They very well may have stolen their name and basic identity from a rather famous restaurant of the same name: Le Comptoir du Relais in Paris. But they did not steal much from the concept, save for the fact that both places delight in delicious wine and foodstuffs.
Not unlike its older Parisian alter-ego, Le Comptoir in Montreal is a simple little place that just happens to have a menu decked out with a lot of delicious tasty little morsels to try. Take, for example, their charcuterie plate, which, for a mere $10, offers stacks of fine deli meats and cured sausages all made in-house, complemented with a selection of hard and soft cheeses, grainy mustard, cornichons, pickled pearl onions and toasted baguette croûtons. The quintessential difference is that at the Montreal Comptoir it is perfectly kosher to pop in for a glass of wine and nothing else — and it’s cheap! You can easily slide out with a couple of glasses of wine and a small plate on the bill for around $30, including tax!
Unlike its more mature Montrealaise counterparts Bu, Pop, and Pullman, Le Comptoir manages to pull off an ambiance with a pristine European finish that makes it oh-so-difficult to resist saying ‘oui’ when asked if you would like another glass. Pourquoi pas?
