Éloge de l’ombre: Seven Evenings by Menu Extra
From September 3 to 12, Menu Extra presents Éloge de l’ombre, an ephemeral dining experience running for seven evenings on Rue Ontario Est. The culinary studio draws on the essay of the same name by Japanese writer Jun’ichirō Tanizaki, a reflection on the beauty that reveals itself in half-light, and turns it into a meal built on chiaroscuro, contrast and texture. The event is presented in partnership with evian as part of Format Montréal, the design fair created by Montreal’s design community.
The decor holds a large place in the project, and it fits the context. Large sculptural communal tables with organic shapes welcome a triptych of fountains by Edith Sévigny-Martel, inspired by Isamu Noguchi’s playgrounds and the principles of biophilic design. Around them, you’ll find the work of Venosa Interiors on the table finishes, Gabriel Page on the altar and trays, Sam Later and Alexanne Plante on the mirror, Bocci on the lamps and MYCOAUDIO on the speakers. The concept and staging are by Samuel de La Courtemanche, the studio’s creative director.
The evening is built as a succession of gestures. From the moment they arrive, guests watch the ingredients cook slowly over a wood-fired Argentine grill. The welcome cocktail is presented on a shou sugi ban altar, the canapés on charred curly maple trays. Behind a backlit screen, the kitchen literally becomes a shadow theatre where the silhouettes of the toque-wearing chefs stand out, while in the dining room, the black-clad brigade moves between the tables. A warm towel infused with aromatics and wafts of applewood smoke punctuate the service.
Chef Francis Blais‘s multi-course menu for Menu Extra follows the same logic and leans on ingredients with deep tones: black garlic, hare, black turnip, charcoal, cuttlefish, heirloom tomato, all cooked with the seasons and local products. Sommelier Alexis Demers signs the pairing of wines from here and elsewhere, drawn from Menu Extra’s cellar, and a non-alcoholic version is offered. Between courses, evian water is served according to a precise ritual to refresh the palate.
The collaboration between evian, Francis Blais and Menu Extra has been running for nearly a year, following Reflections of Terroir in Toronto and the brand’s 200th anniversary celebrations in Évian-les-Bains.
Details
Dates: September 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11 and 12, 2026, from 6 p.m.
Location: 3081, rue Ontario Est, Montréal
Price: $365 plus tax, service included
Tickets: https://menuextra.ca/products/eloge-de-l-ombre
Written by Jean-Philippe Tastet
Photography by Gabriel Laporte
