The arty ê.a.t.!

Complied by Leah Linhares

Photography: Courtesy V2com

  

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Newly refurbished diner Être Avec Toi (ê.a.t.) at the renowned W Montréal defies the age old adage – ‘too many cooks spoil the broth’ with its revolutionary dining concept that offers cuisine in an exciting art-gallery-esque style…

Collaborative effort between MASSIVart, SID LEE Architecture, Hospitality Management Company BPC (By Peter Chase), this unique restaurant located on the W ground floor mixes art and lifestyle in a subtle manner. Halfway between a gallery and a restaurant, ê.a.t. blurs the boundaries of art access by offering its clients art right at their table!

 

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Dining at ê.a.t. can be an evening’s main social event. Energetic street art adorns white walls, while a dense array of paintings hang throughout the dining room, celebrating Montreal’s diversity through custom pieces by Montreal artists only.

 

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From the bar tables (by Jason Wasserman) to the collaborative murals (by WIA-What Is Adam & Stikki Peaches), to booths (Jason Cantoro), to the windows (Scaner), the artists literally take visual control of the place to evoke an undeniable replica of Montreal’s culture, its symbols, its history and its countless murals. Art pieces become furniture and waiters become artistic mediators – well-groomed to answer queries on the artistic content.

 

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On the culinary front, a live kitchen and moving side table that travels through the room with certain dishes prepared at the table regales diners (a cover of 160) as does the selection of 200 liquor bottles from across the globe; down to celebrated mixologist Eben Klemm’s brand of cocktails.

 

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A recent value-add that takes the restaurant concept beyond art curation is a group of artists painting live from December 2, 2015 to February 19, 2016 – at times independently and at others, in a collaborative effort.

 

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We know a picture is worth a thousand words and ê.a.t. does just that, adding to the restaurant’s excitement and warmth!