Mon Lapin in Montreal: Farm-Fresh Seasonal Cuisine

Montreal restaurant Mon Lapin has triumphed over Canada's culinary landscape, clinching the number one spot in the prestigious Canada's Best 100 ranking for two years in a row. The accolade cements its status as a culinary powerhouse, elevating Montreal's reputation as a global culinary destination. Nestled in Montreal's Little Italy, the restaurant has since evolved into a cherished neighbourhood institution, celebrated for its farm-to-table cuisine. Opened in Little Italy in 2018, Mon Lapin is the lovechild of husband-wife duo Marc-Olivier Frappier and Vanya Filipovic, who serve as the chef and sommelier, respectively, joined by chef Jessica Noël, co-sommelier Alex Landry and front-of-house manager Marc-Antoine Gélinas. All five herald from Vin Papillon, a sister restaurant to Joe Beef and Liverpool House in Montreal’s Little Burgundy. When they launched Vin Mon Lapin in 2018, the team sought to create a unique dining experience that is rooted in their fine dining background and highlights Québec’s legendary down-to-earth hospitality.  

Seasonality and freshness are Mon Lapin’s watchwords. Known for its natural wine and creative approach to small plates that highlights a wide array of Quebec ingredients, the restaurant has rapidly become a standout address for local gourmands which is why we were thrilled to be invited by good friends while visiting Montreal for a long weekend. Warm and welcoming with a great vibe, the French-italian inspired menu changes daily, depending in part on what Frappier finds in the morning at Jean-Talon Market, which he visits on his Vespa. There was so many tempting dishes from which to choose the evening we visited, but we decided on a pescatarian-vegetarian selection including Razor Clams, Raw Mackerel with beurre noisette and fresh fava beans, Sweet Corn with sea grass, Ricotta Gnudi with local Sungold tomatoes, Poached Gaspé Halibut with local zucchini and outstanding Croque-Pétoncle inspired by Paul Bocuse's Lyon quenelles. Enormously popular, it's the one dish that always stays on the menu. The wine selection is equally impressive, with our server presenting multiple options from which to choose. 

Rabbit paraphernalia lend Mon Lapin a whimsical touch — a tongue-in-cheek reference to well-known French winemaker Jean-Francois Ganevat who affectionately referred to his friends, whether old or new, as ‘mon lapin’. "His winery represents the apex of natural wine, polyculture and respect for the planet and its bounty," explained Mon Lapin's co-owner Vanya Filipovic. "There was no other option for the wine bar's name and the rest is history".

The charming interior of Mon Lapin in Montreal

Mon Lapin's daily changing seasonally driven menu with descriptions that are assertively minimalist 

and often mischievously confounding

Bartender mixing our cocktails

Gin Martini made with Comont Gin from Quebec

Glass of Et Caetera sparkling wine

Seasonality and freshness are Mon Lapin’s watchwords, with a daily changing menu 

that transform local produce into simple but sophisticated small plates

Palourdes Couteaux de Mer très céleri: Razor Clams

Maquereau cru au beurre noisette e fava: Raw Mackerel with fresh fava beans

Wine Bucket with wines offered by the glass

Wondering which Rosé to order, our server brought a magnificent selection from which to choose,

and explained the nuances of each one

We selected the 2022 Bourgogne Avec Histoire Rosé 

Our personable and knowledgeable server pouring the Rosé

Gesturing about how the restaurant began at half the size and has since grown to 

being one of the top restaurants in Canada

Glass of the Avec Histoire Rosé 

One of the many rabbit motifs at Mon Lapin

Le Croque-Pétoncle é oignons verts: Grilled Scallop "croque" with green onion mayonnaise

is one of only two dishes permanently on the menu at Mon Lapin

Unbelievably delicious, the Croque-Pétoncle is inspired by Paul Bocuse's Lyon quenelles 

and the legendary Pierno from Harry's Bar in Venice,

Concombre melon avec stracciatella di Bufala et myrtilles: Cucumber melon 

with stracciatella and local blueberries

Gnudi de Ricotta avec tomatoes Sungold au beurre: Ricotta Gnudi with 

Sungold cherry tomatoes and butter

Maïs du Roi sucré de la famille G. Deneault at Fils avec laitues de mer de Gaspé:

