THE NAME TELEGRAPHS THAT SALLE CLIMATISÉE, a minuscule Little Italy bistro, indeed offers air conditioning — a nod to signage popular at Parisian cafés — though you’d do well to choose the street-side terrasse in summer. Despite a recent chef change (founding chef Harrison Shewchuk out, Dmetro Sinclair in), the original culinary thinking endures. A compact continental menu displays solid technique and puts ingredients first, leaning heavily on a tight network of top-quality artisanal Quebec producers. Ferme d’ORée supplies both chicken, for the ballotine, and pork, for the pithiviers and the Berkshire with red cabbage, camomile and tarragon. Parcelles, in Austin, provides the radishes adorning a plate of head cheese with sauce verte, as well as the picture-perfect leeks with sunflower vinaigrette. Two desserts are offered, one sweet and rich (say, sticky pudding) and one fresh and light (tonka-bean cream with a Sevilleorange garnish). Set designer François Séguin created the subtle ambience; ceramicist Élyse Leclerc hewed and hung the Calder-evoking mobile. Wines are low-intervention, and cocktails — a new addition — are limited to gin and tonics with verjus.
No. 50
Salle Climatisée
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