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.
hawaiian
I get asked for restaurant recommendations all the time. The requests stretch from suggestions of places that accommodate large groups in the Old Port, who has the best Korean fried chicken, where can you find weekday brunch all the way to who has the best gluten free authentic Shanghai dumplings between Saint-Sauveur and Mont Tremblant. I’ve literally heard them all. Rarely am I ever asked – and by “rarely” I really mean, never, about Hawaiian food options in Montreal. Because there aren’t any; until now. I recently checked out this new spot in Cote-Des-Neiges that is serving up food from the Islands. This spot is more than just a restaurant; it’s a whole vibe – Le Petit Vibe.
I recently hit up Le Poke Bar on Crescent to try out the hottest food trend in United States that has finally arrived on the shores of Montreal; Poke (pronounced Puh-KAY… or Poké ici à Québec.) Poke is a fantastic dish of lightly marinated fish or seafood that’s native to Hawaii. I can paint you a picture of grabbing a container full of fresh poke from the closest beachside food store, copping a squat on a sandy beach along the turquoise shores of the Big Island, enjoying fresh line-caught big eye tuna while having the sweet dewy mist caress your face from the crashing waves. Unfortunately, our Montreal Poke scene isn’t as romantic. But if you concentrate hard enough and squint just right, the sounds of the street sweeper knocking down orange traffic cones and hold your breath as speeding cars splash puddles of random street juice onto your pants… it’s like you’re almost there.