Surprise. I’m back. Life got exciting and I had to disconnect. It felt a lot nicer that I anticipated to disconnect, but I haven’t forgotten about you. Yes you! I’ve been eating (of course) and have found some great spots to share – also not so great spots that I can share as well. Anyways, all this to say, shoutout if you remember a time when burgers weren’t smashed. All the recent burger spots that have popped up in the city are serving smash burgers. Why? There was a time when I didn’t like them. Not only were they were basically devoid of meat, but they were tiny and I thought they were faddy and would phase out eventually. But with the sheer amount of smash burger spots, I can confidently say, they’re here to say. So instead of hating, I decided to embrace them. I’ve eaten good ones and even great ones, like this one I needed to share with you; Chez Simon Cantine Urbaine.
Hocheleaga-Maisoneuve
Hi friends. I took some time off for myself during the summer and hope you had the chance to as well! I know you’ve probably missed me as much as your last gout attack, but I’m back and ready to hit you with another restaurant review. I had the opportunity to check many of the 187 food festivals around the city in the past few months. The best part bout these food festivals (besides the food obviously) is discovering new local food vendors, caterers and up and coming restaurants – and even not so new ones that you just didn’t know existed. This week’s restaurant is a spot that made their way through the food festival circuit this summer. They lured me with their chicken wings and I checked out their brick and mortar for more; Golden Lotus.
One of the questions I was asked most growing up was, “Jay, why are you so awesome” followed by a close second, “do you eat general tao chicken and egg rolls everyday?” Being Chinese I was subjected to a barrage of idiotic questions that I attribute to stupidity of adolescence and mild racism. As much as I tried to ignore the dinner inquisition, I couldn’t. Not because of the blatant discrimination that weighed heavily on my mind in a weird time in my life when I was struggling to find my identity… but because I secretly wanted it to be true.
Canadianized-Chinese or “Pan-Asian” dishes were rarely on the menu at home or when dining out in my youth. The sweet candied sauces over fried golden nuggets of battered chicken and beef was alluring and enticing. The fact that my parents never ordered it, made me want it even more. I recently checked out Restaurant Maneki Comptoir Asiat’ – newest hotspot serving forbidden dishes every Asian adolescent dreams of.
