Grenade

The folks behind Henri St-Henri, Quai No 4, Baron Samedi and a slew of other thriving establishments have done it yet again with their latest venture, Grenade. With their new newest restaurant, they’ve transformed a once derelict building in east Ville Marie into an Asian inspired oasis with some interesting feature that are sure to attract all sorts of curious foodies and nightlife lovers. Busy diners of the 1950s inspired the original concept for Grenade but after some careful planning they took that concept one step further with a little Far East inspiration. The intricate design of everything from rounded walls to bamboo inspired booths still has subtle hints of the original concept but remains largely Asian in taste. The refurbished outdoor terrasse will gather crowds once a month for howling Full Moon parties, complete with soft lights and an enclose private seating area. With the cooler season slowly approaching, the owners wanted to capitalize on their terrasse by extending the bar area and dining room with a retractable glass garage door. During the colder winter months light will flood the restaurant while during the warmer months the line between indoors and terrasse will be blurred. At Grenade they have paid attention in great detail to their food. Some of the more standout items we sampled during their media launch were the flavorful steamed buns, the spicy malsa peanuts and the fish cakes. From their “Street Food” our favorites were the sautéed scallops and the Chaing Mai Sausages (the house specialty). Another of the restaurant’s tight menu features, for sharing, an entire lacquered duck, stuffed pork belly or a fish of the moment, fried from tip to tail. At Grenade, they are certain to keep fine-tuning their menu as time rolls on. Montreal’s east neighborhoods are booming and the momentum keeps growing. With new restaurants like the very busy Grenade, the choice for food and fun is getting delightfully more interesting.

Photo credit: David Major-Lapierre