The restaurant of an entrepreneur from Rivière-du-Loup has enjoyed exceptional national visibility for the past few days. Mon Lapin, based in Montreal’s Little Italy neighborhood, was named Canada’s Best Table in the most recent edition of Canada’s 100 Best, a recognized award in the culinary community.
Alex Landry from Rivière-du-Loup is part of the group of five partners behind this restaurant, which is now one of the most well-known in Montreal. Since the release of the 2023 rankings on May 16, the Mon Lapin name has made its way onto the pages of major Canadian media coast to coast. The results were also shared among all foodie circles.
“It’s a great recognition. Last year we took 6th place. We’ve had some success. But to be at the top of the list today, in first place, certainly stimulates the imagination a bit. It makes us happy, of course, but above all it’s fun to share with our entire team,” said the Louperivois. For a few years he has lived this adventure with Vanya Filipovic, Jessica Noël, Marc-Antoine Gélinas and Marc-Olivier Frappier.
The “Canada’s 100 Best” list was compiled by 135 judges – chefs, discerning consumers and food critics – from all regions of Canada. They all voted for their favorite restaurants in the country based on the overall dining experience, including service, decor, wine list, and food quality. Each judge also had to devote 30% of their votes to restaurants outside of their home province.
About thirty restaurants were included in Quebec, many of which are in the top 50. And while the ranking isn’t always unanimous, professionals in the field see a lot of good in it. It is, in one way or another, the most consulted list nationwide.
“It’s a list that has some authority in Canada. “It still has some impact,” agreed Alex Landry, who doesn’t hide the fact that the phone is ringing and that there’s “a buzz” since the rankings were released.
“For us, we remain a small neighborhood restaurant. So it surprises us to get so much attention, but it also makes us happy,” he said.
Canada’s 100 Best justifies its choice by praising both the dishes and the wines at the restaurant on Rue Saint-Zotique Est. The general atmosphere and the “impeccable” service were also mentioned as very positive points. “It’s the perfect balance between a restaurant for a grand occasion and a place to eat,” reads the ranking’s description.
“We often use the term ‘fun dining’ instead of ‘fine dining’. It’s good food, but we’re trying to have fun. It’s an open kitchen where you see the smile and where you try to share something, to be dynamic,” explained the restaurateur, stressing that seasonal products are highlighted by ephemeral proposals.
“The menu is constantly changing. In the summer, for example, there are new vegetables every week. We work with local farmers and producers,” he said.
“We want people to discover and rediscover local flavors that have sometimes been forgotten. Eel, whelk, sturgeon… these are things that we always have on the menu here, but that we don’t find that often in Bas-Saint-Laurent. We’re trying to be a calling card, not just for Montreal, but for Quebec as well.”
When he describes his restaurant, he also remembers the Brasserie Lafontaine, a mythical place on rue Lafontaine in Rivière-du-Loup, of which his father was a co-owner. “Offering a familiar service, knowing customers’ names and remembering little habits are little things I learned when I was young.”
“Even when we serve gourmet food and great wines, there is a lesson for me, based on what I learned at Bas-du-Fleuve, that I try to bring to the experience we find at Rabbit.”
Alex Landry started his career in the hotel and restaurant industry at Hôtel Levesque in Rivière-du-Loup when he was 15 years old. After moving to Quebec, he focused more on restaurant management and garnered jobs in the industry. His growing interest in sommellerie has also led him to where he is now, as managing the wine list is now one of his responsibilities at Mon Lapin.