Kosher Blog

Ristorante Maestro

The dining room at Ristorante Maestro is a welcome departure from the humdrum Montreal neighborhood in which it resides. After passing an audaciously illuminated TCBY to enter, Maestro’s dramatic light fixtures, warm wood details, and shimmering fabrics whisked us into a lively assemblage of family events, intimate dinners, and casual nights out. We were spotted and seated quickly, and our waiter greeted us with warm bread and olive oil for dipping. It took him a while to return, as he was stretched a bit thin by the packed house, no doubt enjoying Maestro for its dairy menu during the Nine Days. The delay gave us a chance to consider the bread more circumspectly, and we decided the dough could benefit from a careful sprinkling of kosher or sea salt.

The impact of Montreal’s francophone community was apparent in Maestro’s menu, manifest in the two popular antipasti we tried. Their Zuppa Di Cipolla, onion soup, was served in the traditional French style, gratinéed with croutons and melted cheese. The Brie Spostato featured warm brie wrapped in crispy phyllo and drizzled with strawberry, papaya, and balsamic sauces. (I’m a sucker for warm brie, so when told that my first choice, the Arancini di Riso, was unavailable, I rebelled with this very tasty French “misfit.”)

We continued with the Tuscano pizza and the Tagliatelle Primavera. Both were acceptable, but not exceptional. I prefer more character in my pizza crust — Maestro’s was thin and crisp, but the cornicione was flat and lifeless, a clear suggestion of rolling-pin rather than hand-tossed preparation. Our tagliatelle was enjoyable, served hot and al dente, but in the middle of the summer, I’d appreciate seeing some more recognizable examples of the lovely farm-fresh vegetables we passed on our drive through rural Quebec. Instead, our pasta had properly cooked but unassuming cubes of eggplant and carrot. The spicy oil we were offered to drizzle on the pizza was a welcome touch.

(In Maestro’s defense, the flavors and preparations may have lacked daring as a result of the local clientele. We overheard one diner ask for his tuna steak to be cooked through, and another ask for a primavera sauce served atop a pesto dish.)

Dessert was a fine capstone on the meal — their “chocolate bomb” showcased delicious dark chocolate in a decadent, but balanced petite cake, and the tiramisu was a perfect portion of coffee-soaked lady fingers enrobed in custard.

While Maestro has its foibles, it is a restaurant to which we would be happy returning on a regular basis for the chic decor, enthusiastic (if over-stretched) waitstaff, lively atmosphere, and satisfying food.

Ristorante Maestro
6136 Cote St. Luc Road · Montreal, QC
(514) 488-6226
Montreal Kosher supervision