Nudo soup fo' yu! - Nudo Noodle House

I'm baaaaaaack! And I should really get back on the blogging bandwagon... Well, here's one to start.

I heard a conversation on the bus today that made me really sad, because it's partially true. A Chinese guy was talking to his Caucasian friend about Chinese food, and the Caucasian guy asked him, "So, since you're Chinese and all, which Chinese restaurant would you say is the best in Montreal?" The Chinese guy paused in thought, before replying, "None." 

While I wouldn't say that none of the Chinese restaurants in Montreal are up-to-par, it is true that very few of them are good, and those that are are usually hidden away from the mainstream Chinese food spotlight. Which is pretty much why I never go to Chinatown to eat. However, it seems that more and more authentic Chinese restaurants are popping up around town, and, thus, so is my interest in the Chinese food scene in Montreal.

You spin my chicken right round, right round - Romado's

In celebration of Romado's grand reopening, here's a post featuring Montreal's favourite Portuguese chicken! If you've spent any amount of time in the Montreal food scene, then you'll probably know about 1) Schwartz's 2) poutine and 3) Romados. Well, okay, maybe not, but Romados is pretty renowned in Montreal for having the best roasted chicken in town. And after years of having included it on my to-try list, I finally got my hands on some yummy Portuguese roasted chicken.

KoReAn CoMfOrT FoOd - GaNaDaRa

Aaaahhhh, nothing eases a chilly, snowy February night like a nice big bowl of... tteokbokki poutine? Cheese ramyun? What?

Nestled away on the corner of Maisonneuve and St-Marc is a quaint little Korean restaurant that serves up an interesting variety of Korean 'street food', or what I consider Korean comfort food. Here, you can find the traditional Korean fare, like bulgogi or bibimbap, but you can also find some more creative and unique dishes, such as a tteokbokki poutine. Some other blogs have coined this place as authentic, and I really wouldn't know, since I've never been to Korea, but it's definitely unique, as far as Korean restaurants go.

Accio Chinese Cafeteria! - Shi Tang (食堂）

Shi Tang is kind of like the Leaky Cauldron of Montreal. Non-Chinese people walk past it all the time without even noticing its existence (muahahaha you muggles), and the few that do notice and venture inside are instantly repelled by the intense Chineseness of it all, including the fact that there's not a single English word to be found. ANYWHERE. Yeah, if the OQLF couldn't stand seeing the words 'pasta', 'calamari' and 'fish'n'chips', then they'd have an aneurysm by just setting foot in this place. Even the TV is playing Chinese news (CCTV 4, go figure). But I'm about to divulge a secret to you, a secret that will soon reveal all to the unknowing, and may ostracise me from my kind... 

...forever...

The Green Panther, not to be mistaken for its sneaky pink cousin.

I'm sure that if I mentioned the Pink Panther, most people born before the mid-90s would automatically think of slick pink feline and its iconic theme song: do doo, do doo, do doo do doo do doo do do do doooooo... badabababum! Ehhh... you get the jist of it. In any case, Montreal seems to house that panther's greener and hippy-er cousin, the Green Panther.

Cold weather? Pho time, pho' sho! - Pho Tay Ho

What's the best type of food to have when it's snowing up a storm outside, your gums ache from having your wisdom teeth removed and your friend still insists on going out? Why, hot, soupy noodles, of course! And more specifically pho (pronounced fuh, as in fun), the tastiest soupy noodles around. Having tried most of the more popular pho places downtown and being unsatisfied with the quality, we decided to check out Pho Tay Ho in Saint-Edouard.

What if you could have a bit of Beirut in your garage? - Garage Beirut

Garage Beirut is a small and unconventional Lebanese restaurant situated on Mackay, which is apparently pronounced 'Mac-Eye' and not 'Mac-A'. Eeesh. Tom-eh-toes Tom-ah-toes. Anyway. I've only the typical fast-food Lebanese food, like the shish taouks, shawarmas and falafels, but I've never been to a Lebanese restaurant before. Having read some good reviews on Garage Beirut, I was eager to try this place out.