Farm fresh sweet corn from G. Deneault at Fils at Jean-Talon Market with sea lettuce from Gaspé

Flétan de Gaspé avec courgettes: Halibut from Gaspé with local zucchini

Tonnarelli con ragù Bianco di baccalà e zucchine: Tonarelli with salt cod baccala and zucchini

With just eight tables and four high tops by the bar, reservations at Mon Lapin are 

very difficult to get but absolutely worth the effort

Sous chef Charles Éric preparing the fava beans for the Maquereau Cru au Beurre Noisette e Fava

Gateau Sarrasin avec miei et fromage frais

Mousse Chocolat Avana e Sabayon Bluets

Té Jasmine

Mon Lapin is the lovechild of husband-wife duo chef Marc-Olivier Frappier 

and Sommelier Vanya Filipovic

vinmonlapin.com

Grilled Scallop Sandwiches

Makes 4 servings

Recipe courtesy of chef Marc-Olivier Frappier, Mon Lapin

300g scallops

1 egg white

2 tbsp 35% cream

1 pinch of salt

1 pinch of sugar

1 pinch of ground white pepper

4 slices of white sandwich bread, sliced ​​lengthwise

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

1/4 cup clarified butter

In the bowl of the food processor, place the scallops, egg white, cream and seasonings. Pulse until the mixture is smooth, while maintaining a coarse texture. Brush one side of each slice of bread with the mustard.  Divide the scallop mixture between two slices of bread. Close the sandwich with the two remaining slices of bread. In a large frying pan, brown the sandwiches in the clarified butter for 3 minutes on each side. Cut in half and enjoy immediately.

Chocolate-Pinoli Cookies

Recipe courtesy of chef Marc-Olivier Frappier, Mon Lapin

7 1/2 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature

8 oz brown sugar, sifted

4 oz white sugar

1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk

7 oz all purpose flour

7 oz rye flour

3 1/2 oz buckwheat flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

9 oz coarsely chopped dark chocolate

2 1/2 oz pine nuts

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, and sugar until well incorporated. Add the eggs and mix. Stir the dry ingredients, chocolate, and nuts into the butter-egg-sugar mixture, and let rest for a few hours. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out the dough on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 8-10 minutes.   The centre should still be soft. Let cool and enjoy while looking out the window and wondering how it will all turn out.

Fettuccine al Limone: Simple & Sensational

Luscious, light and exquisitely cheesy, fresh and vibrant Pasta al Limone has a mouthwatering mix of umami Parmesan cheese, bright lemon, heavy cream, luscious crème fraîche, freshly cracked black peppercorns, and lots of butter. A popular Italian dish, especially during the hot summer months, this luscious pasta is common in the Amalfi coast and the Sorrentine peninsula in Southern Italy, where they grow some of the largest, most fragrant lemons in the world. Very similarly to the core four Roman pastas - Carbonara, Amatriciana, Cacio e Pepe, and alla Gricia - it works best with pecorino cheese. Plus the less you do to it, the better it seems to turn out. Although there is still plenty of butter, pasta water stands in for part of the cream in this notoriously rich dish, using the cacio e pepe technique of emulsifying starchy water and pecorino cheese to create a silky, clingy, bright sauce that’s refreshingly light. Traditionally this recipe is made with spaghetti or tagliolini, but many people use linguine too. I actually prefer linguine, especially with a creamy sauce, but any pasta will work just fine.

Pasta al Limone

Serves 2

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit

1 lemon
10 oz fettuccine
Kosher salt
12 tbsp cup 35% heavy cream

12 tbsp crème fraîche
6 tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan 
Freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped for garnish

Using a vegetable peeler, remove two 2 inch-long strips of zest from 1 lemon. Thinly slice each strip lengthwise into thin strands and set aside for serving. Finely grate the remaining lemon zest into a large pot such as a Dutch oven. Cut the zested lemon in half and squeeze out enough fresh lemon juice to yield 2 tablespoons into a small bowl and set aside. Cook the pasta in another large pot of boiling heavily salted water stirring occasionally, until very al dente as the pasta will finish cooking in the sauce.

