An Eclectic Venue Serving Intercultural Dishes

By Editorial Staff - 4 April 2022

At the Hilton Hotel in Montréal’s Chinatown district, the Tiramisu restaurant’s soft corduroy, elegant terrazzo, warm wood, refined marble and gleaming chrome finishes proclaim its uniquely exuberant character while recreating the atmosphere of a 1960s-style Italian restaurant. The design’s eclecticism carries through to the menu, which reinterprets typical Italian cuisine like pasta, pizza and, of course, tiramisu by combining them with Japanese flavors: look out for soy-based panna cotta and Sicilian-style sushi rice balls.

Ristorante Tiramisu - © David Dworkind, courtesy Ménard Dworkind architecture & design (MRDK) Gli interni del locale sono caratterizzati da un mix di materiali e finiture: una giusta cornice per il menu interculturale del ristorante, che combina la cucina italiana con quella giapponese.

Located on the ground floor of the hotel, the restaurant’s 360+ sq. m floorspace overlooks Boulevard Saint Laurent through a long glass wall that, when fully opened, directly connects the interior space with the lively neighborhood. At the same time, it ensures excellent natural lighting amplified by the room’s mirrored decor. The design for Tiramisu, by Canadian studio Ménard Dworkind Architecture & Design (MRDK), took the pandemic into account by providing dedicated space for take-away service and counters with seating for a quick coffee or meal.

Ristorante Tiramisu - © David Dworkind, courtesy Ménard Dworkind architecture & design (MRDK) Alla luce delle nuove esigenze emerse durante la pandemia e per l'ampliare l'offerta di ristorazione, il progetto per Tiramisu prevede spazi in cui è possibile consumare un pasto in velocità oppure approfittare di un servizio da asporto.

After walking in from the street or hotel lobby, patrons find Caffè Misu immediately to their left and the pizza-baking counter immediately to their right. Further in, they come to the restaurant area and bar, flanked on three sides by 20 or so high stools. A few steps higher than the rest of the room, the bar’s darker color palette and soft lighting set it apart from the rest of the venue, creating an intimate environment with a warm lounge atmosphere; the bar’s asymmetrical, diagonal-shaped counter lends the layout an unusual and dynamic perspective, enhanced by an upside-down, hanging, ceiling-mounted pyramid of acoustic panels and four lighting fixtures designed as parallelepipeds covered in walnut wood.

Ristorante Tiramisu - © David Dworkind, courtesy Ménard Dworkind architecture & design (MRDK) Alla zona riservata al bar si accede salendo due gradini, che definiscono il perimetro di quest’area più raccolta, rimarcato anche dal cambio di pavimentazione, con il passaggio dal terrazzo al parquet.

Custom-designed lamps such as a stacked metal disk hanging lamp, retro-styled furniture, vibrant finishes and a great many plants create an eclectic style that expresses the design’s unusual hallmark combinations of color and materials.

Founded a few years ago following a merger between Atelier Mainor and David Dworkind Architecture, the core of Montreal-based MRDK’s design philosophy is an attentiveness to detail within a cohesive approach in which every individual element contributes to an overarching visitor experience narrative. While faithfully and unconventionally channeling the spirit of the Tiramisu restaurant, the studio’s design fully expresses its experimental and bespoke approach.

Tiramisu Restaurant - © David Dworkind, courtesy Ménard Dworkind architecture & design (MRDK)

Tiramisu Restaurant - © David Dworkind, courtesy Ménard Dworkind architecture & design (MRDK) | The restaurant interfaces with the neighborhood through a large glass wall that opens up in the warm season; during the colder months, it allows patrons to enjoy natural light.

Tiramisu Restaurant - © David Dworkind, courtesy Ménard Dworkind architecture & design (MRDK) | The bar area is accessed via two steps that create a perimeter for this more intimate area, heightened by the flooring, which transitions from terrazzo to parquet.

Tiramisu Restaurant - © David Dworkind, courtesy Ménard Dworkind architecture & design (MRDK) | Emerald green stands out among the project’s varied color palette, particularly at the restaurant entrance, where the Caffè Misu and pizza serving counter are located.

Tiramisu Restaurant - © David Dworkind, courtesy Ménard Dworkind architecture & design (MRDK) | Catering to needs that emerged during the pandemic while also expanding its range of services, Tiramisu’s design includes space for grabbing a quick meal and takeaway pick-up.

Tiramisu Restaurant - © David Dworkind, courtesy Ménard Dworkind architecture & design (MRDK) | The restaurant interior is a mix of materials and finishes that provides a fitting backdrop for the restaurant’s cross-cultural, Italian/Japanese fusion cuisine.

Tiramisu Restaurant - © David Dworkind, courtesy Ménard Dworkind architecture & design (MRDK) | The interior of the Tiramisu restaurant in Montréal’s Chinatown updates the atmosphere of a 1960s Italian eatery to a contemporary, international setting.

Location: Montréal, Québec, Canada
Client: Lucky Belly Group
Completion: 2021
Gross Floor Area: 1,190 m²
Interior Design: Ménard Dworkind Architecture & Design (MRDK)
Main Contractor: Groupe DACA

Photography by David Dworkind, courtesy of Ménard Dworkind Architecture & Design (MRDK)

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