Some restaurants reopen quietly, timidly, almost as if apologizing for having disappeared for a while. And then there is Hoogan & Beaufort: brighter architecture, sharper cuisine, ambitions clearly on display.

As soon as you step inside, the design speaks first. Large bay windows flood the room with a Scandinavian-like light. The central bar, shaped like an H (an obvious nod to the restaurant’s name) confidently anchors the entire space. Above it, a towering wooden ceiling from which long, slender lamps hang like a rain of light.

The restaurant places a strong emphasis on Canadian terroir, with particular attention paid to local fruits and vegetables. The menu evolves with the seasons and can even be renewed several times within the same period. A $125 tasting menu is offered to showcase seven signature dishes; naturally, that’s the one I chose.

A meal of balance and precision: fat, acidity, technique

Seated at the large bar, sipping a beer brewed exclusively for the restaurant, the amuse-bouches arrive. A small fried crisp filled with spinach and stracciatella (rich and comforting) is immediately balanced by a refreshing celery root with blood orange.

Then comes the first course: scallops bathed in a celery jus, with no harsh acidity. The juice gently flows over Québec-grown oranges, offering a subtle, well-judged local twist.

The open kitchen allows you to admire the impressive brasero, used both to smoke meats and grill the focaccias (crisp on the outside, soft inside) served alongside the second starter: a small tartlet of artichoke, smoked sardine, and hazelnuts. The harmony is striking: the artichoke brings depth, the sardine adds smoky umami, and the tart shell with hazelnuts provides crunch.

The pasta arrives, filled with a melting, delicate stuffing, while a Louis d’Or cheese sauce adds immediate depth. The chanterelles evoke the forest floor, and the pickled celery brings acidity. One of my favorite dishes of the evening.

Then everything pivots around the duck: a light yet enveloping brown sauce, and a quince purée that brings the perfect sweet-salty balance, setting the stage beautifully for dessert. Special mention for the grilled pointed cabbage, remarkable umami, and the small skewer of duck heart, quince, and ginger, adding a bolder, more playful touch.

Hoogan & Beaufort prove once again that it understands fire, the precision of a perfectly rare, juicy cook, and the harmony of textures.

My surprise of the evening, however, came with dessert: a dish featuring pear (one of my favorite fruits) and oats, with flavors that unfold gracefully on the palate.
First, the freshness of the pear, then the slightly crisp tuile, and finally the honey that brings a lingering finish. No heaviness, no excess sugar, everything falls perfectly into place.

Beside it, a crumble with pear coulis and a sweetgrass siphon (a Québec herb with an aroma reminiscent of vanilla) adds a unique aromatic dimension and turns out to be a delightful discovery.