Sherman's Food Adventures

Kong Sarang Tofu & BBQ

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Here we were back in the Bay Area to visit family. As such, we always make time to go for food. We ended up staying in Newark (in the East Bay and not in NJ) and stayed close to our hotel when it came to eats. We met up with my cousins (and their kids) at Kong Sarang Tofu & BBQ. This bustling Korean restaurant is well known for their generous portions and wide array of Banchan.

With eleven different types of Banchan, there was a little of everything for everyone. We found bean sprouts, fish cake strips, stewed beef, kimchi, broccoli, potato salad, nokdu-muk, eggplant, potato, cucumbers and seaweed. Really loved the stewed eggplant as it was flavorful and a bit spicy. Texturally, the mung bean jelly (nokdu-muk) was slippery and had a nice mouth-feel. Everything else was quite good and we got seconds!

Normally, you'd find the Seafood Pancake served on a cast iron plate, but this was sitting on a plain ol' plate. But don't let that fool you though. This pancake was legit. You will notice how crispy the outside looks. It certainly was uniformly crispy. It was also not too thick, hence the inside was not doughy or dense. Rather, it was quite fluffy with a good balance of onion and seafood.

We got 16 pieces of Fried Chicken Wings in soy & garlic. As you can clearly see in the picture, there was too much sauce and hence, the wings were a bit soggy and not as crispy as we would've liked. Furthermore, the wings were not dry per se, but not juicy either. Therefore, they had a denser texture. Flavourwise, they did taste good with a balanced sweetness to saltiness ratio.

We ended up with one of their combos and for our choice of soup, we had the Seafood Soft Tofu Soup. This thing was loaded with seafood and soft tofu. So much so, there was barely any broth. As advertised, the tofu was silky and delicate while the broth itself was a bit spicy and plenty briny. Lots of depth here where we wished there was more broth!

As part of the combo, we were able to select a main dish as well. For that, we went for the Galbi. This was a generous portion where each slice was rather meaty with only minimal fat. Meat was tenderized enough so that it was buttery and tender while maintaining that unmistakable short rib chew. Flavor was also good with a salty sweetness that also resulted in caramelization. This came with a bowl of rice too.

We added one last dish in the Japchae. Unlike most versions where the beef is mixed into the noodles, this one featured the meat on top. So really, it was Japchae with beef bulgogi. It was good though with the noodles being chewy and not overly greasy. Sweetness was in check while the meat was tender. Overall, the eats at Kong Sarang was mostly good where the selection of Banchan was great.

The Good:

- Lots of tasty Banchan

- Large portions

- Well-priced

The Bad:

- Wings were too saucy and a bit dry

Stone & Flow Asian Bistro

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000

You've heard me say and I'll say it again, we have a dizzying array of Chinese food in the GVRD... But it is overwhelmingly Cantonese cuisine. For those who not familiar, Chinese cuisine is usually grouped into "Eight Great Traditions" that consist of Sichuan, Shangdong, Cantonese, Jiangsu, Fujian, Zhejiang, Anhui and Hunan. However, if you want to be specific, there are many more than that. I mean, there are some obvious omissions such as X'ian, Shanghainese, Xinjiang, Macanese, Taiwanese and the list goes on forever. This brings me to the latest food adventure at Stone & Flow Asian Bistro. It specializes in another cuisine which is Guizhou. Unfortunately, it gets grouped into Sichaun at times due to the use of spice and its proximity to Chongqing. In addition to spice, Guizhou cuisine is synonymous with fermented sour flavours as well.

Therefore, the first dish we tried was completely representative of these flavours in the House Special Pounded Chicken Feet. This was prepared tableside with all of the ingredients starting in separate plates. Everything was literally pounded in a wooden mortar by a wooden pestle. This ensure all the flavours were activated (and juiced). We got plenty of sour and spice while also plenty of sharpness, aromatics and herbaceousness. The chicken feet were gelatinzed being a bit crunchy and plenty bouncy. My only wish would to be more chicken feet in this dish.

