If we were heading to the Quartier des Spectacles area during the '40s, we’d probably be seeing burlesque sensation Lili St-Cyr. Today, we’re heading to the all-new restaurant that bears (half of) her name.

Located in the grime-meets-gentrification 'hood, St-Cyr is the latest dining option for festival and showgoers alike. But with fab French-inspired fare, a great lunch table d’hôte and outstanding desserts, we may be headed there sans ticket stub.

And sweet lovers be warned: St-Cyr’s chef has worked at Michelin star restaurants, and is known for his desserts. Au revoir, resolutions!  —Christine Laroche

St-Cyr, 22 Ste-Catherine St. E., Montreal,  514-586-6222

For photos of last night’s pre-opening night, please see our Editor’s Diary.

We’ve always loved Le Pois Penché for a quick stop on our downtown shopping jaunts, but the recently revamped menu and wine list has made the elegant eatery into a destination for a leisurely dinner or after-work drinks and bites.

We recently re-visited the restaurant to sample some new dishes highlighting locally-sourced organic ingredients. Far from the heavy brasserie fare of old, the expanded list of appetizers includes an incredible raw bar, a scrumptious salmon tartare with avocado and wasabi ($16) and a velvety smooth Cream of St. Jacques scallop soup with toasty almond crunch ($9). Don’t worry, if you’re true to traditional brasserie meals, you can still find a divinely rich foie gras with Quebec cider and caramelized apples ($24) and a satisfyingly savoury osso bucco milanaise atop a decadent risotto with parmesan and citrus zest ($29).

Now we’re stopping in whether or not we’re in the neighbourhood. —Jennifer Nacshen

Le Pois Penché, 1230 de Maisonneuve Blvd W., Montreal, 514-667-5050, www.lepoispenche.com

We’ve watched St.Henri experience a recent regeneration, and now neighbouring Griffintown is getting its own makeover, with a restaurant takeover featuring a talented team of restaurateurs who transformed an old, unloved chicken grill into the hottest dish in town.

Nora Gray, is changing the face of rue St.Jacques, serving market-fresh southern Italian cuisine to a lively late-night crowd (come early if you want a quiet meal!). We happily joined in the party with a mouth-watering primi of tender calamari and tasty meatballs ($11), followed by an indulgent pasta course, sharing half portions of the creamy and rich wild mushroom Cavatelli ($11) and deliciously textured crispy sweetbread ravioli ($15). We’d already heard raves about the white fish, cooked to crispy/flaky perfection on the charcoal grill salvaged from the space’s previous owners and destined to become our must-have meal. On the day we dined the daily special featured fresh, never-frozen marinated tuna served atop lentils. Delish!

Welcome to the restaurant renaissance! —Jennifer Nachshen

Nora Gray, 1391, rue St Jacques, Montreal, 514-419-6672, www.noragray.com

Chuck Hughes may be all over the place these days, from his hit Food Network TV show Chuck’s Day Off and his recent Iron Chef win, to teaching Kathie Lee and Hoda how to make poutine on The Today Show.

But his new restaurant, Le Bremner, isn’t all that easy to find. With no website and a sign stating simply “Restaurant” outside the door, we had to turn to our foodie friends on Twitter to get the goods. Luckily, you won’t have to work as hard to reserve a spot at the cozy restaurant which serves up some of Chuck’s best, including nirvana-on-a-plate raw striped bass with pickled radish, mint and pistachio ($15).

Specializing in seafood, raw and cooked, Le Bremner also offers hearty lamb and chorizo meatballs ($17) as well as bread and cheese plates that will sway even the most lactose-intolerant. There’s no cocktail list, just savvy waitstaff who can choose your drink (mixed with house-made syrups) based on the flavours you like best. We listed ginger, grapefruit and cilantro and ended up with a deliciously fresh and slightly spicy vodka, sake, ginger and grapefruit cocktail.

Finders keepers. —Jennifer Nachshen

Le Bremner, 361 St. Paul E., Montreal, 514-544-0446.

We love to indulge in gourmet fare, but plates piled with mounds of foie gras, cream, and red meat often leave us feeling stuffed—and not very chic.

We found delicious indulgence in perfect moderation at the tasteful Bouillon Bilk, a restaurant designed with female customers in mind. We started with a light crudo of red snapper ($12) with plums and marinated red cabbage, featuring just a touch of rich crème fraiche and wasabi for added punch. Pillowy pan-fried scallops ($26) were a perfect bite, paired with a spicy citrus-scented broth, edamame beans and kimchi dumplings. We finished off with a refreshing grapefruit gelée topped with a dollop of white chocolate cream ($8), offering the perfect balance between light and sweet. But don’t worry, the menu offers man-friendly meals like duck pastrami and braised pork.

