Italian Sips & Bites

The Pitch

The Italian buvette is one of the hottest concepts in town these days.  Mostly concentrated in Le Sud-Ouest area, the likes of Gia, BarBara and Mano Cornuto draw their share of attention and adulation.  Nabbing a table at these hotspots requires either waiting indefinitely in line or reserving weeks in advance.

Joining this group is a new contender called Sauce Buvette du Quartier, open almost exactly a month ago.  Tonight I was invited to try this Griffintown/Little Burgundy denizen, which lies closer to the Lachine canal on William Street.

The Mood

The deep, narrow interior is clad in a black-and-white palette – white surfaces, black chairs, stools and columns.  Splashes of color are added thanks to hanging artwork.  The room was two-thirds full on this Friday night, the clientèle falling in the yuppie demographic typical of Griffintown.

The Food

The menu lists ten options or so for each of starters and main dishes – no antipasti, primi and secondi here.  Owner/chef Domenico Crivello draws on his Sicilian roots, French training and stints at Table 16 in Saint-Sauveur and Italian powerhouse Da Vinci to concoct a selection of traditional-meets-modern ristorante staples.

Wines are mostly old world – Italian and French – with a couple of American options – BOO!  Those are followed by a handful of classic and signature cocktails as well as a few Quebec beers.  A fabulous, spongy homemade focaccia served with whipped butter and olive oil/balsamic dip was a surefire sign of good things to come.

A salad of sorts featured thin slices of bresaola, melon and peach surrounding a burrata pouch, producing a beautiful medley of sweet/salty flavours and creamy/crunchy textures.  Following that was a mound of fried polenta sticks and chickpeas, which was crispy and fun to bite into.  For mains, our waiter chose for us a pasta plate and a protein dish.

The former contained al dente demi – shorter – rigatoni in a tender beef ragu, with added saltiness from cheese shavings and squishiness thanks to oyster mushrooms.  Next came a seared salmon fillet served with roasted vegetables in a creamy saffron sauce.  I did enjoy the fish's perfectly-crispy skin but found the dish "safe" and closer to something you would eat at home.

Underlying the food here is a clear mastery of sauces (hence the name?), which are silky, flavourful and used judiciously – a hallmark of French cuisine.  Finally, desserts marvelled with crispy/creamy cannoli followed by a whimsical play on poutine.  The latter saw a coffee cup jammed with fried apple sticks and ricotta cream then drizzled with caramel – there go your fries, cheese and gravy!

The Verdict

Above I likened Sauce to the new breed of Italian buvettes that have sprung up across town.  In retrospect, the menu and vibe here are more sophisticated, recherché and chef driven, making this more of an upscale wine bar than a casual hangout.  Cin cin! to the newcomer!

Price per person:  $47.50