Eating chinese in Montreal

[ccjustice]

I live in a chinese food wasteland known as South Carolina. Next week, however, I will be in Montreal -- staying at the Intercontinental in the Old City. I crave authentic chinese cuisine, especially dishes of Szechuan or Fukien. I will be most appreciative of any recommendations by natives or frequent travelers as this is my initial trip to French Canada. I have read about L'Orchidee de Chine. Any comments?

[Lesley C]

I love L'Orchidee de Chine, and its sister restaurant Le Chrysantheme on Crescent St. These are the city's two upscale Chinese restaurants (another, Le Piment Rouge, is expensive and disappointing).

[riboflavinjoe]

Kam Shing, on Van Horne, near Victoria. It is not near where you will be staying, but I feel it is worth the 15 mins it would take to get there in the metro. It's best to go with a group, so you can sample plenty o plates. My favorites are the char siu fried noodle (this is probably my favorite dish anywhere in montreal), and general tao is very good too.

I also like gourmet hot and spicy, outside the namur metro. "all you can eat", but it's not buffet, you order off the menu, and the cooks make it a la minute.

[Lesley C]

Joe, isn't Kam Shing on Cote-des-Neiges below Van Horne?

[riboflavinjoe]

lesley, there are two kam shings (same owners). the one on CDN is older, but i hear the one on van horne is better from my "belle famille" who has been going to kam shing for over 20 years. they introduced me to it about four years ago. yay i say!

[onionbreath]

Would recommend La maison Kam Fung@ 1111 St-Urbain, great clams,oysters (when in season), noodles,greens. A touch more pricey but worth the extra few dollars.

[jokhm]

Without a doubt in my mind, the best and most consistent (usually :)) is Mon nan. Also referred to as Mon Nan Village on Clark. It is directly in front of VIP, the infamous sewer kitchen. There is a reason that Mon Nan is jam packed until 3-4am every night with Cantonese speakers.. Try their salt and pepper 3 kinds of sea-food (shrimp, squid, cuttlefish), and their honey-spicy beef. Their beef with chow fun noodles in spicy black bean sauce is also quite amazing. Enjoy

[Cole Tucker]

riboflavinjoe; Kamshing always has great food, but personnaly I prefer Cote Des Neiges. The owner is furious that someone on the west island opened a restaurant with the same name. They sued them and now they added NEW, so the signage reads "New Kam Shing" albeit the NEW is very small, almost unreadable.

jokhm: I was a HUGE fan of Mon Nan for many years. Probably the best Cantonese Chow Mein in Montreal (They put anise in it) Unfortunately they have changed chefs too many times and have slipped in the past few years. Also the place has become just to dirty for me to stomach. They really need to do some cleanup.

My prefered places are as follows:

Dim Sum: Ruby Rouge (The old Kam Fung locaton) quality, service and variety.

Dim Sum Exotic: Tong Por, better know the menu or at least bring someone that understands the language.

Lunch: New Dynasty on Clark/Rene Levesque

Dinner: Bejing

[shiv]

My husband and I tried Kam Shing (on Van Horne) this past Saturday and it was quite good.

We had spring rolls (tasty, but not the best I've had), lemon chicken (really good, but not great), and fried noodles with chicken, green peppers, and black bean sauce (absolutely delicious). The quality of the meat is an issue I have with a lot of Chinese restaurants, but it wasn't a problem here. We didn't order too many dishes since the waiter assured us that we'd have plenty of food. I was satisfied with the portion sizes, but I nearly ordered a second dish of the fried noodles to take home since they were the best I've had in ages.

I've always been partial to Mr. Ma's in PVM. I don't know that it's especially authentic and it's a bit pricey, but the food's always well-prepared with quality ingredients. Plus, Mrs. Ma is just great.

[jokhm]

Cole Tucker:

Well the most I've noticed in the past year is just mild inconsistency between visits at radically different times. I'm usually there quite late, and from visit to visit late at night, things are usually quite good.

so where do you now go for great cantonese?

As for Ruby Red.... I looove that place. It is probably my favorite for straight dim sum nowadays. Although I have taken a liking to the Ville St. Laurent Kam Fung, it is far far superior to the one on St. Urbaine. I'm tied between the two.. really great stuff at the other Kam fung. Never tried the other place you mentioned, I'll have to look into that... too bad my brief stint in Cantonese probably won't get me through it. :)

[champignon]

I don't mean to pry into what seems like a private discussion, but where are these places? You're making me very hungry. I know where V.I.P. is so I guess I can find the place across the street, but this Ruby Rouge "Red" sounds very enticing. How about Tong Por, and Bejiing, and Mr. Ma's in PVM; it all sounds like some personals want ad. Well this MWM is looking for a good time with some quality Chinese food. Explicit directions would be very appreciated!

[shiv]

Mr. Ma's is in Place-Ville-Marie, right at the corner of Metcalfe and Cathcart.

[gus_tatory]

champignon--

pvm = place ville marie.

but more explicitly, Ruby Rouge does have great dim sum, and they are on the west side of clark, just below de la gauchetiere. dim sum is available there weekdays too, just not between the 'down hours' of--i think--3 pm to 5 pm.

happy eating! would love some dim sum now...

gus

[carswell]

I don't mean to pry into what seems like a private discussion, but where are these places?  You're making me very hungry.  I know where V.I.P. is so I guess I can find the place across the street, but this Ruby Rouge "Red" sounds very enticing.  How about Tong Por, and Bejiing, and Mr. Ma's in PVM; it all sounds like some personals want ad.  Well this MWM is looking for a good time with some quality Chinese food.  Explicit directions would be very appreciated!

