Talking Allergies

New to Montreal: Zero8 - a restaurant that claims to not have any of the top 8 allergens in their food...

http://www.zero8.com/promesse.html

The site is French only - but for those of you comfortable reading French, check it out.

K

this is great. I wish they had something like this over here. I have been looking over and over to see if there are any restaurants that don't have wheat on their menu, but it seems every cuisine in the world does, this is the first restaurant I've seen that hasn't. I haven't eaten out in months, and while I don't find it that much of a problem (I just bring my own food), it would be nice to be able to eat out once in a while... I am receiving my anapen in a weeks time (I am terrified of the "trial" of it, I hate needles!) so at least that is a security in case I was completely forced to eat out in case of emergency.

Lets hope this becomes a more common concept.

This is AMAZING...thank you for posting this! I cannot wait to try it out and give feedback!

Lisa, I can't wait to hear your feedback regarding the food!! Montreal would be a day trip for us but worth it if it meant our family could have a special meal out and not have to worry (ok worry less) about trace of allergens in the food let alone on the chairs and tables etc.. as our little guy touches everything.

I emailed Zero 8 to get an idea what they are about (as I don't speak or read french), to both my emails I received very quick and friendly responses.
I must also add that I am very impressed with their outreach of customer service regarding out son. I explained that he is only 16 months and asked about feeding him as he still eats basic steamed carrots etc.. Zero 8 replied once again very quickly to my email and let me know that " if you choose a simple meal designed from Zero-8 ingredients as well as complying to your son's specific allergies, our chef could prepare the meal in the afternoon when there is no pressure or risks of cross-contamination and seal it until you arrive."
Here's a little of what they had to say......"Our kitchen is free from peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, fish (& shellfishs), sesame as well as gluten (including wheat), milk (therefore caseine and lactose) and soy.

Our restaurant is located in a nice area of Montreal called Quartier Latin. While the movie theater shows french-only movies , the Théatre St-Denis (a theater) often has english spoken comedy shows or others.

Have a look a few weeks before and the shows should be posted: http://theatrestdenis.com/index.html

As for pricing: depending on your appetite you can eat between 15-25$ per person (no tax, brevage or service). Our wine list ranges from 30-60. We've tried to make it as competitive as possible

Sounds very positive so far....I can now stock up on Vadeboncoeur chocolate at the same time as eating out!

BC2007, I'm glad you got such a kind and timely response from them...it definitely eases a lot of the anxiety of eating out. They just seem to"get it". I was so excited while looking on their website that I applied for a job there! They are hiring for all positions since they are just opening...it would be a great environment to work in, especially because I've always wanted to work in a restaurant!
I hope you make the trip to Montreal...it really is a beautiful city. I don't know where you were planning on staying but if it's close to the West Island I could suggest another restaurant where you would be able to feel at home. My family has been going there for over twenty years...so the owner has known me pretty much my entire life! He's there almost every night and is good at paying attention to special dietary needs.

We've been talking about going to the Insectariun and Botanical Park this month. It wouldbe nice to be out of the cold and in a lush tropical oasis even if it's just for a few hours...

This restaurant is only 6 minutes away from the Montréal Botanical Garden!

Can someone translate the menu? Is there anything on there that a child would like?

Wow.

And right on St-Denis, just above the university (where they'll find scads of young allergics).

Lisa, be our tastebuds, bring back a review. Fingers crossed the food is good. J'adore Montréal (ok, except in the dead of winter), and to have a safe eatery ... well I'm working up an appetite just thinking about it.

Alright! Got a call for an interview

Susan, the main dishes are:

-sauteed veal on a bed of rice noodles
-pasta: either tomato sauce or bolognaise
-sheperd's pie but with duck
-braised beef with lentils (legumes aren't good for me, and I'm sure others are allergic as well but even if your intolerances/allergies aren't in their top 8, they still know how to deal with cross contamination)
-marinated chicken with mushroom and shallot risotto
-stuffed peppers, either vegetarian or with meat
-orange braised lamb with lentils
-roast beef with fries (beef done in red wine juice)
-chicken soup
-vegetable soup

They also have grilled meats and most come with fries (and fries are one of the extras you can order with any meal) which might be nice for kids. Their desserts are brownies, poached caramel pears with a chocolate and mango mousse and their "inspiration du moment" which I'm guessing is either their dessert of the day or something that they create on the spot for you. Some of their entrees include salads, grilled veggies, ceviche, and chicken wings.

