Atelier
540 Rochester St.
(613) 321-3537

Rating: *****
12-Course Tasting Menu: $88 a person

In a cozy, pristinely decorated restaurant, Atelier’s kitchen has been fashioned into a lab where molecular gastronomy is applied to classic French techniques. It is fashioned on a restaurant in Chicago’s Alinea where Chef Mark Lepine worked briefly before launching his tasting menu.

In this 20-seat restaurant, ingredients are paired with science to deliver a piece of art that plays with your senses. According to Steve, our informative waiter, Atelier goes through more liquid nitrogen per week than the city’s medical labs. And although it requires a small fortune to enjoy the 12-course tasting menu, it’s something to try on special occasions.

Their set menu relies on local and seasonal ingredients and whatever experiments the three-person kitchen team has been playing around with. On this spring night, our meal included Corona-flavoured ice cream dredged with crushed pretzels, pickled pine sprigs balanced on fresh salmon, powdered butter, bacon tapioca alongside sous vide bison, caramelized onion paper and a sliver of black truffle garnishing local morels, elk heart tartare, and a smoking cinnamon stick that provided a scent with seared pork belly. Every item was explained expertly by the wait staff and all were surprising and delightful.

Atelier is a destination where you can explore new tastes and be enchanted by the creativity and innovation of a team that is bringing the science lab and artist’s studio into the kitchen.

Dining out

Fine Dining Located in the Hotel Hilton Lac Leamy, Arôme is a fine dining restaurant that serves premium-grade meats and seafood. Their cellar stocks over 1,200 bottles of fine wine. 3 Blvd. Du Casino, Gatineau, (819) 790-6410.

Tea Time The Tea Party offers over 80 different teas and serves high tea daily. Every second and fourth Tuesday of the month, they have an evening of storytelling and tea. 119 York St. (613) 562-0352.

In brief

Whisky Learn about single-malt Scotch at a tasting with Carol Anderson of GrapeScot tonight at DiVino Wine Studio starting at 7 p.m. $85/person. www.divinowinestudio.com