Sekoya: The impressive new restaurant in Laval

Sekoya is one of Laval’s great new restaurants. Opened by Phat Nguyen, who also owns Torii Sushi, Sekoya is bound to be a success.

Sekoya: Torii Sushi’s little brother

The lovely qualities of Torii Sushi can equally be found at Sekoya. Already from outside, Sekoya impresses with its long windows overlooking Carrefour boulevard. Once inside, the decor — by Gauvreau Design — makes for a warm and inviting atmosphere. The quality of the service will later confirm the impression given at the entrance.

With chef Kevin Bates Breault, Phat Nguyen has found a perfect partner to take care of the kitchen at Sekoya. This young Laval native, who trained at the École hôtelière de Laval and worked at some very good restaurants — including chef Richard Bastien‘s excellent Le Mitoyen — before settling here. He offers a tempting cuisine, rich in well-mastered techniques and surprisingly original; a kind of neo-Quebecois gastronomy that is fascinating. You can feel the talent, the work and the attention to detail.

Talent in the kitchen, talent on the plates

At lunch, the dishes elicited great satisfaction at our table and at the surrounding tables as well. It’s always nice to see that a real chef is able to impress with dishes that have been seen and tasted a thousand times over, such as “Squash soup with sage cream” or, for the main course, “Lamb, carrot, rosemary”.

In the evening, for example, a dish modestly entitled “Scallops, cauliflower, marinara sauce” is anything but modest and brings a happiness similar to those experienced at lunch. Textures, preparation, rich sauces and accompaniments, everything is impeccable and a pure delight.

The house offers sumptuous brunches on Saturday and Sunday.

We are also moved to see that the restaurant does not waste and seeks to sensitize their clientele to be more mindful of their consumption. This is evident in small details like their “Bread & Butter”, at $4. As we should do everywhere, at home as well as at the restaurant, we consume intelligently and if we take something we know that it is not free, and we make sure not to throw it away.

Added pleasure everywhere

To conclude on an artistic note, eating in a beautiful setting, made even more magnificent as here by a large painting by Quebec artist Carol Bernier, is a considerable added pleasure.

Written by Jean-Philippe Tastet
Photography by Alison Slattery

Last update: December 20, 2022

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