Terrace Justine, Corner of Champagneur and Lajoie, Outremont

First there was Bistro Justine, and then Bistro Justine – Bistro a vin, now comes Terrace Justine. With his winning combination of small portions and small prices, the proprietor continues his mini-monopoly of small well-priced bistros in the Outremont/Mile End/Plateau area. While Bistro Justine seems a bit more intimate and romantic with its dark wood tables, warm lighting and cream walls, Terrace Justine is like its sunnier, less sophisticated partner. With its bright orange walls, white tiled floor, nautical mirrors and wall mosaics, it feels more like a day-glo evening at the beach, which I suppose was the intent.

The menu set-up at Terrace Justine is much the same as the Bistro, i.e. reasonably priced appetizers, mains and desserts. Having dined there on two occasions, I began both meals with the aubergine terrine - pieces of eggplant layered with goat cheese and served with a confit of onions (if memory serves). The terrine was absolutely delicious both times. I should also mention that dinner begins with a basket of fresh baguette and a lovely grassy olive oil in which to dip your bread. As for mains, most dishes are cooked “a la plancha” – lightly grilled on a metal plate. There are many seafood and fish options, as well as beef and fowl. For my first meal, I sampled the filet mignon served with a Bearnaise sauce. The beef was perfectly cooked to medium rare and the accompanying sauce was rich and tart. The beef was served with Bistro Justine’s trademark scalloped potato stack and a vol-au-vent shell filled with vegetables. My second meal at the Terrace consisted of the dinner-sized goat cheese salad, which consisted of no less than a large bowl of micro greens tossed in a lemony vinaigrette with a couple of rounds of toasted baguette and goat cheese. Good for lunch, or as a meal starter, but a little bland for a main course. As for dessert, Terrace Justine follows in the footsteps of the Bistro with a number of affordable delicious desserts. While we sampled a quite respectable crème brulee, the winner turned out to be a simple glass of ice cream, topped with a shot of espresso – simple and delicious.

A note about the wine list. The restaurant carries a number of very affordable private importations. On both occasions we ordered a bottle of Cotes-du-Rhone which suited our meat quite well.

Oh, and finally, this review wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the bathrooms. While I get the whole “Mediterranean beach-side” vibe of the resto, the bathroom looks like it was decorated by a hyper-active three year old with an Ikea corporate credit card. While I am all for imaginative interior decorating, shower curtains generally belong in showers and sponge flowers on the wall of said toddler’s bedroom.

6.5~7/10

Mains: $15-20