A worthy wine bar in Rosemont? We won’t say no! If the Petite-Patrie is well stocked with vinvinvin, Buvette Beaubien, Bar Mamie and the others, to the east, it was rather deserted. But now Annette finally arrives to quench the thirst of the people of the neighborhood. And to see the crowded place, last Wednesday evening, on the second day of opening only, no doubt: this project of chef Marc-André Jetté and his wife Mila Rishkova is timely.
Located steps away from the Hoogan and Beaufort, Annette energizes Shops Angus. The wine bar is located in the same building as the lg2 agency, with which the duo, who live in the neighborhood, imagined the concept and the visual identity. Divided into multiple sections, the 70-seat main space is inviting; the bar and a central counter overlook the open kitchen, a lounge area allows you to settle into comfortable armchairs, and a long dining room stretches to the back of the room, where the large cellar is located. This fifty-seat space can also be privatized; this is where the tasting events that the wine bar intends to organize regularly will take place.
The name, Annette, evokes sophistication and femininity, in addition to nodding to a popular ingredient in Ukraine, where Mila is from: dill. The color green thus becomes the leitmotif of the space, with its shades of green and its multitude of plants. Weed is in the spotlight in one of the place’s signature cocktails, the Gimlet Annette with dill oil: absolutely delicious and refreshing. We also owe the cocktail menu, made up of timeless classics, to Olivier Quintin, also a partner at Annette and already in charge of the cocktail program at Hoogan.
This dream of a wine bar has been cherished by the couple for years, confides the chef: “We have been building our cellar for a long time, we have kept beautiful bottles over time. I wanted from the opening to offer a wine list with depth. To support him in this project, he has a strong ally: sommelier Hugo Duchesne (Best Sommelier of Quebec, 2020), who recently joined the team. The wine program aims to appeal to all tastes and budgets, says Marc-André Jetté. There are as many big guns as house wine in decanters at low prices. And in between, quite a bit of everything; you can taste funky natural wine, Quebec cuvées or classic varietals from established estates.
What about the food in all of this? The chef has fun with a menu of snacks and small dishes that are more relaxed than at his other restaurant. Chips and dip, sunflower spread and Gorria pepper (our favorite), chicken liver mousse from his butcher Édouard et Léo, fried mushrooms and labneh, carrot dish with beef tongue and dill, there’s everything for a bite or a more complete meal. Don’t miss the dessert program: renowned pastry chef and great friend of chef Patrice Demers collaborated on the creation of the menu. Absolute favorite for the refined mille-feuille with squash and lemon! Open Tuesday to Saturday.
