What is the sentiment of the following review?
More in the blog - highlight dishes mentioned below: The Why: Jerrome Ferrer is kind of a big deal in and around Montreal -Relais & Chateaux, 4-Diamonds, and the praise of many gourmands follow his name and a place in the Chaine des Rotisseurs particularly caught my attention. Admittedly a fan of fine dining with an agenda that otherwise included Quebecois staples of poutine, pigs feet, and as much maple syrup as I could find Europea seemed a perfect choice for my one solo night in Montreal - a good reason for the suit and tie as opposed to the Patrick Roy jersey, at the very least. The Service: Whether it was my inability to speak French, the fact that I only ordered one glass of wine, or an effect of the fact that there was a large (14 or so) table of regulars seated directly behind me I will simply say that the service at Europea was lacking. Twenty minute waits between courses, water unfilled for long periods of time, bread service unreplenished, and an inexplicable twenty minute wait at the end of the meal where not a single server walked within fifteen feet of my table (aside from up and down the stairs) to check in, refill coffee, or offer the bill. I was an island of one in the dead-center of the restaurant for the majority of my visit - something I've never experienced at such a restaurant and hope to never experience again. It was mentioned to the manager when I asked to see the kitchen at the end of the evening - he blew me off with an "oh, well, I'm sorry to hear that." The Food: $100 tasting menu, one $19 glass of ice wine, complementary canapes, amuses, mignardises, bread service, $4.50 coffee. Calamari - Tagliatelle of Calamari Carbonara: With many chefs making squid noodles and turning everything into a haute carbonara I'll simply say this dish could have fallen way short for me, but in fact it was probably the best of the night in terms of innovation and execution as the tender squid was nearly indistinguishable from al dente pasta while the use of a poached Quail Egg, squid ink and garlic butter croutons, and lemon 'caviar' all melded into a bright and balanced sauce - I could have eaten a giant bowl of this and left happy. Foie Gras - Maple: In a trip filled with fatty fowl liver this was probably the most memorable in terms of 'wow' factor as a thick slice of the lobe arrive previously smoked over maple wood and seared on one side only to be placed on a hot river stone tableside and doused with ice wine allowing it to caramelize under a glass dome as I watched and enjoyed a tasty cloudberry canale meant to 'whet the palate." Smoky and unctuous, sweet with a crystalline crust giving way to supple fat - I'd be hard pressed to name five better foie preparations in the last five years. Raviole - Fresh organic-herb ravioli stuffed porcini mushrooms: Never afraid to serve up the bold flavors, this plate was the very essence of the earth and a perfect lead in to the final savory. Featuring "Seared Mushrooms picked by Mr Roberts" including a woodsy cascade of Enoki, Shitake, Morels, Honshimiji, and Trumpets served alongside thin noodles stuffed with truffled Enoki puree the dish was completed with buttery morel mushroom froth with the smell greeting you at 10 feet and the flavor every bit as powerful; this plate also returned to the kitchen without a spot. The Verdict: With the previously mentioned service flaws frequently marring the otherwise excellent cuisine and my comments about this blown off by the manager clearly tempering my feelings about a return to Europea I have to admit that on the whole the cuisine was quite goodt and at less than $100 before tax/tip (and converting to the US Dollar) Europea would not be out of place amongst the Michelin 1-Star restaurants of New York, Chicago, or San Francisco. Certainly a bit of attention to detail would be welcomed, but taking into consideration the ravioli, squid noodles, and foie gras I cannot deny that the meal was a memorable one.
Choose from:
[A]. negative
[B]. positive
[B].