So you can have your beefcake and eat healthy too.

Bouillon Bilk, 1595 St. Laurent Blvd., Montreal, 514-845-1595, www.bouillonbilk.com

When it comes to deciding between the raw and the cooked, we’ll take ours sashimi-style every time.

We don’t have to choose one or the other at Ryu, Montreal’s latest izakaya-style Japanese tapas restaurant designed for those who like to sample and share. We started with the addictively crispy popcorn shrimp ($11) along with the perfect two-bite mini lobster tacos in shells made from wonton wrappers ($12). Slices of velvety Hamachi with slices jalapenos ($12) provided the perfect hit of heat, while a plate of fresh red snapper sashimi ($9) has a lightly sweet sauce. We loved the innovative selection of sushi, but absolutely devoured the ceramic-plate cooked miso-marinated black cod toban yaki.

I guess sometimes we do like our seafood with a little bit of sizzle.

Ryu, 288 Laurier St. W., Montreal, 514-439-6559, www.ryutapas.com

This city suffers from a sad lack of soul food, but now that Icehouse has moved into the Plateau, Montrealers finally have a spot to savour some spicy Southern-style staples.

This casual wood-panelled eatery serves Texas-style fare with an added kick, like their dare-you-to-drink-just-one (we didn’t) Bourbon-spiked fresh-squeezed lemonade and homemade hot sauce. We tried two tasty types of tacos ($8 each), one featuring teriyaki short ribs with green goddess sauce and a jalapeno-daikon slaw, and the other filled with red fish, pineapple salsa and black beans. But the ultimate foodie fantasy presented itself in the luscious lobster burrito with corn, chilli and black beans ($22). Just make sure you take note of the wall-mounted napkin rolls, because things are going to get messy.

Talk about finger lickin’ good. —JN

Icehouse, 51 Roy St. E, Montreal, 514-439-6691.

The original Borgias were wealthy patrons of the arts, and if the mini-series is to be believed (has TV ever let you down?), masters of sinful self-indulgence.

Chef Nicolina Servello, Chocolatier Nada Fares of Le Maitre du Chocolatier and pastry artist Jami Liverman have come together to create Les Nuits Borgia, a hedonistic multi-course gourmet romp ($100 per person, $130 with wine pairings). The menu for our visit included a flavorful porcini and wild mushroom crostini followed by a marvelous Fior di Latte medaglione on a bed of minted pea puree. The main course was a toothsome truffle salt-seared bavette on a crisp corn polenta cake, followed by a delicious dessert of chocolate cherry clafoutis with a sour cherry reduction and vanilla bean ice cream.

Held on only one Thursday per month, the 22 (maximum) guests may arrive as strangers, but after dining at the communal table, leave as friends.

Reserve online here.

Moishe’s has been a fixture on the Main since 1938 (the original Moishe was a waiter who won the restaurant from his boss in a poker game).

Moishe’s is moving into modernity with a top-to-bottom makeover, featuring a beautiful new ceiling, exposed brick, modern lighting, and up-to-date art, as well as the new 3 Hours to Midnight menu ($25 for appetizer, main and coffee/tea) served weekends from 9 p.m. to midnight. We stopped in for a pre-party nosh, opting for lush organic salmon tartare, followed by a scrumptious lobster roll that inspired memories of Maine, as well as a borrowed bite from our dining companion’s perfectly pink-in-the-middle petit filet. But don’t fret! You can still fill up on Moishe’s coleslaw, pickles, and famous Monte Carlo potatoes, and finish with a creamy and custardy mille feuille for dessert.

Don’t forget to nicely ask the Maitre D’ for a secret piece of DubbleBubble on your way out. —JN

Moishe’s, 3961 St. Laurent Blvd., Montreal, 514-845-3509, www.moishes.ca

We have to admit, we’re a bit of a foodie groupie. When we find a chef we like, we’ll follow him anywhere.

When Michele Forgione announced he’d be opening his own restaurant in Old Montreal, we made sure we visited the relaxed yet elegant Osteria Venti as soon as possible. Our meal started with the braised octopus with crisp fennel and tangy capers ($12) and the delicious tuna salad with homemade tuna preserves, black olives, tomatoes and cannellini beans ($11). Longing for some comfort food, we opted for the lasagne featuring the Bolognese sauce that won Forgione top honours in the Gazette’s Bolognese smack-down, and were rewarded with a rich and satisfying dish. With no room for a secondi or a dessert, we vowed to return again soon.

Not that we’re a stalker or anything.

Osteria Venti, 372 St-Paul W., Montreal, 514-284-0445, www.osteriaventi.com