Review of Bouillon Bilk

I was in Montreal for a business trip this week and found one night free for dinner on my own. I went for the tasting dinner at Bouillon Bilk and was so glad that I did.

First, the chef was nice enough to work around my shellfish allergy, which I really appreciated. I lieu of the oyster starter I had a strawberry salad with creamed feta and pickled poblanos. It was an interesting combination of flavors. Really refreshing. This was followed by kampachi (yellowtail) sushi with shaved broccoli, cashews and grapes. The fish was extremely fresh and delicate. The real standout here was a fermented black bean sauce that was dark and savory. It really tied the dish together. I wish I could get the recipe.

The next dish was a venison carpaccio, tissue thin with caked sesame seeds and what I believe was a small piece of grilled romaine. The chef sent me sweetbreads in place of the next shellfish dish. They were beautifully done. Soft and creamy inside, with none of the chewy bits that sometimes come with offal. Delicately breaded and fried with a crust like what you might hope to see on the best softshell crabs. It was plated with soft mushrooms and matchstick apple pieces. I love sweetbreads and was so excited that I forgot to take a photo. This is probably in the top two sweetbreads dishes I have ever had, and the other contender was done by a James Beard winner.

Next was a creamy pasta with rabbit and toasted almonds. I thought the almonds were a nice way to add a savory component to the dish, and they balanced out the saltiness of the pasta well. The last main dish that I had was lamb--several cuts, including the neck. The neck was clearly slow-cooked but the rest was done rare. The dish was hearty and satisfying. I had two desserts as well, which were excellent, but perhaps not quite as unusual flavors as the eariler dishes.

The major high point of the restaurant is the sauces, which are bold and flavorful. They really tie the disparate flavors in each dish together. I would absolutely recommend the restaurant and I loved the variety on the tasting menu. I used to live in LA, and would compare the flavor profile to Ink, but without the liquid nitrogen.

Bouillon Bilk seems like it would be good for date night if you could get a table at the windows or along the walls, but sitting at the bar was excellent for solo dining. The front of house is also very well run, which makes for a more pleasant dining experience. It was busy midweek, so I imagine one might want a reservation on the weekends.

I did the wine pairing with my dinner. If you like 'hot' wines, it is good value. But many of the choices seem to be chosen for value-- whites from Portugal, a light red/dark rose from Greece. They were all nice wines, but it would be nice if there were the option premium wine or cocktail pairing with more complexity to match the food. I did see several cocktails go out while I was eating. They were very fragrant and looked beautiful. I might go that route if I had it to do over again.

But I had a wonderful night, and would gladly go back. Happy dining everyone!