Umarell: the new wine bar from the Mano Cornuto team
Umarell
386 Richmond Street, Montreal H3J 1T9
+1 514-846-2426
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Monday: 11:00 AM – 2:00 AM, 12:00 AM – 2:00 AM.
Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 2:00 AM.
Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 2:00 AM.
Thursday: 11:00 AM – 2:00 AM.
Friday: 11:00 AM – 2:00 AM.
Saturday: 11:00 AM – 2:00 AM.
Sunday: 11:00 AM – 11:59 PM.
Restaurant Wine Bar
In Bologna slang, an umarell refers to the kind of retiree who stops in front of construction sites, hands behind his back, to comment on the progress of the work. A playful reference that resonates particularly in Montreal, and a fitting name for the new wine bar from the group behind Mano Cornuto and Mano Figa.
The family is growing
The four original partners of Mano Cornuto—Vito Ciocca, James Baran, Tyler Maher, and Alex Ragoussis—remain at the helm. Daniel Sacco, who has risen through the ranks within the group over the past two years, takes over as general manager and becomes the fifth owner for this project, his very first restaurant. In the kitchen, executive chef Brett Davis, formerly of the now-closed Bremner, where he crossed paths with James Baran, is responsible for the menu. Several members of the team also honed their skills at Bremner and Garde-Manger.
The Mediterranean on small plates
The roots remain Italian, but the menu also draws inspiration from Spain, Portugal, Greece, and France. The format is small plates meant for sharing, divided into appetizers, crudos, pasta, main courses, and pizzas, and the prices are very reasonable: most dishes cost less than $20. Since the portions are small, it's best to order several, ideally one plate from each section.
Our absolute favorite was the gnocchetti sardi with white bolognese sauce: a variation on the classic bolognese, simple yet rich, with the sauce clinging to every little ridged shell. Our other favorite was the scallops, almost melting in your mouth, served in a pil-pil sauce, a Basque emulsion of olive oil, garlic, and chili pepper.
As for the pizza, the dough is shaped lengthwise and lends itself well to being folded, somewhat like a portafoglio pizza. It's designed to be passed around the center of the table. Daniel Sacco recommends the mushroom version.
A Negroni with real red peppers
At the bar, Anthony Pecoraro, also a Bremner alumnus, creates all the house cocktails. His red pepper negroni has become the house signature. The head bartender roasts five or six red peppers, then infuses them for 24 hours in a full negroni, made with a generous amount of vermouth (Cinzano and Cocchi Americano), Campari, and Tanqueray gin. The result is fragrant with roasted pepper from the first whiff, and the aroma deepens with each sip.
Towards broader horizons
Unlike the group's other establishments, where Italian wines dominate, Umarell's wine list encompasses all of Europe. It was created by Rob Clarke, sommelier at Mano Cornuto, assisted on-site by Antoine, assistant sommelier from Vin Papillon. The selection includes wines from Serbia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Spain, and Portugal.
The venue is also much larger than the group's other locations: the dining room seats approximately 85, plus about 30 more on the terrace. For groups of 8 to 10 people, the team offers a group menu, and the space can be reserved for private events of around 100 guests.
Umarell manages to maintain the warm, welcoming atmosphere of Mano Cornuto while expanding its menu, both on the plate and in the glass. It's the perfect place for couples or groups, and you can order several dishes to sample everything without breaking the bank.