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Sabayon

Montreal

The art of quiet precision

Coordinated intimacy: Sabayon may be one of Canada's most acclaimed restaurants, but that doesn't mean dining here is a grand, fussy affair. In fact, with pastry chef extraordinaire Patrice Demers and sommelier Marie-Josée Beaudoin at the helm, it's more like spending an epicurean evening at your favourite couple's house. He cooks, she provides the drinks, and both take on the role of host, ensuring their guests – just 14 at a time – are looked after with a level of warmth and attentiveness that feels deeply personal.

A delicate balance: The restaurant's tasting menu – four savoury courses, two sweet courses, an appetiser and a mignardise – offers a series of deftly rendered snapshots of Quebec's terroir. Made with ingredients that reflect both the land and the seasons, each dish is crafted with precision, with vegetables often at the fore and desserts among the standout moments. It's no surprise really, given Demers' pastry pedigree. Craving more confections? On Fridays and Saturdays, the duo lay on an afternoon tea experience with tea pairings instead of wine.

Signature servings: The menu changes with the seasons, but there's one dish that's always on the menu: wood fire-grilled mushrooms topped with a puff-pastry arlette and a bay leaf and juniper sabayon. Besides that, past delicacies have included the likes of a savoury sheep's milk cheesecake with tomatoes, chilli and marigolds, and a dessert of warm Komuntu chocolate mousse, pistachio parfait and moist chocolate cake soaked in coffee.

What's the vibe? To allow the food to speak for itself, the small space is minimalist and modern, with the boundary between kitchen and dining room almost non-existent. As glasses chime and cutlery clinks, a soundtrack of local artists heightens Sabayon's commitment to its community; 95 per cent of the songs played are by Quebecois musicians.

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