We’re going to start 2023 with a bang. Literally. A meal at this place felt like a straight body-shot to the gut. You may not know it but not only does Montreal have great Chinese restaurants, but we are home to restaurants that represent the various regional cuisines of China – as per my article for Tourism Montreal. The majority of restaurants in the city serve Cantonese cuisine- fried noodles, sweet and sour deep this and thats, rice dishes, sizzling platters, dumplings. It’s once you get into regional specialties can you tell the difference. The spices, the techniques, the ingredients. The regional cuisine that stands out is Szechuan. I recently discovered the small Szechuan restaurant – Mala Express – in one of the most obvious neighbourhoods in the city… Kirkland.
Dumplings
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.
I’m not going to lie and say Verdun isn’t a foodie destination. I’ll admit, with places like, Janine Cafe and Well for brunch, Blackstrap for the city’s best BBQ and some of my favourite Asian restaurants, Les Street Monkeys and Hong Mere and Comon, it’s definitely one of my favourite neighbourhoods to eat in. I was recently told about a new dumpling spot that entered the game (coincidentally called, “Mr. Dumpling”) and I had to check it out.