Something that was neither spicy nor sour was the Crispy Tofu Balls with Shrimp. Honestly, these didn't look that appetizing and it took me awhile to actually try one. Turns out, they were actually delicious! They were indeed crispy with a crumbly tofu interior. On its own, the flavours were pretty mild, so I went ahead and dipped it into the sauces. Naturally, I went for the hot one.

We also tried the Stone & Flow Spicy Noodles with Beef. We had 2 slightly different versions of the dish with one of them having thicker rice noodles. These had a passing similarity to Chongqing Noodles with spicy and savoury beef mixed into the rice noodles. I found the one with thicker rice noodles to have a bit more liquid, hence it was slipperier and a bit more spicy.

All of the food up until this point was good, but in reality, we were waiting for the Hot Pot. We chose the both the Signature Kalli Soup Soup as well as the Sichuan Mala Peppercorn Soup. Definitely loved the fermented sourness of the Kalli Soup while the peppercorn soup was only mildly spicy. I felt the beef went better with the sour soup while the dumplings and fish were better with the peppercorn soup.

On that note, let's talk about the beef we had. We tried the AAA Prime Rib Beef Slice and also the Australian Wagyu Beef. Meat quality was great as the prime rib slice was tender and a bit buttery. However, the Wagyu was even more buttery and yes, it almost melted-in-my-mouth. I thought the prices for the beef were reasonable, with the Wagyu being $28.99.

We had the Hand Made Shrimp Paste (Balls) and also the Hand Made Beef Meatballs. These were both excellent. The shrimp had the desired bounce texture where the meatballs themselves were not dense. There was a butteriness to them too. That was the same for the beef as they had an airiness to them. Just like the shrimp balls, the beef was buttery and required very little chewing.

The most surprising items were the Shrimp Blossom Dumplings and the Shrimp & Crab Blossom Dumplings. Not only were they striking to look at, they were large and fully-stuffed. When cooked through, the texture of the wrapper was spongy (in a good way). It was as if they used fish paste to make them. Rather, it was probably due to the egg. Inside, the filling was bouncy and airy, just like the shrimp balls.

We got some veggies as well in the form of the Assorted Mushroom Platter, Pea Shoots and Crown Daisy. Things were definitely fresh, as you can clearly see in the pictures. Once again, prices were reasonable considering the portion size. For the mushrooms, we had a selection including woodear, king, oyster and enoki.

To end our meal, we got a few of the Hand-Smashed Lemon Tea with green peppercorn. That was quite the interesting flavour. It was light and refreshing with only a bit of sweetness while the peppercorn added some bitterness and bite. The dessert that you see was the Guizhou Ice Slush which was more pudding-like with some mochi textures. It had a toasted wheat flavour that was aromatic and a bit yeasty. This was not sweet at all. In the end, our Guizhou meal was delicious and had some unique flavours, in particular, the fermented sourness. Although it shares some similarities with Sichuan cuisine, it is different in a good way. Worth checking out!

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Unique flavours, in particular, the fermented sourness

- Love those dumplings

- Food quality is decently high

The Bad:

- Table turnover is somewhat slow, so there will be a lineup

Man Tung Cafe (Dinner Combo Menu)

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Yes, this is not a repost of the last blog entry on Man Tung Cafe. We have already established that they have a good selection of HK-style cafe dishes. Prices are reasonable (generally under $20.00) and the portions are generous. But similar to other restaurants of the same ilk, they also offer full-on Chinese multi-course meals. Since they have Chinese BBQ as well, their Dinner Combos feature one of their BBQ dishes and a choice of either 2 or 3 dishes. They range from $59.00 to $128.00.

We opted for the Man Tung Half Roast Duck Dinner Combo. Hence, we started with the Roast Duck. Nice colour on the skin with a lacquered finish while being crispy and fairly rendered. There was an aromatic roasted flavour with both the skin and the meat. Juicy and tender, the meat was also well-brined. Overall, a solid BBQ Duck when compared to others in town.

