A few months after its opening, we fell upon Sel Gras. Having read about it and its rather impressive crew working the kitchen, we have had this on our short list for some time. So with a friend coming in from out of town and a need to try something totally different it felt like the logical choice to give Sel Gras over in the Mile End a shot.

It was a sunny day and with the front patio doors open we were drawn into Sel Gras. The interior has a very good capacity and a large bar on the right hand side near the entrance. With a variety of brunch options in walking distance, Sel Gras has some neighbouring competition but it does an impressive job in standing out even with solid brunch options close by. The large capacity and precise culinary direction help it stand out and make it a place you will soon be adding to your list of go-to spots.

Food The weekend brunch menu is a single page for food and another for drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). The average main dish will run you $15 on average and coffee is $2.75 with free refills. The menu has some classic brunch dishes like French toast and granola, with some twists like Spanish tortilla, salads, gravlax and some items that lean more towards lunch but are pulled off with magic. The menu will likely change over time and especially with the seasonal ingredients available.

We started off with some Bloody Caesars $10 which came served in a mason jar. The rim was excellent, they chose to top it with a pickle and a pepper. The Caesar itself was tasty, the rim was impressive, toppings were creative although the taste is always judged by the drink itself and the rim. I was never a fan of drinks in mason jars since there is perfectly good glassware available. Although the larger mouth of a mason jar offers for more enjoyment of spice on the rim. There is also a Bloody Mary $10 which is something you do not see often, with Montreal a predominantly bloody Caeasar city.

The breakfast tortilla $13 drew our attention as it is something we do not see often on a brunch menu. With tomatoes, avocados, salad, roasted peppers and Serrano ham, this dish is filling and interesting with lots of ingredients making for a fresh yet filling experience. We had to struggle to finish this plate since it was rather filling adding value to this dish.

The house gravlax $14 consists of salmon, red beet puree, tomatoes, cucumber and parmesan. It also had cut pieces of bagel which also help to fill you up. The gravlax was served as rather large cubes, which is a nice change from other places that only serve small slices.

The granola dish $8 had grilled peach, maple syrup, granola and orange yogourt. Although simple in presentation, the grilled peach is an excellent choice to add a diverse taste to a dish we often see too often and few people dress it up. Although at Sel Gras there are subtle changes to this classic dish that make it stand out.

Service The staff was helpful, prompt and friendly. They answered all our questions and checked up on us as the meal progressed.

Vegetarian Almost all dishes are vegetarian friendly which is a safe bet for choosing this place if you or someone you are going with is a vegetarian.

Wrap up Sel Gras is a place I would come back to again. The food is tasty, menu items are creative and fun. We expect the menu to change and evolve as the season does. This is an excellent addition to the area giving another worthwhile spot to add to your list.

Price	$$$	$15
Overall		4/5
Wheelchair Access	NO	0/3
Parking	Parking Meter & Street	Medium
BUS	363, 55,46	Get Directions
Metro	Laurier	9 minutes