Have you ever tried Japanese curry? If you’ve watched enough Japanese anime, you’ll recognize it right away. You can’t miss it because it pops up literally everywhere. Curry is featured in almost every single Japanese cartoon ever made since the beginning of time. A fried cutlet sitting atop a sauce mixed with vegetables with a side of rice. With the plethora of Japanese restaurants in Montreal from sushi to izakaya to ramen, there has never been a place that specializes in this dish. Until now! From the same team who bring you the trifecta of iconic powerhouse Japanese eateries, Imadake, Ichigo Ichie and Yokato Yokabai, come Taiga Karé. Montreal’s newest and ONLY Japanese curry house.
I’m convinced that Montreal is going through a pizza renaissance. A revival or renewed interest in something; a cultural rebirth if you will. In this case pizza. There was a time when the only pizzas available in Montreal were the classic corner 2-for-1s, American chains, local Italian restaurants and fancy pants pizzas places that sold more attitude than they did pizzas. You know what I’m talking about. The few places that sold Neapolitan pizzas with thin leoparding crust and gave you an extra dose of upturned noses if you would order anything other than a margarita pizza.
In recent years the proliferation of styles of pizzas have grown exponentially. Obviously from traditional spots like, Gema, Fiorellino, No. 900 and Rita to gigantic New York Style slices at La New Yorkaise, Pizza Toni. And now for something different, Fungool Pizza. The newest pizza pop-up serving Detroit Style pan-pizza in NDG.
I was in Mexico two year ago today. Basking in the warm Mexican sun on a beach chair I squatted before the breakfast buffet opened up. I spent most of my days sipping watered down virgin piña coladas as I tanned my pasty winter coddled body. I decided that after a few days of hotel food, I would venture out in search of authentic local cuisine. So I got my hair braided by beach vendors in an attempt to blend in with the locals as I looked for street tacos.
It’s always cliché to say that you miss the food that highlighted your vacation. But I haven’t had tacos here like I did at the road-side taqueria I visited three times in two days. I’ve spent the last two years experimenting with recipes and trying Mexican restaurants in Montreal that would fill that void to no avail. Until now. I recently hit up the newest Mexican hot spot in Dollar-des-Ormeaux, Tacos Don Rigo.
There’s a misconception that a meal of dumplings is called “dim sum“. This is wrong. “Dim sum” is more than a meal, it’s an experience. An experience you’d get at some of the city’s various dim sum houses. It’s a meal that consists of various small dishes. Dumplings, steamed seafood, pan-fried radish cakes, pastries and desserts. Yes, you can eat dumplings AT dim sum, but it doesn’t make the meal. Like how a square is can be classified as a rectangle, but not the other way around. I visited Yin Ji Chang Fen. As their name says, a spot that specializes in a particular dish that’s served at dim sum – rice noodle rolls or “chang fun”.
By now you’ve probably realized by my waistline, that a big food trend right now is fried chicken. Thankfully we have all kinds of fried chicken options in Montreal. Our own Kentucky Fried Chicken at Dinette Triple Crown and a southern version at Icehouse. Korean Fried chicken at spots like, Comon, Dawa, Mon Ami, Olivia’s Authentic Chicken, and Corrilla to name a few. To take the chicken craze to the next level, everyone’s is pushing a signature fried chicken sandwich. I had to look into the one that’s making the most waves right now. This week I check out the newest player is the chicken game Cali in Laval.
Recently, every time I’ve given restaurant recommendations for spots in Chinatown, the response I get it, “Are restaurants open?” Yes. Yes they are. Very much so in fact. It surprises me (and doesn’t) that there are people out there who haven’t been to Chinatown in years. Yes, I understand, not everyone has reasons to go. But don’t you think it’s about time you rediscover it? This small eclectic neighbourhood filled will small bakeries, restaurants, boutiques, and other treasures to discover you may have been overlooking in your own city.
Get delicious Chinese barbecue, hand-pulled noodles, knick-knacks and Korean sheet-masks all in one shot! One of the things I’ve always associated with Chinatown is Dim Sum. This used to be considered a Sunday ritual of “Chinese brunch”. But it’s actually an everyday thing – and not many people know this! This is why I’m reintroducing you to one of the long-standing dim sum houses in Chinatown Restaurant Ruby Rouge.
What comes to mind when I say Chinese buffet? Large tables of people hunched over plates of questionable food stuffing themselves silly for a fixed price? Maybe hot tables haphazardly filled with questionable “edible” food? Or dried out dishes sitting under heat lamps long enough to require a SPF sauce? Now, what If I told you there’s a new place that’s trying to dispel these misconceptions by updating the way you think of Chinese buffets? I had the opportunity to check out the newest Chinese restaurant hot spot in Laval; Cuisine Kung fu Légende. Cuisine Kung fu Légende is new concept Chinese buffet restaurant. “What’s wrong with the old concept?” You ask. Nothing! They are just updating and reinventing everything you know about Chinese buffet food!
Chinese Barbecue; Family Business That Celebrates Culture-Restaurant Dobe and Andy
Last week I talked about Southern barbecue – ribs, chicken, brisket and other delicious meats slowly smoked over wood fire. This week I’m talking about barbecue again, but from the east. Way east for Chinese style barbecue. I’ve written about Dak Hing before, my favourite place for Chinese barbecue uptown. Succulent whole roast pork with impossibly crispy and crunch skin, deep and flavourful poached free-range chicken in seasoned soya sauce and fiery red and tender barbecue pork. This time we’re heading to Chinatown to a classic spot that has been serving up some of the best Hong Kong style Chinese barbecue in the city for ages – Dobe and Andy.
Here’s your Jason fun fact of the week: I’m a certified KCBS BBQ judge. What does that even mean? It means in the summer, I drive hours alone to different cities in Canada and Northeastern United States to eat and judge barbecue. Don’t get this confused with the traveling “ribfest” carnival. A KCBS barbecue competition is an event where professional teams from all over gather for a weekend to meticulously cook chicken, ribs, pork and brisket for prize money and bragging rights. All for a chance to be invited to the Jack Daniels’ World Championship Invitational BBQ competition.
Obviously, my barbecue travels are on ice for the foreseeable future. But I yearn. Local spots (and competition veterans) Blackstrap BBQ and Lattuca BBQ fill the void temporarily. As well as spots like, Icehouse, Paradis BBQ and Rubs that also serve BBQ. Recently I heard about a new barbecue place in Montreal; Smokebox Fumoir & BBQ so I had to checked it out.
I often get asked for Thai recommendations. Like an old man, I start my answers with, “Picture it, Montreal 2012… a quaint little mom and pop Thai eatery located in Little Italy. Unassuming and under the radar serving the best Pad Thai west of the Mekong…” This place closed a while ago and will forever be my golden standard by which all Thai food is compared to. They were old fashioned, unpretentious and served delicious homemade food. Since then, there have been many restaurants serving delicious Thai food. Fun places run by younger generations trying to make this cuisine cool. With spots like Thammada, Pamika, Mae Sri, and Thai Sep it’s easy to see why Thai food has become so popular.
I rarely write about restaurants off-island. But I happened to be in Laval-West and remembered someone telling me about a family run Thai/Cambodian restaurant that I should check out. Who am I to overlook a place serving spicy Southeast Asian food on one of the year’s coldest? I stopped by Lotus d’Asie to get my fix.