The first of the 3 dishes we chose was the Chicken with black truffle sauce. This was also quite good where the free-range chicken was moist with that classic firm meatiness. In an appealing shade of yellow, the skin was gelatinized and was flavourful. As you can see in the picture, the amount of truffle sauce was conservative and I didn't mind it as it was just enough. The chicken itself was bordering on salty, but as such, it wasn't devoid of flavour.

We selected a veggie dish so we could feel a bit healthier. It came in the form of Stir-Fried Scallops with Broccoli. As you can see, they used the reformed scallops once again. Personally, I'm not a fan of these as the texture is quite different than an actual scallop of that size. However, since this combo was only $88.00, I shouldn't be complaining. With all that being said, they were still cooked well with a nice wok sear and still being soft and bouncy. Broccoli was on point too being cooked through but still crunchy.

The best dish of the bunch was the Satay Beef Claypot with vermicelli. This one was loaded with tenderized slices of beef that still had natural meat texture. The satay was briny and somewhat spicy. Underneath, the chewy vermicelli was fairly loose and not clumpy. Yet, they didn't achieve this by adding more oil. Hence, it was easy to eat and took on the sauce evenly.

We ended up adding one more item to get a sense of their BBQ meats. The Rice Plate that you see in the picture was topped with BBQ Pork, BBQ Duck, BBQ Goose and Free-Range Chicken. With a balanced amount of fat, the BBQ Pork was juicy and tender. The marinade mostly penetrated the meat with plenty of sweetness and slight smokiness from the bark. Roast Goose was quite good since it was juicy and tender. Skin was also nicely lacquered and crispy. The chicken was very much the same one found in the truffle chicken, so the texture was gelatinous and meaty. Lots of flavour from the saltiness. Overall, this was a good meal with well-prepared food at a reasonable price.

*All food was complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Solid eats
- Large portions
- Well-priced

The Bad:
- Once again, I would like to see an option for real scallops as the reformed ones aren't the same

Man Tung Cafe (HK-Style Cafe Menu)

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000

I've always wondered why we don't have more HK-style cafes in the GVRD. I mean, we are Chinese food central right? There are certainly enough places to grab Dim Sum and a good ol' Cantonese meal, but that doesn't translate to HK-style cafes. That is why I am rather enthused when I learn of new spots to grab my Baked Pork Chop Rice and Mixed Grill Combos. This has brought us to Man Tung Cafe in Richmond in the old Afuri Ramen location.

Although they also feature a Cantonese dinner menu complete with Chinese BBQ, this post will feature their HK-style cafe dishes. As part of their Mix Grill Combos, we started with their Borscht. For those unfamiliar, the borscht found at HK-style cafes are not like the traditional Russian variety. It is more Western-style vegetable soup with possibly some beef. No, there is no sour cream here. For this one, it was quite good with plenty of tang and sweetness. Lots of chunky carrots and potato too.

For our first Mix Grill Combo, we had the Pan-Seared Duck Leg with Sirloin Steak & Crispy Sausage. This also came with rice, veggies and a choice of sauce (we had black pepper). Lots of meat here on this sizzling cast iron plate. Nothing particularly interesting about the wiener but that duck leg was money. The skin was well-seared and crispy while the meat was gelatinous and juicy. As for the steak, it was sufficiently tender and not overdone.

Our next Mix Grill Combo consisted of Smoked Duck Breast, Black Truffle Scallops and Herb Butter Baked Lobster Tail. I found the smoked duck breast to be nicely brined, hence it was juicy and tender. There was balanced smokiness as well. Being the formed variety of scallops, they were uniformly-shaped. Texture was soft and moist, yet was not exactly like a whole scallop (but the price would be much higher as a result). I thought the sauce had just enough truffle without being too overpowering. Lobster tail was bouncy and well-seasoned by the herb butter.

