ENROUTE TV   ENROUTE FM   MEDIA KIT   AIR CANADA   LINKS   WRITERS'   GUIDELINES	CANADA’S BEST NEW RESTAURANTS 2004   (p. 4 of 5) 1   |   2   |   3   |   4   |   The Foodies   |   Nov '04 7 AIX CUISINE DU TERROIR Hôtel Place d’Armes, 711, côte de la Place-d’Armes, Montréal 1-888-450-1887 www.aixcuisine.com Founding chef Jannick Bouchard gets around. Accepting awards (like two Ulysses and a Dirona), appearing on the Today show and occasionally visiting prestigious New York and Chicago kitchens… it’s a miracle he finds time to cook. Discreetly situated in the Hôtel Place d’Armes, Aix is a subdued room in quiet tones of brown and cream with diaphanous curtains on exposed brick. Against this chic, romantic backdrop shine the elevated peasant dishes, such as a pan-fried crispy pork shank with homemade relish and dandelion vinaigrette, that define his remarkable cuisine. 8 AURORA BISTRO 2420 Main St., Vancouver, 604-873-9944 www.aurorabistro.ca If the Jetsons ran a restaurant, it would look like this. A retro-futuristic design creates the vibe of hip, laid-back modernism in this east-side Vancouver bistro. Chef Jeff Van Geest makes local products, including an all-B.C. wine list, a priority in his contemporary West Coast cuisine. Tuesday to Thursday, the kitchen offers a three-course tasting menu that might include future classics like tempura zucchini blossom stuffed with smoked-sole mousse or a seared bison strip loin. 9 BU 5245, boul. Saint-Laurent, Montréal, 514-276-0249 www.bu-mtl.com This wine bar’s effortless nonchalance belies some serious cooking, flawlessly paired with an outstanding and ever-changing selection of 30 wines available in flights or by the glass. The daily menu is brief but as vital as the wine. A light and creamy salt cod brandade shows true talent in the kitchen; delicate and intricately seasoned cabbage rolls are so good they must move from occasional offering to menu staple. A sophisticated clientele lingers over lunch, while the 2 a.m. closing time draws off-duty chefs. A toast to proprietors Patrick St-Vincent and Angelo Rindone. 10 JANE’S ON THE COMMON 2394 Robie St., Halifax, 902-431-5683 www.janesonthecommon.com This is the glorified diner we should all be so lucky to have in our neighbourhood, where friends mingle and the staff treats everyone like a regular. The low counter flanked by stools suggests surly short-order cooks, but the sharp contemporary decor hints at the kitchen’s ambitions. A definitive seafood chowder respects local traditions, while haddock in a cornbread coating with peach chutney spins a sophisticated update on a classic. Owner Jane Wright and chef Henry Strong have forged an instant institution. [ ] ADD YOUR COMMENTS > letters@enroutemag.net 1   |   2   |   3   |   4   |   The Foodies   |   Nov '04
	© 2004 enRoute is published monthly by Spafax Canada Inc. All rights reserved. FRANÇAIS