I’d love to say that the Montreal restaurant scene always finds a way to amaze me, but I won’t. Not to say that I’m jaded and blasé, I’m far from it. But with the kind of culinary talent the city fosters, from new, up and coming chefs that are offering innovation, to the stalwart kitchen veterans who’ve been around for a while, the bar is so high that mind blowing meals are to be expected no matter where you eat. So it’s a great feeling when you step back into a place that you haven’t been to in a while to find that the spot had not skipped a beat and is living up to their established reputation. I had the opportunity to check out Ikanos again to try out their new dry-aged fish menu just in time for summer.
Old Montreal / Old Port
There are a few things that we Montrealers are passionate about; politics, the great bagel and smoked meat debates, road construction and a good food festival. If you think hard, you’ll be able to remember the times the city was literally a buzz with food-centric events. Hungry hoards of foodies making the trek to different parts of the city all in the name of devouring some of the best dishes by the city’s best culinary talents. One of the biggest Old Montreal food festivals is back after a two year hiatus; Happening Gourmand and it’s better than ever.
The Farsides recently introduced their new delivery menu featuring Hat Yai fried chicken. Hat Yai chicken originates from the Souther Thai town of Hat Yai that is located next to the Malaysian border. I remember fondly having this Thai fried chicken in night markets in Southeast Asia. The chicken is usually served with a generous scoop of deep fried shallots with a side of sticky rice. I haven’t been able to find anyone who makes Thai style friend chicken in Montreal, so when The Farsides hit me up and wanted to send me a sample of their new delivery and takeout menu, I was excited to accept the offer.