Call it a café, restaurant, bar, social club or radio station, Maison Sociale is the Swiss Army knife of gathering places in the Mile End. A team of nine brought the vision to life, each leveraging their own unique skills and talents, from music, PR, social media, carpentry and more. The design, by co-owner David Schmidt and Chantal Ness, is heavily influenced by the ’60s and more specifically Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel. The 80-seat space provides varied seating ― from low communal coffeehouse couches to banquettes to pub-style seats near the bar ― catering to guests enjoying dinner, listening to a live radio show or milling about with drinks and snacks. The “French revisited” menu from co-chefs Michael Lambert and Valerie Samson-Tshimbalanga offers playful twists on French classics, such as (Pizza) ladière, pan-cooked dough topped with caramelized onions, anchovy paste, herbs and crunchy veggies ($8); and beef tartare with l’ancienne grainy mustard and whole-bellied fried clams ($11).
5386 St. Laurent Blvd.