Last Mix Grill Combo featured Herb Butter Baked Lobster Tail, Black Truffle Crispy Chicken Roll and French-Style Baked Mussels. Not much to say about the lobster tail as it was the same as the previous combo. However, that Chicken Roll was really good. The chicken meat was super juicy and cooked just right. Once again, there was just enough truffle for effect. It was indeed crispy on the outside. The super large Kiwi mussels were topped with a cream sauce and bread crumbs. Somewhat similar to clams casino, there was enough texture and seasoning to compliment the meaty mussels. This came with spaghetti rather than rice (it would be your choice).

As mentioned, Baked Pork Chop Rice is one of the standards of any HK-style cafe. I'm happy to report that this version was on point. It sported a aromatic egg fried rice base that was beautifully chewy and nutty. It was perfect for accepting the tangy sauce that was also balanced with sweetness. The viscosity was just right as it coated the pork chops. I found the pork to be tender while the panko coating was softened by the ample amount of sauce.

Another HK-style cafe classic dish is the Baked Spaghetti Bolognese and yes, we had that too. This was also very good with noodles that still had a bit of chew left despite being cooked through. On top, there was a considerable amount of meat sauce that helped coat every strand of spaghetti. The sauce was thick, rich and full-of-depth. It was sweet from the onions and carrots while the meat was tender.

Finally, we ended off things with the Condensed Milk Rich Toast. Hidden in between the 2 slices of toast, we found sweet condensed milk. Bread was soft and fluffy, but the exterior was coated with egg and fried until crispy. We found a dusting of cocoa powder on top. Nice end to a solid HK-style cafe meal. I was particularly impressed with the portion sizes and also the overall execution of the proteins. Pricing is reasonable with the Baked Pork Chop Rice and Spaghetti Bolognese coming in at $18.88. Mix Grill Combos can range from $20.98 and up. I would imagine the lobster tail increasing the price significantly.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Solid eats
- Large portions
- Reasonable-pricing

The Bad:
- I'm personally not a fan of reformed scallops
- I know people don't like this complaint, but the parking lot is often full

Fairmount Bagel

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Continuing our frenetic quest to bring stuff home from our last day in Montreal, it brought us to Fairmount Bagel. I've already had St. Viateur the last time I was in town, so I really wanted to see the other popular spot. Naturally, there was a lineup to get in and of course, we proceeded to queue up. If you are wondering about the parallel line next to it, that was for the gnocchi at Drogheria Fine (yes, we got some of that too).

But before we got the gnocchi, we were here for the bagels and instead of doing a plain as a baseline, I went for the Sesame. Once toasted, it was pretty apparent that the bagels at Fairmount Bagel are completely different than those from St-Viateur. The bagel from Fairmount was dense, but less dense and less chewy than St-Viateur. They were a bit sweeter too. I can't say which one I prefer more because they are both good in their own way.

Their All-Dressed Bagel (or Everything) had a combination of sesame, poppy seeds, caraway seeds, onion and garlic. Hence the name and also lives up to it too. Beyond the texture from the seeds and aromatics, we had the slight saltiness of the bagel. The onion and garlic provide pops of sweetness. I did notice that the bagel was not as salty as St-Viateur though and could be eaten cold with less chew.

We got a couple of fruity bagels in the Blueberry as well as the Cinnamon & Raisin. Since the bagels at Fairmount are sweeter compared to St-Viateur, the fruit portion of the bagel helped make it taste almost dessert-like, even without the cream cheese. I didn't mind it as it was tasty while the less chewy texture made it less dense. As said before, these didn't need to be toasted to eat.

Our last 2 bagels were colourful in the Raspberry Chocolate and the Rainbow Bozo. For the raspberry, the bagel itself was only a bit sweeter than the rest while still sporting a fluffy chew. For the huge rainbow, it was actually less dense due to its larger size. It didn't taste remarkably different than the sesame bagel but was super filling. Overall, we enjoyed the bagels at Fairmount. They are different than St-Viateur, but I like them both. One it sweeter and softer, while the other is saltier and chewier.