 

Meanwhile, add the cream and crème fraîche to the pot with lemon zest and cook over medium heat, whisking often, until the liquid is just beginning to simmer, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Whisk in 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, one tablespoon at a time, until melted and the sauce becomes creamy and emulsified, then remove from the heat.

Just before pasta is al dente, scoop out 1 1/2 cups of pasta cooking liquid. Add 3/4 cups to the cream sauce and return to medium heat. Using tongs, transfer the pasta to pot with sauce — it’s okay if a little water comes along with it. Cook the pasta, tossing often and adding 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan little by little, until the cheese is melted and sauce is creamy, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the reserved lemon juice. If the sauce looks tight, add 1–2 tablespoons more of the pasta cooking liquid — cream sauces tighten up very quickly as they cool, so it’s better to lean on the saucier side of things. Season with more salt, if needed.

To serve, divide the pasta among warmed bowls. Season with freshly ground black pepper, then garnish with reserved lemon zest strips and flurry of chopped chives. Serve immediately. 

Jean-Talon Farmers Market: A Montreal Landmark

 

Nestled on the edge of Little Italy, Marché Jean-Talon is one of the oldest public open-air markets in Montréal. Inaugurated in May 1933, it was first called Marché du Nord, but in 1983 its name was changed in honour of Jean Talon, the first intendant of New France. A true cornucopia of the freshest produce Quebec has to offer, including including strawberries from Iles-des-Orleans, the market stands out with its many local fruit, vegetable and flower vendors, its diversity of small shopkeepers from butchers, bakers and fishmongers to the many restauranteurs across the city who buy their produce from Jean-Talon. The market also features a tasty array of specialty shops that feature spices, oils, cheeses, meats, pastries and exquisite local products unique to Québec. Arriving one afternoon with our dear friends Diane and Richard, we explored the market in quest of stinky cheeses, fresh baguette and the ever popular Librairie Gourmande, which has one of the largest selections of cooking and gastronomy books in Canada.

Jean-Talon Market with its many fruit and vegetable vendors

Local strawberries from Ile D'Orleans

Zucchini Flowers

We weren't the only ones admiring the zucchini

Plump red field tomatoes

Mountains of pears

Aqua Mare Poissonnerie at Jean-Talon Market

Fresh PEI Lobsters from Aqua Mare Poissonnerie

Fresh oysters from Duxberry Bay

Flower vendors sell small pots of herbs, flowers and vegetables for the garden

Simon Laurin is manager of Jean-Talon La Fromagerie Hamel,

the oldest cheese retailer in Quebec, and features over 700 varieties of cheese

Rich and creamy French Époisses de Bourgogne from La Fromagerie Hamel,

the premier cheese shop at Jean-Talon

Grey Owl goats cheese from Notre-Dame-du-Lac in Québec

Luscious and creamy Charlevoix is one our favourite cheeses to bring home when visiting Montreal

Packages of Hay for making Hay-Baked Ham

Jean-Talon offers a bountiful array of flower stalls 

Jean-Talon market cookbook from La Librairie Gourmande,

one of the largest selections of cookery and gastronomy books in Canada

www.marchespublics-mtl.com/en/marches/jean-talon-market

Beery French Onion Soup
Serves 4
Recipe courtesy of chef Nicole Anne Gagnon

2 tsp butter

4 tsp vegetable oil

3 cups onions, finely minced

Pinch of fresh thyme

1 bottle amber beer 

2 cups reduced chicken stock*

Salt, to taste

4 slices of country-style bread

4 oz aged cheddar, sliced into 4

Black pepper

Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the oil and the onions. Toss the onions to coat with the oil and butter and simmer them, covered, until soft. Remove cover and continue cooking until the onions start to caramelize. Stir in the thyme. Deglaze with beer and reduce the liquid by half. Add chicken stock, bring to a boil and cook about 20 min. Season to taste. Meanwhile, slightly toast the slices of bread. Cover each slice of bread with cheese, season with the pepper (to taste) and broil until the cheese is melted. Ladle soup into bowls and place the bread and cheese slices on top of the soup in each bowl.

*You can reduce your own chicken stock by simply boiling down 1 to 1.5 litres of unsalted chicken stock to 500 ml.