It was during Héritaj Montreal’s 4 to 7 happy hour that I found myself seated on the terrace, enjoying dozens of small oysters at $1 each, accompanied by live music from a local band. The oysters, sourced from New Brunswick, are tiny (probably size 5), pleasantly briny but, in my opinion, lacking a bit of creaminess.

Héritaj shares its space with Le Passé Composé, one of Montreal’s best brunch spots ( see my article about it). Owned by the same team behind India Rosa, the concept here is clear: blending Indian spices and flavorful sauces with the techniques of French gastronomy.

That’s exactly what I found in my dish: a butter chicken prepared like a cordon bleu, dipped in a comforting sauce with cumin and saffron. The sauce was so delicious that I only missed having some bread to mop it up. Unfortunately, the chicken itself was slightly overcooked.

The same issue appeared with my second dish, the Chai Salmon: the fish was just too well done. Still, the sweet-and-savory combination of chai sauce and candied orange was interesting, though a bit too sweet for my taste. On the other hand, the hazelnut crust topping the salmon was perfectly executed and added a pleasant crunch.

The real highlight of Héritaj, however, are the cocktails. Creative, well-balanced, and beautifully presented, they turned my sunny terrace afternoon into a truly enjoyable experience. Expect prices a little above average: $16 per cocktail, and mains ranging from $32 to $56 for dishes like the Héritaj-style filet mignon.