98698 Tue May 23 23:58:53 -0700 2006 2 22 Quebec (including Montreal) 0 535239 We have a friend from Montreal who had a very mediocre experience at Toque in February, but was extremely impressed with La Chronique. We're glad to try either, based on comments we've read/heard, but because there won't be time for both, we're interested in your opinions. Thank you! Tue May 23 23:58:53 -0700 2006 0 mommanemoto 1 535243 Hi - We went to Toque at the end of April and had the tasting menu with foie gras option. It was WONDERFUL! Worth every cent! Wed May 24 09:46:36 -0700 2006 535239 0 Chantal Saville 1 535244 My view would be the exact opposite of your friend's. We've visited Montreal several times over the past few years, and our dinner at Toque was, by far, the best meal we've had in any restaurant there. We had the tasting dinner, which was superb in every respect. That was before the move to Toque's current location. While there had been reports of a downturn in the food's quality, more recent reports (such as the one below) indicate that Chef Normand Laprise is once again at the top of his form. As for La Chronique, it was hardly one of our best dining experiences. Upon our arrival, there was nobody at the reception desk to greet us. We stood there for a good few minutes, feeling like the proverbial bumps on logs, until one of the waiters took time out from serving to check our name in the reservation book. Then, our table was not ready, but the room is small, and there really is no place to wait comfortably. Definitely not an auspcious start to the evening. As for the food, my foie gras poele appetizer, though tasty, contained one of the teensiest pieces of foie I've ever been served. (Being a foie gras fanatic, I order it quite often.) My main course magret de canard, another favorite of mine, was just o.k. I've had many superior versions elsewhere. I have no recollection of what I had for dessert, which can only mean it was unmemorable. For me, La Chronique was a case of high expectations meeting total disappointment. Wed May 24 10:18:19 -0700 2006 535239 0 RGR