Montreal, PQ. Westmount.
$30. A la carte + Omakase.
Date of visit: June 30, 2017
Recommended
Unquestionably, when Chef Park himself is behind the counter (and in the kitchen), the restaurant hums. When I consider what makes a successful sushi restaurant (to my amateur eyes), having a chef (or itamae) who is as involved as Park is in his restaurant is key. It doesn't hurt that Park's waza - his technique, his training, his expertise - is impressive, a point I'll touch more on later.
But when he's not there, service lags, dishes are forgotten, and preparation suffers. My personal favourite was watching one of the chefs yell at an older-but-maybe-junior chef for a dirty station, justtttt loud enough that the entire sushi counter could hear every condescending word.
But even with the warts, Park seems like a cut above the alternatives. And yes, I haven't lived in Montreal long enough to try them all, so send the hate mail to info@thesushilegend.com. While you're doing that, I'll finish this review.
The Food
One of the reasons that Park is so popular is the broad appeal of its menu. To better serve the multitude of tables behind the sushi counter, Park offers both raw and cooked dishes a la carte. The Omakase - which Mrs. Sushi Legend and I both chose - is also on offer, though I'd caution it's not the standard nigiri-by-nigiri progression that some of you might be used to.
Our first two courses - a small piece of Filet Mignon in broth and vegetables and shrimp/spot prawns three ways - were solid, if unremarkable. Serving anything using three different preparations will always appeal to my sense of adventure, and I could literally eat shrimp heads all day (Park's are excellent). But if you aren't as adventurous, a fair warning - it may not be for you (specifically the little guy on the far right).
Next, my personal favourite - six pieces of nigiri that are literally making me hungry as I stand here typing (seriously, try using a standing desk. It will change your life). King salmon, famous for the buttery texture and Yellowtail belly, full of fat and flavor, melt in your mouth. The Chu Toro, garnished with continental sturgeon roe (aka caviar) and a chive, was a small taste of the quality in the sashimi platter to come. I was also impressed with the preparation for the two pieces of nigiri from the whitefish familia.
Anecdotally, I find that most North American sushiya that serve sashimi as part of their omakase will do so before serving nigiri. Park does the opposite, by taking the highlights from the light snack of nigiri and cranking the dial. Did you like your Chu Toro nigiri? Well here's 4 perfectly cut pieces of Chu Toro sashimi to enjoy. Appreciate the Tuna? Here's a dozen pieces of Albacore, Akami (Lean Tuna) and Katsuo (Bonito) sashimi. Throughout, Park himself stood behind the sushi bar, impressively (and uniformly) cutting the fish. But in a familiar refrain, when Park leaves his spot, the quality seems to suffer; Exhibit A (or is it B?) was the chef who had decided that slicing fish was a race he had to win. I've sat with many great Itamae, all of whom were masters at being deliberate and precise with their cutting movements.
Park's Omakase is priced at $85+ (ours was $95),which is pricy for Montreal but reasonable for many tourists from more expensive sushi locations. If spending $100 on sushi isn't for you, I would focus on ordering Park's strongest offerings - it's raw fish - assorted a la carte, including the Nigiri Moriawase (12 pieces, $39) or Sashimi Moriawase (18 pieces, $39).
Park restaurant is an open, expansive, square room buttressed with high ceilings and dim lighting. Regardless of where you sit in the restaurant, you'll have a clear, direct view past the sushi counter into the kitchen. And your ears will have clear contact with that familiar buzz, the one that might be familiar to visitors of any Trendy Restaurant. That said, whether you enjoy sitting at Park - or prefer a more understated room like Shoushin in Toronto - is entirely up to personal preference. Personally, I enjoyed the ambiance of Park.
In the end, it was actually the service that failed to match the food and setting. Far too often we were left alone with finished plates or waiting for upwards of 45 minutes for the next course. Again, you might have a different personal preference, but for us, 2.5 hours for a 5 course tasting menu is far longer than necessary, especially when sushi is involved (you don't exactly need time to preheat the oven). My concerns about service were only magnified when I realized our drink orders had been forgotten and certain meal components were a complete unknown to the staff. Like many larger restaurants - I'm looking at you Zuma - Park's service likely suffers from its scope. But unlike Zuma, Park's food (read: sushi) makes a visit more than recommended, especially if Chef Park himself is onsite. read more