After ten years running Machiavelli, a French-Italian bistro in Pointe-Saint-Charles, chef Natassia Marier was ready for something that felt more personal. The result is Sep Lai, a BYOB Laotian restaurant named after the phrase meaning “that was delicious.” Opened in 2021 in the same space, Sep Lai is a shift toward her mother’s heritage—salty-sour salads, fermented fish sauce, sticky rice, and spring rolls she once learned to fold at her mother’s side. Not long after opening, Marier was joined by chef Line Thongvan, a longtime Thai Express creative turned independent caterer. Born in Laos and raised in Montreal, Line brings humour, fire, and a graphic designer’s eye to everything from menu development to late-night colouring book PDFs. Together, they’re building something that’s rooted in family but made for the present: traditional Lao flavours, room for experimentation, and a casual warmth that makes even first-timers feel like regulars.