Why Ekki Sushi Tremblant at Bel Air Resort matters.
Ekki Sushi Tremblant at Bel Air Resort is a Japanese destination restaurant where La Conception's forested Laurentian landscape meets premium seafood, chef-directed sushi and contemporary resort hospitality within the mountain retreat of Bel Air Tremblant.
Rue des Sept Sommets climbs through Bel Air Tremblant's wooded resort grounds west of Mont-Tremblant's Old Village, placing the restaurant near Lac Mercier and the surrounding hills of La Conception, with the Rivière Rouge valley extending beyond the mountain slopes. The restaurant occupies an elevated position reached through the resort's internal roads and landscaped pedestrian approaches. Large windows frame the surrounding forest, connecting the intimate dining room with the mountain landscape beyond the building. Contemporary furnishings, subdued lighting and carefully arranged tables establish a polished interior, complemented by an outdoor terrace overlooking the resort grounds. The result is a mountain restaurant whose elevated position, enclosed dining room and wooded surroundings establish a distinctive setting for Japanese cooking in the Laurentians.
What defines Ekki Sushi Tremblant at Bel Air Resort.
Ekki Sushi Tremblant at Bel Air Resort is best known for bringing premium Japanese seafood and sushi preparation into the distinctive mountain-resort setting developed by Bel Air Tremblant near Mont-Tremblant. The restaurant opened in 2020 as part of the resort's expanding hospitality operation, establishing a dedicated Japanese dining destination within a property already associated with contemporary chalets, woodland retreats and architecturally unconventional vacation accommodations. Bel Air Tremblant developed its accommodation program around freestanding luxury domes, cottages and modern chalets, distributing lodging across a large natural property in the Laurentian Mountains. That dispersed arrangement created a particular opportunity for an on-site restaurant capable of attracting overnight residents and diners traveling specifically for an evening meal. Ekki became an important component of the development, introducing a specialized culinary operation into a resort whose wider facilities emphasized outdoor recreation and mountain hospitality. Its Japanese program distinguished the restaurant from the French-Canadian cooking and European bistro traditions historically associated with the Mont-Tremblant region. The kitchen established a particular emphasis on premium seafood, including fish imported from Japan, connecting the restaurant's remote mountain setting with international seafood supply networks. Chef Merts became associated with the restaurant's culinary direction, developing preparations that combined traditional Japanese sushi forms with contemporary ingredients and presentations. The kitchen's repertoire expanded beyond conventional maki and nigiri into seafood crudo, tataki, elaborate chef-selected platters and preparations incorporating Japanese and European ingredients. Its early recognition developed through customer reviews and travel-platform rankings, with the restaurant earning Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice recognition and building a reputation among the region's Japanese dining establishments. Bel Air Tremblant subsequently described Ekki as its leading culinary attraction, incorporating the restaurant prominently into the resort's accommodation and hospitality promotion. The development entered another phase in 2023 when Le Bistro opened at the property, establishing a second substantial dining operation focused on French and Canadian cuisine. That addition created complementary culinary destinations within the resort, extending the range of dining available to guests staying in its geographically dispersed accommodations. Ekki retained its specialization in Japanese seafood, maintaining a separate character through its sushi program and evening restaurant format. The operation also developed a takeout service, allowing guests occupying private domes and chalets to incorporate restaurant-prepared Japanese food into their accommodation arrangements. Its menu evolved through additions including Japanese wagyu, sea urchin, fatty tuna, elaborate seafood platters and grilled preparations, extending the range of ingredients available across the dining program. The restaurant's development belongs to a broader transformation of Mont-Tremblant hospitality, where specialized restaurants increasingly accompany the region's established skiing, outdoor recreation and vacation-accommodation industries. Ekki's significance rests on the integration of an ingredient-focused Japanese kitchen into this mountain setting, creating a restaurant whose culinary ambitions extend beyond the immediate needs of a resort dining facility.