Hot, hot, hot! - Cuisine Szechuan

Heeelloooo chili-heads. Look at those peppers. Now back to me. Now back at those peppers. Now back to me. Sadly, they aren't sweet. But if you stopped eating Americanized Chinese food and switched to authentic Sichuan food, you could eat spicy foods just like me. Look down, back up, where are you? You're at Cuisine Szechuan with the Chinese food your food could taste like. What's in your hand, back at me. I have it; it's a napkin with two chopsticks to that thing you love. Look again; the chopsticks are now hot peppers. Anything is possible when you eat authentic Sichuan food.

Now that I've filled my quota of incomprehensible humour, allow me to introduce Cuisine Szechuan to you! Situated conveniently downtown on Guy, Cuisine Szechuan specializes in Chinese cuisine from the province of Sichuan, which is known for their spicy and flavourful foods. What makes Cuisine Szechuan stand out is that, unlike most Chinese restaurants here, they aren't afraid to bring on the heat!

Can a burger be gourmet? It can, at Le Gourmet Burger!

Hey look! I'm reviewing a restaurant that's non-Asian! Ha... ha... ha....

Truth is, Gourmet Burger is a pretty popular spot with the students. It's right downtown, near Concordia, and serves great burgers to boot, so of course I was gonna check it out. While they didn't serve the best burgers I've ever had in my life, Gourmet Burger definitely blows the surrounding competition out of the water. The neighbouring A&W's and Mickey D's ain't got nothing on this burger joint.

Getting a boost from Restaurant Boustan

I know I haven't updated in a while, but midterms have started, so restauranting won't be happening for a while. I did manage to visit Boustan before things got too hectic, so here is a fast post about fast food!

Poutine Bananza at La Banquise

You know, despite being a self-proclaimed foodie and a Montrealer, I've yet to try the so-called 'greatests' that Montreal has to offer, such as La Banquise and Schwartz's. Yes, yes, ready your rotten tomatoes, aim, and fire. I had been meaning to try them for a really long time now, but the line-up in front of Schwartz's never fails to make me cringe, and La Banquise always seemed like a hassle to get to. Luckily for me, an opportunity arose when a few friends (with a car!) from out-of-town came to visit and wanted to check this place out.

Burger de Ville, Burger de Ville, fresh juicy patties direct from the grill!

... Eating it will give you such a thrill! Burger, oh Burger de Ville~  (To the tune of 'Cruella De Vil'). Oh yes, I'm full of really bad and corny puns. Aaanyway, onwards to the intro!

Burger de Ville is a popular burger joint with a simple and straightforward menu that offers burgers with fresh (read: unfrozen) beef patties, a large variety of toppings, and a small selection of side dishes. While the menu and decor of the restaurant are simple, Burger de Ville proves that it doesn't need all the fancy add-ons by offering some of the juiciest, thickest burgers that I've had in Montreal.

Qing Hua dumplings, just like mom makes!

Qing Hua is a small family-owned dumpling business located near Concordia University. It has a surprisingly large white clientele, but don't let that be a turn-off for you; this restaurant offers some of the most authentic Chinese dumplings I have had in Montreal. They pretty much taste exactly like the ones my mom makes.

Please refrain from kissing any grill, even if it's at Kiss Grill.

 



Kiss Grill is another hole-in-the-wall Asian joint, owned and run by a Chinese family, and specializes in hot pots and grilled meats. Everything is cooked in the kitchen and brought to you, and you can choose the level of spiciness you want in most of their dishes. They also offer complimentary (and refillable!) iced tea.

La Maison Du Nord （北方人家） is not a house due North.

La Maison Du Nord is a tiny, family-owned restaurant that specializes in home-style Northern-mainland Chinese cooking. They're known for their dumplings and noodles, but also cook dishes from other provinces, like the Yu Xiang Qie Zi, Mapo Tofu, etc.