L'Atelier d'Argentine

[Adrux]

This new restaurant is located where DNA was, in the Old Port. Having grown up in Argentina, I'm always up for trying new Argentinian restaurants!

I had the empanadas for appetizer. They were very good though fried (I loved fried empanadas so this was not an issue for me). They were not overly heavy and they were dry and crisp. The meat one was very good but I tend to like it a bit more spicy.

For main dish I had the mollejas (sweetbreads) and boy those were great! My boyfriend had the Vacio, his father had the milanesa de pollo (very authentic-tasting!) and his mom had the trout (just average but again that's not an Argentinian dish).

The wine list was not as good as I had hoped for (no Achaval Ferrer, they were out of Alta Catena and didn't have any of the really good Argentinian wines).

The worst part of it all... the service; it was SUPER slow! We went there at 7 and left at 9:47 and this is with no dessert or coffee or anything. In fact I would have loved to have dessert but the thought of waiting any longer for food made me forget about the whole thing. And mind you the restaurant was not full or anything.
So I would say that food was good enough to go back for, but service was terrible. The environment and decor were nice though. I will go back again because there are many more dishes I want to try but again, I have a sweet spot for Argentinian food.

[Glaff]

It was announced today that Natalia Machado is moving to Montreal to officially become the chef of L'Atelier d'Argentine. She initially just created the menu and gave her image to promote the place. Good news.

[williej]

Who is she?

[sweettoothMTL]

Article on her and the restaurant (not a review) in La Presse:

http://tinyurl.com/alog7gt

[BLM]

Any new visits & reviews to L'Atelier d'Argentine since Natalia Machado became head chef?

[westaust]

Went to try this place last night, overall good experience with some things that are still to be improved.

Food wise, really good, i started with the crudo de corvina, a fish ceviche, really fresh and tasty, only thing i didn't quite understood on the plate was some little julienne fries on top of the ceviche, but easily pushed aside. My dining partner had the Bunuelo de Espinaca, some lovely fried cheese and spinach balls served with a mustard sauce, they were little but packed a punch due to the mustard flavor. Again, those were really good, no oily taste at all.

Main course, we both went for beef, I had the Bife de Chorizo(Sirloin) while he had the Ojo de Bife(rib-eye), both asked for rare, mine was slightly above rare, but not to warrant a return in the kitchen, very tasty, we could smell the grill taste when they arrived at the table, the chimichurri and criola sauce were both good and classic. They do not come with sides(despite was is indicated on the website, but it's clear on the menu) so we ordered the tomato salad, various type and size of tomatoes with thin sliced onion, vinegar and oil, simple but good and refreshing, could have used a more complex vinaigrette, but if you added some chimichurri, it was all good, also their fries, real good little fries (not the same as the one on the crudo) with garlic and thyme, and grilled eggplant, a small eggplant cut in 4 lenghtwise and grilled topped with some olive oil, simple but good.

Dessert: none was taken, they were out of 3 of the 6 dessert choices, despite a less than half-full restaurant at dinner time.

Service: unlike the OP, service was efficient (arrived at 7:45 left a bit after 9), good timing of the plates, not and overly long evening, but our server was a bit pushy/too quick, he gives us the menu and come back 1 min after to ask if we are ready to order, asked 2 or 3 times if we had questions, but not in a way to care for us, but more in a way of not remembering if he asked us, and not particularly friendly. Could use a bit of brush up on the service side.

It is promising, if they can improve on dining room service, it should have a good run.

[Evilbanana11]

So do the prices on the website are just for a steak without a side? How much were your sides?

[westaust]

Yes same price as on the website, but just for the steak, the sides if I recall correctly, are 5$ each or 2 for 8$

[SnackHappy]

I just read Philippe Mollé's review in Le Devoir where he states that the beef served at L'Atelier D'Argentine is imported from Argentina.

http://www.ledevoir.com/art-de-vivre/...

Can anyone confirm this? I have to say that I don't give too much credence to what Mollé writes. He's not exactly the most rigorous writer or the most credible critic.

[porker]

From their website, the only apparent Argentine import is a few of the wines.
If I imported meat, I'd sure as shit advertise it on my website.

[SnackHappy]

That's what I was thinking as well.

[EaterBob]

I would imagine that their first priority would be hiring a head chef, and then start promoting that their meat is imported.

[porker]

I would imagine they had this all planned out beforehand:
We will use only Argentine beef - lets find purveyors.
Our head chef will have these credentials - lets find the right person.
We will advertise our philosophy, chef, and imported meats - lets open the joint.

IF its true that they're still searching for staff and that they are doing imported meat (but not advertising the fact), I feel that something(s) went wrong along the way, or they're simply ass-backward.

[Adrux]

I don't think they import their beef from Argentina. I spoke to them about the meat and where they got their mollejas from and they did not mention that their beef was from Argentina. Given the fact that I told them I grew up in Argentina, etc. I'm pretty sure they would have said something.

[catroast]

having spent some time in that part of the world let me assure you aren't missing much by not eating imported beef.

quite frankly, i salute any restaurant that does not import meat from half-way across the world - even if it is accidental environmentalism.

[Shattered]

Sounds like they hired a bunch of guys for the kitchen with a bare amount of cooking experience, and no knowledge of Argentine food, right up to head chef. Which I guess is not surprising since they were still looking for one last week. Hopefully they learn fast.