For a restaurant that’s established itself as one Montreal’s most exciting dining experiences, the ground floor of a Hilton Hotel may appear an unexpected setting. It also presents an unexpected combination of cuisines that will have you wondering what’s Latin for ‘Irasshaimase’?
With a menu of classic Italian dishes imaginatively imbued with Japanese ingredients, Tiramisu has won the heart (and stomachs) of local hipsters and travellers alike, who are flocking to its Chinatown location to devour dishes such as Tartare Sushi Arancini; Tonokotsu, a fresh lasagne with béchamel, fior di latte, miso, white wine and pork; and an array of pizzas alongside a stunning tiramisu macerated in Japanese whiskey.
Local architecture and design studio, Ménard Dworkind, were behind the interiors of the project, with design nodding to the Italian exuberance of the 1960s in a contemporary context. The designers also having taken lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic when considering the overall layout.
Boasting a 75-foot long operable façade, the restaurant can open onto bustling Chinatown, with diners choosing to eat inside the space or order food to take away at ‘MISU’ a smaller version of the cafe found at the entrance and featuring its own quick-service counter, or from the Tiramisu pizza counter. An abundance of natural light fills the dining room and bar which has been kitted out with an eclectic mix of materials including marble, terrazzo, wood, velvet, mirrors and chrome.
A raised angular and asymmetrical bar frames the view from the entry, adding dynamic perspective and movement around the space. An inverted pyramid covered in acoustic panels, meanwhile, follows the shape of the bar and hangs down from the ceiling, culminating in four walnut lightboxes that illuminate the central back-bar.
Bringing Asian influences to classic Italian decadence, Ménard Dworkind’s latest Montreal restaurant design is another masterclass in fusing classic style with contemporary wonder.
Tiramisu Montreal Photogaphy, David Dworkind.
