Mike CohenMtlRestoRap

Groupe Grandio made its biggest headlines in recent years with the acquisition of iconic steakhouses Moishes and Gibbys. But the highly successful culinary operation has a host of other dining establishments in its stable and that includes the French brasserie Chez Lionel, which presently has five locations and a sixth on the way this spring.

While in Ottawa, we enjoyed our first experience at the new Kanata location. Chez Lionel was purchased by Groupe Grandio in 2022, and this locale marks its first outside of Quebec. The intention is to expand across the country. The others are in Boucherville, Brossard, Sainte-Therese and Laval (presently being renovated after flooding last summer). In March the sixth Chez Lionel will debut in downtown Montreal at 1259 Rene-Levesque Ouest.

The Kanata location has 96 seats in the dining room, 25 more at the bar and a seasonal patio that can accommodate 58, notes General Manager James Denis. It is located directly off Highway 417 at ground level of a Holiday Inn. There is ample free parking. The interior is very attractive, with large chandeliers and mirrors

Chez Lionel made its debut in Boucherville in 2013. Frédéric Dufort has been the executive chef for Chez Lionel since it first opened.

Our server Rebecca made several menu recommendations. We started off with some drinks; two Seville in Blooms and one Lady Marmalade mocktail.

There is a nice array of appetizers. While I enjoyed a piping hot and absolutely delicious cream of butternut squash soup, with an “L” appearing in the broth, the other two members of our party shared the bluefin tataki, prepped with a wild caraway crust, pickled carrots, orange supreme, sesame carrot purée and carrot chips and the duck confit arancini, served with black garlic aioli, pickled mushrooms, grana padano, parmesan and watercress. I happily split the 12 oysters with them.

For the main course I jumped at the opportunity to have the duck breast a l’orange. It cut like butter and had a pink peppercorn crust, coming with butternut squash purée, kumquat, marmalade, grand marnier gastrique and puffed wild rice. The others shared the seafood risotto   and the braised beef cheek. The former contained lobster bisque, Argentine shrimps, bay scallops, green peas, garlic bread croutons and saffron mayonnaise; the former was prepared with red wine sauce, roasted Nantes carrots, confit cipollini onions, chanterelles and truffled celeriac purée.

For dessert we shared the tarte tatin, a pastry in which apples are caramelized in butter and sugar before being baked and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and an irresistible macaron platter of six.

Other popular items on the menu include the ricotta ravioli with duck confit and truffles, tomahawk steaks, salmon and beef tartare, pan-seared Icelandic cod and butternut squash gnocchi. I can hardly wait to go back to one of the Montreal-area locations closer to home.

Chez Lionel is located at 101 Kanata Ave. suite 100. For reservations please call  613-518-2113, e-mail [email protected] or log on to www.chezlionel.ca