Had a Time at Hvor
1414 Rue Notre-Dame O, Montréal, QC H3C 1K9
A hidden terrace on Notre Dame Street is home to a spectacular urban herb garden (say that 5 times fast!). The owner of this terrace is Restaurant Hvor. This new gem is all about using market- or in their case terrace- fresh ingredients to create unique menus every evening.
Choose from a 3- or 5-course tasting menu with or without wine pairings and allow the chef to design a menu just for you! Just be sure to let them know if you have any dislikes or food restrictions.
First-off, the space is beautiful. If you are able to snatch the ONE table on their terrace, I envy you. It is beautiful. If not, no worries. The restaurant’s interior is also stunning. The minimalist décor, prevalence of white and grey, and natural lighting make for great food photos and a lovely dining setting.
We started with a fresh strawberry summer cocktail and were presented with a little amuse bouche – a sweet potato chip topped with squash and fresh herbs.
Next up, pickled carrots atop foie gras. I am personally not a fan of foie gras (but forgot to mention this at the start) and was actually pleasantly surprised by this dish!
The next dish was my favourite- thinly sliced ham topped with a medley of pickled vegetables and served with thick slices of toast and butter rolled in honey from Hvor’s very own bee hives!
The gnocchi with rabbit and snap peas was another unexpected dish that delighted! Eating rabbit was a first for me, but it really did taste like chicken and the gnocchi were tender and flavourful.
The dessert resembled a Montreal bagel, but was really a pastry sprinkled with sesame seeds, filled with cream and dusted in gold.
And finally, since we were here for a birthday, we were brought a scooped out lemon filled with blood orange sorbet and topped with Italian meringue. The waiter lit a flute of chartreuse on fire, poured it over the meringue engulfing it in a flame, and then extinguished it with another beverage. Just a spectacular end to a really different meal and the most original birthday candle I have ever seen!
I will definitely be back to sample a completely different menu sometime soon. The surprise element makes this such a fun experience and I highly recommend it- as long as you’re not too picky an eater! Definitely a change from ordering from a menu.
