Cafe Montmartre
About
Cafe Montmartre
4362 Main St. (@ Main & 28th) Vancouver BC
Those days may have never existed in Vancouver but that doesn't stop Cafe Monmartre from creating a credible romantic nostalgia vibe. The cafe's walls are lined with photos and vintage French print ads, the drink list includes Pernod and well-chosen budget reds and a small stage at the front is used nightly (live music Tuesday through Saturday, spoken word and music Sunday evenings and actors improv Monday nights).
Cuisine
Best of all, this cafe obviously takes its food seriously. Though mainly French, the fare here does not adhere to the sauce-laden small-portion school of French cooking. The food covers all the unpretentious basics; chunks of brie served with warm baguette ($5.75), potatoes cut in generous chunks and baked in olive oil, garlic and herbs ($3.95), and a lentil soup ($3.95) thick with veggies in a richly flavoured vegetarian broth.
There's also a nod to Frances' North African neighbours. On a recent dinner we had the Mediterranean Platter ($8.95), which featured the above-mentioned potatoes, a tangy humus, tomato slices, warm pita and Kalamata olives. Perfect food to snack on during a night of beverage boosting.
From the mains we chose the Sacred Heart Crepe, a thin tender crepe stuffed with nutmeg-spiced spinach and mozzarella. It was mouthwatering, but a little too French in its portion size (wouldn't do for a stand-alone dinner). The French Ratatouille ($7.95) was an excellent value - a healthy portion of well-cooked vegetables in a tangy tomato base and served on jasmine rice.
Especially unusual for a French-style cafe is the lack of red meat on Monmartre's menu. There are four chicken dishes, though on the night we were there the kitchen had run out.
On the dessert list, grown-up sundaes (featuring liquers rather than syrups) sounded tempting but the waitress (who added immensely to the atmosphere with her film noir fashion sense) tripped over her adjectives trying to heap adequate praise upon the Decadent Crepe ($5.75). We believed the hype and were rewarded with a crepe stuffed with dark chocolate, nuts and brandy and spiked with orange zest - the kind of dessert that works miracles when you're searching for an upscale sugar rush. Music Venue
Venue Specs
RentableNo
Past Events
26
Feb
2012
20:00 22:30
Cafe Montmartre
16
Jul
2011
21:00 11:30
30
Jun
2011
21:00
08
Oct
2010
20:00 00:00
11
Jun
2010
21:00 01:00
26
Mar
2010
21:00 00:00
22
Jan
2010
20:00 16:00
23
Nov
2009
11
Sep
2009
20:00 01:00
09
Jun
2009
16:00
10
Feb
2009
21:00 12:00
16
Aug
2008
21:00 00:00
26
Jul
2008
21:00 16:00
venue Past Posters
