In the spring, Villeray lost its Cafécoquetel, a nice address where you could hang out from breakfast to after dinner. But, relief, the neighborhood has won the colorful Sae Low, in the same premises at the corner of Berri and Faillon streets.
Led by beloved Minh Phat (Mui Mui and Anénome), the new team is headlined by chef Mélanie Falardeau (formerly at Orange Rouge) and sommelier Jade Labonté Harvey (Floating Island).
The café-refreshment concept has been retained, with a very stable schedule: Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. And when it comes to stability, the caffeinated beverages are still made with beans from Montreal roaster Zab. Even the famous “pink and pink peppercorn latte” from Cafecoquetel has been retained. The wine offer has been greatly improved, with artisanal vintages of all colors. We dipped our lips in a rosé that’s as intense as it is electrifying from the Daniel and Bianka Schmitt estate in Germany.
The space in the kitchen being rather limited, Minh and Mélanie had to be creative when designing the menu. At any time, you can order a cubic milk roll with a choice of three toppings. On the savory side, four bowls with a rice base are offered: roasted oyster mushrooms, lacquered eggplant, beef tartare or spicy tuna. If the donburi is normally sufficient on its own, here the bowls are small. To make it a meal, it is almost imperative to order another dish, be it the tomato salad, the salmon tataki or the ceviche. The bill can add up quickly! But the $8 Japanese cheesecake is pretty generous. Perhaps it would be even more delicious with coulis or fruit compote?