Montgomery’s

The food at Montgomery’s, an inconspicuous restaurant on Queen West, sneaks up on you. There’s wilted lettuce cooked simply in a bowl of light broth. There’s grilled trout, served on an almost-bare white plate with little else, prepared perfectly. There’s terrine of dairy cow with smoked mustard and raw parsnip. All of this looks rather […]

6 of 10

Montgomery’s

Gridled squid, tomato, parsley, and fermented chili

Montgomery's

Photo: Courtesy Montgomery's

Gridled Humboldt squid, tomato, parsley, and fermented chili

Photo: Courtesy Montgomery's

The food at Montgomery’s, an inconspicuous restaurant on Queen West, sneaks up on you. There’s wilted lettuce cooked simply in a bowl of light broth. There’s grilled trout, served on an almost-bare white plate with little else, prepared perfectly. There’s terrine of dairy cow with smoked mustard and raw parsnip. All of this looks rather plain, unfussy, and no-nonsense—and all of this is almost unbelievably delicious. Chef Guy Rawlings is such a virtuoso in the kitchen that he doesn’t need to resort to showiness; he knows the quality of the food is apparent. And, meanwhile, the front-of-house staff are as thoughtful and cordial as old friends.