Gus is right. Ruby Rouge took over Maison Kam Fung's premises on Clark south of La Gauchetière when MKF decamped for St-Urbain and René-Lévesque. Tong Por is on the northwest corner of La Gauchetière and St-Dominique, one block west of St-Laurent; there's a dining room downstairs but I've always had dim sum on the second floor. Beijing is on the south side of La Gauchetière West between Clark and St-Urbain.

[Cole Tucker]

Kam Fung lost its location of many years on Clark, due to the landlord ending their lease to install China town's first casino. When the chinese community went into an uproar, had a referendum on the issue and petitioned the government, the landlord lost the right to open the casino. With the empty space available, he turned it into "Ruby Rouge"

As for Tong Por the 2nd floor is best.

[jokhm]

I just tried out Tong Por this week..... Fantastic stuff! I came a little late for dim sum, so I'm even more confident in their food now. Next time I'll go early and I'm sure things will be great! Any other places that everyone would recommend? I need a consistently great Cantonese place that doesn't disappoint. Tough call I know, but still... there should be one that doesn't have rotating problems.

Why Beijing for night and new dynasty for lunch? I'd like to know what pushes you to such a meal breakdown, unless its as simple as lunch-special pricing.

[jokhm]

Cole,

Your comments on the disappointing Chow Mein at Monnan caused me to go out and test it out again. I normally never order it and instead get fried noodles with seafood/beef and black bean sauce. Maybe I've usually done that because I found their Chow Mein sauce underwhelming. Well...Yesterday it was. Now I'm quite positive why I get the black bean sauce instead! I do remember being happy with it a long time ago.. But I suppose that was a really long time ago. I'd go to VIP for that dish since they do make great Cantonese noodles, but I've just seen too many of the scariest things floating here and there in my own and other peoples' dishes. Heh.. No thank you.

I'd love to have this discussion for all ethnically sheltered cuisines in the city... there are so many. It's great.

Joel

[alexthecook]

Yet again, I appeal to the formidable pool of knowledge contained within these ranks... where can I find plain steamed chinese buns in Montreal? I want to do make David Chang's Momofuku steamed buns with braised pork belly and don't want to go through the trouble of making the buns myself... surely we can find this here? (Tried both Kim Phats on the south shore.. no dice)

Thanks!

[fedelst]

Both the steamed pork bun and the baked version Chsar Su Bao are common dim sum favorites. Yet I have not seen Momofuku served anywhere.

Despite the prevalence of a variety of prefab frozen dim sum classics at most Asian grocers, I have yet to see Momofuku anywhere. I would suggest taking a look at Marche Hawaii on Marcel Lauren. As they have one of the best selections. Likewise, the Kim Phat on Jarry near Pie IX, but I fear if they don't have it in the south shore, that they will not have it on Jarry.

If you have not been to Marche Hawaii, it is one of the best stocked and cleanest Asian grocers on the island. The entrance used to be easy to locate, but due to re-provisioning of the space the entrance to the store is actually the unmarket glass door leading to the long hallway between the Casa Grec and Dagwood's. Worth a visit.

Alexthecook, I would think that you might have to stick your hands in some dough to satisfy that craving... and invite me along...

BTW, if you want to learn how to make Momofuku, I would suggest that you seek out the assistance of Levi Toh, who might still be able to help you despite his failing eyesight. PM me if you want his coordinates. Levi has been teaching and consulting on Chinese food to both the public and professionals for a number of years now. His penchant for cooking everything on a single burner hot plate proves that you don't need fancy equipment to pop good food out of the simplest of kitchens.

Back to work now...

Yet again, I appeal to the formidable pool of knowledge contained within these ranks... where can I find plain steamed chinese buns in Montreal? I want to do make David Chang's Momofuku steamed buns with braised pork belly and don't want to go through the trouble of making the buns myself... surely we can find this here? (Tried both Kim Phats on the south shore.. no dice)

Thanks!

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Edited December 13, 2007 by fedelst (log)

[Snackhappy]

You'll probably have to order them special from one of the Chinese pastry shop in town.

I recommend Chow's on La Gauchetière East in Chinatown. 514-904-0650

Although I don't see how you plan to get the pork inside the bun once they've been cooked. Best of luck, anyway.

[maxanon]

I didn't realise that you can "make' momofuku. I thought Momofuku meant lucky peach and was also the name of a noodle shop in NYC (named after the guy who "invented' Ramen noodles).

I've had those sandwiches and they're good. Here's his recipe:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/240258

[alexthecook]

Thanks fedelst and Snackhappy

I’ll check out Marché Hawaii and Chow’s.

Snackhappy: the buns are split open and filled like a sandwich. See http://www.flickr.com/photos/yusheng/6328028/in/set-162027/

Although I do think that the buns at Momofuku are specifically made with a crease so the buns can open easily.

[alexthecook]

maxanon: Momofuku is the name of David Chang's "chain" of restos in NY (Momofuku Ssam, Momofuku Ramen, etc.). It does mean lucky peach.

I think when fedelst is talking about "making momofuku", he means making steamed buns such as the ones served at momofuku... although it does also sounds like it could refer to crazy bedroom antics..

[Culatello]

luv the steamed pork belly bun's been there 4 time this year Jan. Apr. Jun. Sept

with the sparkling shiraz Black Creek muzic from micheal bolton to iron madien.

[maxanon]

Culatello: You're making want to book another flight to NYC.

Alex et al. I just like saying Momofuku. The first time I suggested going there I was a little embarrassed. Someone actually gave me a dirty look on the subway. I can only imagine if I walk into a store and ask for some momofuku. Or steamed bums, I guess. Oh boy, off topic.

Anyhoo, my buddy tried that recipe and it seems to be pretty good. As always it depends on the quality of the ingredients. Not the same as Chang's (ask him about the vegetarian dishes), but great for an amateur and cheaper than a plane ticket.