O'Thym

Located near 'Le Village'
Feb. 10th 2006

We had been meaning to explore this little spot called O'Thym for months now, but just never seemed to be able to make it happen. On several occasions, we were told that the restaurant was full for the evening, but that we could call back at 10pm to see about availability. We were finally able to get on the list this Friday and with our SAQ bag in hand (bring your own wine) we presented ourselves at 9pm for our reserved table for two.

The first thing you notice was the size of the dinning room - the floor space was small, yet the room had a very high ceiling which gave it a much more open feel. The decor is simple yet classy, large chalk boards on two walls list the menu and a small bar with staff busy at a multitude of tasks.

Presented as you are seated is a 'eau' menu, with around eight varieties of bottled water - we tried the Oxygizer which had a certain zing to it (but that could have just been marketing). The menu was main French cuisine, with a variety of fish and meat dishes. We ordered the Tatin de Fois Gras au Figues et Porto as an entree, followed by the Fillet Minion and the fish of the day Seared Red Tuna with roasted coconut.

[Entree]
The meal begins with a Cream of Asparagus Soup with a drizzle of crème freshe, which flat and lacked complexity of character. The verdict on the soup was "We could do a more flavourful version of this at home". The fois gras entree was served seared on two figs, which were on a bed of fluffy pastry, with drizzles of sweet port reduction around the small tower. The seared fois gras had a deep rich flavour which was balanced by the sweet port reduction and figs. Verdict on the fois gras was "One of the more flavourful fois gras entrees we have experienced".

[Plat Principal]
To cleanse our palettes, we ordered an Orange Vodka Sorbet. It was served in a champagne style glass, a large scoop of frozen sorbet, in a pool of vodka. The vodka tasted like a flavoured Absolut variety and the sorbet was on the sweet side - neither of us finished our sorbet. The meals arrived on blazing hot bone white plates, with an elegant presentation of their signature fresh sprig of thyme (which was also present on the entree!). The fillet minion was a generous cut, cooked perfectly medium rare, sitting in a some type of flavourful jus. The meat was surrounded by wild mushrooms (amazing), two carrots, and a small serving of scalloped potatoes in a garlic cream sauce. The texture of the meat was so tender it was almost creamy and very flavourful. Verdict on the Fillet Minion - "A beautiful cut of meat and it was obvious that the chef wanted the accompaniments to compliment, not steal the show".

The seared red tuna was a thick cut, seared perfectly rare, surrounded with a variety of vegetables and toasted shredded coconut. And of course, came with the signature fresh sprig of thyme. Verdict on the tuna was "Most likely the best fish we have had in Montreal - very fresh and perfectly cooked"

[Service and Ambience]
O'Thym is one of the few non-smoking restaurants in the city, which gives it the upper hand with providing an enjoyable dinning experience. The waiter that served us that evening was very helpful and accommodating - his lack of English did not in anyway hinder our experience. The restaurant is quite charming and provides for an ideal classy dinner environment.

[Overall Impressions]
O'Tyme is a charming classic French restaurant - but book early as they fill up fast. Price was on average for other French style restaurants in the city and was of good value for the food and service provided.