Chef Merts' Japanese cooking centers on the relationship between premium seafood, seasoned rice and carefully controlled contrasts of acidity, temperature and texture, extending traditional sushi preparations through contemporary sauces and selected luxury ingredients. The kitchen's nigiri program provides the clearest foundation, presenting individual pieces of tuna, salmon, amberjack, scallop and other seafood over compact portions of rice. Differences in fat content and muscle structure become central to the tasting, with lean red tuna delivering a firmer texture and more pronounced mineral character than the richer belly cuts. Chutoro and otoro extend that progression through increasing fat concentration, creating a softer texture that responds differently to the temperature and acidity of the rice. The restaurant also prepares torched tuna and salmon, applying direct heat to the surface to develop roasted aromas and soften exterior fats while preserving the character of the underlying fish. That controlled transition between raw and lightly cooked seafood establishes an important part of the kitchen's repertoire. Citrus introduces another dimension through yuzu and lime, whose acidity sharpens the natural sweetness of delicate seafood and balances richer preparations. The tuna tataki develops this relationship through a light yuzu-and-jalapeño emulsion, connecting the fish's concentrated flavor with citrus brightness and restrained pepper heat. Scallop crudo takes a more botanical direction through basil and coriander oil, chives and lime, allowing the shellfish's sweetness to develop against fresh herbal aromas. These combinations carry into the maki program, where the physical arrangement of rice, seafood, vegetables and supporting sauces becomes another means of controlling texture. Tempura contributes crispness through a light fried coating, introducing a contrast against soft rice, avocado and raw fish. The salmon tartare develops a related effect through spicy crisp rice paper, sesame seeds, kizami wasabi and yuzu kosho mayonnaise, connecting the fish's richness with crunch, fermented chili-citrus seasoning and aromatic heat. Japanese pickles, cucumber and daikon provide acidity and firmness, preventing richer combinations from becoming excessively heavy. The kitchen's use of truffle introduces a more concentrated aromatic register, particularly in preparations involving fatty tuna, whose richness supports the ingredient's earthy fragrance. Toro carpaccio develops this connection through chutoro, truffle, yuzu kosho and chives, with caviar available as an additional saline component. Chef-selected platters bring the individual techniques into a shared presentation, combining nigiri, maki and sashimi so differences in preparation become apparent across successive pieces. The sashimi selection emphasizes the character of the seafood itself, moving between tuna, salmon, amberjack, scallops, Japanese clams and cuttlefish through variations in firmness, sweetness and natural salinity. Warm preparations provide a further extension through Japanese grilling, including skewered meats and vegetables finished with teriyaki, whose sweetness and savory concentration develop under heat. Japanese whisky and umeshu accompany the broader menu, connecting the restaurant's seafood and grilled preparations with distinctive beverage traditions. Ekki's culinary character emerges from the progression between raw seafood, carefully seasoned rice, controlled surface cooking and contrasting accompaniments, developing Japanese sushi craftsmanship through an extensive menu adapted to its Laurentian mountain setting.
How Ekki Sushi Tremblant at Bel Air Resort fits.
Ekki Sushi Tremblant at Bel Air Resort works as the concluding destination for a mountain-resort itinerary connecting outdoor recreation, contemporary wellness facilities and the forested landscape that defines Bel Air Tremblant's distinctive approach to Laurentian hospitality.
Begin at Action Tremblant, the resort's outdoor activity operation developed around the wooded terrain and substantial elevation changes of the surrounding property. Its canopy zipline program incorporates fifteen separate lines, with individual crossings extending from 230 feet to more than 650 feet through the forest. The course covers almost a mile, creating an extended sequence of aerial movement between elevated platforms. Certified guides supervise the activity, introducing participants to the harnesses, pulleys and safety procedures required for travel through the treetops. The route opens views across the surrounding woodland and toward the Rivière Rouge valley, connecting the resort's recreational infrastructure with the physical geography of the Laurentians. Continue to Bel Air Clubhouse, the principal communal facility serving the resort's dispersed accommodation areas. The 10,000-square-foot building concentrates reception, dining, fitness and recreational services within a central complex accessible from the surrounding chalets and domes. Its outdoor swimming pool extends sixty-five feet, establishing a substantial seasonal recreational facility beside the clubhouse. Adjacent sports areas include tennis, pickleball and basketball courts, with additional space devoted to bocce and outdoor relaxation. The clubhouse organizes these facilities around a central gathering point, giving the resort a communal counterpart to its privately distributed accommodation units. Conclude at Ono Spa Tremblant, the resort's dedicated wellness facility occupying the clubhouse's second floor. Its treatment program includes therapeutic massage, body wraps, scrubs, facials and additional beauty services delivered in dedicated treatment rooms. A sauna and relaxation facilities extend the treatment program, creating a quieter environment within the resort's principal recreational complex. The spa's Japanese-inspired name and restrained interior character connect its wellness program with the broader influence of Japanese hospitality across the property. Its position above the clubhouse's principal communal spaces creates a transition from outdoor recreation toward more private treatments and relaxation. The progression moves from the physical intensity of the Laurentian forest canopy through the resort's shared recreational facilities and culminates in the controlled calm of its dedicated spa, establishing a complementary sequence before an evening of Japanese dining.
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