lamb and with a big dollop of tzatziki right on top. Excellent.
Next was ricotta with spinach and roasted peppers. Great mixture of creamy rich ricotta and sweet peppers. Served almost as a sandwich means you get double the crunch compared to the other slices.
The final pizza I tried was the duck confit with potatoes, cheddar, garlic oil and rosemary. Very flavourful once again. Loved the fatty duck and how it mixed with the potato and the cheese. However, with the amount of potato on the pizza, it made the pizza much dryer since there is no sauce to speak of. I would have needed more cheese to offset.
Thankfully we got there just before noon because there was a lineup by the time we left. I understand why – excellent pizza, flavourful salads and a beautiful space to sit in as people seek a break from their workdays. Cafe Parvis certainly lived up to my hopes and made a beautiful Friday off that much more enjoyable. Anyone working nearby should certainly give it a look.
Cheers!
Cafe Parvis
433 Mayor
514 764 3589
Ramblings from the Complex Mind of a 30 Something 