The Tribune took to the streets to explore the famous French and Italian-inspired restaurant, Vin Mon Lapin, ahead of rumours about the Michelin guide making its way to Montreal in 2025. The guide covers top gastronomic destinations around the world to help you discover the best restaurants and upcoming talents. Mon Lapin has graced the number-one spot on Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants List for the past two years. The obvious question now is whether co-owners and chefs—Jessica Noël and Marc-Olivier Frappier—will receive a star in the coming months.
Mon Lapin is located in Little Italy on the corner of Casgrain and Rue St-Zotique. Contrary to what one might imagine when the words “best restaurant” are put together—white table cloths, stuffy vibes, waitstaff in suits—their building is extremely unassuming.
Upon entering the restaurant, however, you can expect to be greeted by a lively interior. The vibe is relaxed, the dining room small, and the clientele very hip. Rabbit paraphernalia punctuates the space where you’d least expect it.
What’s notable about Mon Lapin is that their menu changes every day according to available local produce. But fear not, they rotate through their signature dishes with each iteration bringing something new and unexpected. Their plates are described so scantily on paper that we had to ask our waiter for clarifications. For example, when we asked what the “tomato cherry, cherry tomatoes” was, our waiter described it to us as “cherry tomatoes and cherry vinaigrette, candied cherries like a tomato, candied tomatoes like a cherry, cherries with tomato water,” and so on.
We settled on five sharing plates.
Le croque-pétoncle: A scallop sandwich served with green onion dipping sauce. It wasn’t hard to understand why it’s one of Mon Lapin’s specialties. The scallop had great texture and paired nicely with its mayo-esque dip.
Beef tartare: It was pretty tasty—if raw beef is your thing, that is.
La tarte aux tomates with mustard chantilly: This dish felt disjointed. On one hand, a refreshing tart with a gorgeous heirloom tomato slice on top. On the other, a rather astringent mousse that overpowered the other flavours on the plate.
Cavatelli with polpettine in Sungold tomato sauce: The pasta had a great mouth feel, and each little meatball packed a lot of flavour.
Porchetta Beaurivage, served with green beans and anchovies: The meat was reminiscent of classic Chinese BBQ pork, and the porchetta was a great way to end the main courses.
Throughout the night, we enjoyed two cocktails: The Bitter Sour and the Cherry Bomb. While pleasant, Mon Lapin’s drink menu is better known for its wide selection of organic wines.
At last, we enjoyed two desserts: Their Gâteau Sarrasin—a buckwheat cake—and their Mille-fleurs, which tasted almost exactly like funnel cake but more delicate and made with zucchini flowers.
After eating seven plates, it makes sense why Mon Lapin is so beloved by some and considered overrated by others. Your perception of what a high-ranking restaurant should be matters. If you’re looking for the kind of dining experience you’ve seen on MasterChef, this isn’t the place for you. Rather, Mon Lapin is a love letter to the culture that surrounds it, from its ingredients to its French-only menu. It goes to show that good food can be straightforward and ephemeral—like a mother’s recipe that’s slightly different every time but consistently delivers the feeling of joy.
That being said, it’s hard to tell whether Mon Lapin will receive a star or not. They need to improve their plating style to be on par with other Canadian restaurants currently on the Michelin Guide. Only time will tell if their plates are good enough to be considered excellent.
