For seven years, Mon Lapin has defined that elusive sweet spot between casual and special-occasion restaurants, and the debut late last year of sister restaurant Rôtisserie La Lune has not dimmed its founding vision. “We’re not a bistro, but it’s that vibe,” says co-owner Jessica Noël. “It’s loud and there are no tablecloths.” The ostensibly casual approach encourages co-chefs Noël and Marc-Olivier Frappier to let loose on their daily menu, which in the writing gives little away other than ingredients and producers. (Don’t worry, knowledgeable servers will elucidate.) Dishes are often delightfully surprising. These might manifest as buckwheat-and-corn polenta taragna; leeks served in a can “like mussels”; habanada peppers stuffed with fried baccalà; or strudel with confit shallots and a slice of Samuel le Bleu from the Eastern Townships laid lovingly on top. The basement larder is full of shrubs and syrups from summer, and there’s gleeful anticipation for asparagus, snow crab and Nordic shrimp from Matane, which will be presented, as always, with innumerable twists. Wines chosen by co-sommeliers Vanya Filipovic and Alex Landry are most often produced by friends from Jura, Campania, Champagne, Randazzo and Andalusia. Sometimes there’s lunch on offer, when the light streams through the big windows to showcase Zébulon Perron’s design and the fabulous floor tiles. That won’t distract from what’s on the table, warmly served by Marc-Antoine Gélinas and his team — whether you’re here for the first time or the 20th. It’s just that kind of vibe.