It is no easy feat to narrow down all restaurant options in Montreal to just one, especially if you suffer from FOMO as severe as mine. We were only in town for one night, and of course I did a dizzying amount of research to identify the spots that appeared to meet the criteria we were looking for. I thought I had come close to making a decision when I noticed that every single place I was considered was closed on Sundays. Though initially disappointing, this made the deliberation process a whole lot easier, ultimately leading us to make a reservation at Cadet. What followed was a dining experience that was exceptional in all areas -- great service, refined cocktails, an impressive wine list, and food that was creative, flavorful, and flawlessly executed. Easy to see why it received a Michelin Bib Gourmand designation this year!
We arrived Cadet at around 8:30pm on a Sunday night. It was packed, and I initially suspected that this was because it was one of the few places open. I am less sure of this in hindsight, because Cadet is a formidable dining destination regardless of how many other restaurants it has to compete with. In any case, the busyness made for a lively atmosphere.
For drinks, we started off with a round of cocktails, of which Cadet has both signatures and classics. One of my very favorite classic cocktails is the Bijou, so I was thrilled to see it featured as one of the classic options on this menu. I'm not sure if was the specs or ingredients used, but this was easily one of the best Bijou iterations I've ever had. My partner, who enjoys them too, concurred that it was excellent. We then shifted to wine, as I had read great things beforehand about the wine program here. This is niche, but I was also thrilled to see that Cadet listed not one but TWO different Furmints in its selection of white wines by the glass. Furmint, a Hungarian grape variety, is one of my very favorite wines, yet many people have never heard of it. Our server (who was awesome throughout, shoutout to her) offered me a taste of both, and while both were excellent, I went with the blend because it had a bit more character, which was what I was looking for. My partner tried the one orange wine offered by the glass, which was also great.
Food-wise, Cadet offers a tapas-style menu, in that all plates are meant to be shared. As I say in pretty much all of my reviews, my partner and I order to share pretty much every time we go out, so all the better when the design caters to this approach. I would say it's pretty hard to go wrong here, as everything we had was somewhere on the great to outstanding continuum. Eats, below:
Leeks, mackerel, mustard, tobiko, smoked eel: A+
Upon first bite, it was immediately obvious why this dish is a fan favorite. As delicious as it is unique, this dish is just a masterpiece. So many flavors working together and it all just works.
Hamachi, kumquat, daikon, shimeji, chili: A
Fresh and bright, a great complement to some of the richer dishes we ordered. Beautifully presented with delicate flavors that elevated the fish.
Oyster mushrooms, Flower of the Mountains, pear: A+
I would never think to pair oyster mushrooms and pear together, but here we are. Yet again, an example of a surprising and creative concept that hits all the right notes.
Black cod, creamy mushroom and miso sauce, daikon: A+
This was executed perfectly. I absolutely love black cod and dishes like this celebrate it the way it's meant to be celebrated. The sear on the fish was perfection, the flavors were savory and rich, just beyond delicious.
Squid, cauliflower, Asian pear, chili beurre blanc: A+
Sadly my picture of this dish turned out to be blurry, so you'll have to trust that we ate it. Another seriously flavorful, seriously unique preparation. read more