La Bêtise

La Bêtise on St-Hubert and Bellechasse is nothing if not distinctive. A tapas bar combining top quality Asian fusion cooking with Quebecois comfort food, this restaurant was going to have a unique vibe even before it was decorated in the style of a Western saloon, complete with chairs covered in cow-hide. Marie Bilodeau shares how it all started.

“We opened in August 2010. The four of us were all working in different Asian restaurants. Our chef cooked at two different Japanese restaurants. We’d all done grad studies in business or law so we had the urge to start something of our own.” Since the four friends were based in the Rosemont–Petite-Patrie area, it seemed lika a logical place to start. “There’s not much hype in this neighbourhood yet, but it is up and coming and we see ourselves as part of that,” Marie explains. “More and more people are going out here, staying in their own neighbourhood rather than leaving to socialize. New bars and cafes have opened since we’ve been here. We refer people to one another so it builds a sense of community. We’ve built a connection with our clientele and the neighbourhood.”