I thought it was interesting that they noted they check with the wine companies if they use egg whites as clarifiers! Wow! That is awesome for my brother who is allergic to eggs and at 23, would enjoy a glass with his meal. Also, sulfites is on their top 8 list so that would be nice for you Gwen.

J'adore Montreal aussi! So excited that we are the city to host this "first" or at least one of the firsts. My brother and I thought it was going to be up to us to open this kind of restaurant!!
Agreed, the cold is bad but when the sun is shining, you barely notice
Perhaps one day you lovely ladies will make a trip here and try this place out and maybe, just maybe I will be serving your lunch!

hey I'm on the West Island ! What's that other restaurant?

I like the idea of Zero 8, but with young kids, I'm not sure we're their target customers. I'm usually looking for less fancy and cheaper. But my kids will grow up.

Cleo,
It's called Mezzogiorno and it's on St.Charles, north of the 40. But it's a tiny bit fancy and may not be the most economical. It's Italian so pastas, meats, fish, etc. and really delicious...and simple. The owner's name is Giuseppe. The number is 514-426-9288.

Thanks Lisa! Lentils (and most legumes) are on our allergy list but stuffed pepper, grilled meat and fries...those are good. Too bad about the lamb (being with lentils) she likes lamb and duck too but not in a shepards pie.

I can't wait to try it out, hopefully with enough support they can have success. Zero 8 did add to my email that
"During our pre-opening phase, we are still adjusting some recipes: food must taste great!"
Maybe with some customer input some recipes can be slightly adjusted etc..
My husband will be in Montreal soon, I'm sending him to try it out. Our daughter too would eat the shepherds pie but not with duck.

Good luck Lisa, hope to see you soon

Thanks BC2007!
Let me know if you are ever in town. I hope your husband has a good experience there.

Hello everone!
I can't seem to sleep and so I thought I would post some more info about Zero8. I went for my interview last night and I have nothing bad to say. The owners and assistant manager are warm and friendly. The place is b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l....modern, clean lines and warm. Long wood bar in the shape of a Z, tables, brick wall, mirrors, whiite accent wall...gorgeous. The owners were eating when I got there and let me tell you, they aren't just throwing their food together there. This stuff is fresh, presented much to the caliber of Iron Chef America and you can feel comfortable that for your time there, you will definitely forget you have allergies.
They told me a story about one family who came in from Trois Rivieres and they brought their daughter with them. She is 11 years old and it was the first time she ate in a restaurant. The main owner opened the restaurant when he realized that restaurants do not know how to deal with allergies. He has adult onset to gluten and is lactose intolerant. He wants it to be a place where people feel as comfortable as they do in their own home. They are more than willing to let you speak with the chef but everyone there understands the severity of allergies, either because they have them or they are passionate about the cause.
I am doing my first shift next weekend but regardless of whether things work out or not, not only will I eat there with family and friends (so beautiful, your friends won't realize what kind of place they're in) but I highly recommend it to all of you. Also, they are aware of the huge market across Canada and I reinforced to him that they would do great opening a chain across the country so we will see what happens in the next few years.
Now that that's off my chest...back to bed!

I have a reservation for Valentine's day with my hubby AND daughter! It'll be the first time she goes to a restaurant and we don't have her meal to be microwaved! I spoke to someone over the phone, and they said they don't mind having children early in the evening (we go at 5h30pm). Also, they are very allergy-aware, and I spoke to them about my daughter's mustard allergy, and they wrote it on our reservation so the chef and waiters would be aware ahead of time and avoid cross contamination!!!

I'm so excited about this, it's the best B-day and V-day gift I could ask for. Have a place to go out as a family and my daughter is just as special as anyone else!