The Good:

- Not as dense and chewy as St-Viateur for those who like it that way

- Sweeter than St-Viateur for those who prefer it

- More unique options

The Bad:

- The reverse is true for the good if you prefer St-Viateur

Casse-Croûte MangeDansMonHood

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000

After our morning visit to Automne Boulangerie, we walked down the block to our 2nd eating destination in Casse-Croûte MangeDansMonHood. This place is well-known for their smash burgers that were once only available during pop-ups. Their menu is supremely simple and focused. Only 2 burgers, fries and poutine are available. Hey, I've always said, do one thing and do it right!

Since we were already a bit full from some pastries at Automne, we decided to only get a few items. As mentioned, the menu is pretty small and we didn't have much to choose from either. Hence, we got both available burgers including the Happy Double Cheeseburger. This was a simple concoction with ketchup, mustard, onions and pickles. Something doesn't have to be complex to be tasty and this was the case here. From the well-toasted bun to the smash patties with crispy edges combined with 2 slices of American cheese, this was delicious.

Now as much as we enjoyed the Happy, the Cali Double Cheeseburger was even better in my opinion. Just by looking at the name, I'm thinking this is a nod to In-N-Out with lettuce, double cheese, onions, tomatoes and pickles with MDMH sauce. Now this was the best thing we ate since it was messy, saucy and salty (in a good way). Combined with the thin smashed patties and toasted buns, this had some real In-N-Out vibes.

We ended up with the Poutine for our side dish and it was pretty good. The house-cut fries that were underneath the gravy were still somewhat crispy and had a nice aroma. Plenty of potato texture as well. The gravy was thick and mildly-seasoned, yet still flavourful. Lots of legit cheese curds that were mostly not melted (which is how it should be). Overall, the stuff at MDMH really hit the spot. Legit smashburgers with crispy edges on the patties. There was enough fat for flavour and to keep things from being dry. Would come back!

The Good:
- Do one thing and do it well
- Crispy edges on the smash patties
- Good poutine

The Bad:
- Not a lot of seating, so get there early or be lucky

Automne Boulangerie

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

On our last day in Montreal before an evening flight, we decided to hit up a few places where we could bring some things back to Vancouver. One of which was Automne Boulangerie. Opened in 2016 under the partnership between Seth Gabrielse and Julien Roy, their mission was to use local ingredients to craft their high-quality products. They work with local mills and the results speak for themselves. They are now up to 2 locations with the original being on Avenue Christophe-Colomb and the one we visited at 1470 Rue Bélanger.

Fortunately, it wasn't too busy for a Sunday morning (at 10:30am) as we were able to walk right up to the counter and order. We even scored a table! Beyond a few hot bevvies, we got a collection of baked goods including the Butter Croissant. Gotta say, this was a good croissant. It was flaky and shattered when I bit into it. Nice lamination, yet the inside was a bit dense. Definitely could taste the butter and was nicely aromatic.

One of the more striking items we tried was the Chocolate Danish. However, it looked more like a sweet version of their Croissignon. With a spiral design on the outside, it had plenty of texture in the form of firm crunchiness. It was also plenty aromatic and buttery. Inside, there was some softer buttery portions encasing a semi-sweet chocolate filling. Adding more crunch was some cocoa nibs on the outside.

Another interesting item was the Cruffin à la Cannelle. So as the name suggests, this was a hybrid of a croissant and a muffin. Consisting of croissant dough, this was flaky and buttery. Due to its compact nature, it was not as light and airy as the butter croissant. Inside, the cream cheese filling was creamy and not too heavy. It was purposefully sweet while still maintaining a rich cheesiness.

Looking quite delicious, the Noeud Cardamome or Kardemummabullar is a Scandinavian cardamom knot pastry. So think cinnamon bun but in a different shape and of course focusing on cardamom. I loved the crispiness of the exterior, especially the sugary crunch on the top. Inside, the bun was soft with some elasticity. The cardamom did come through and it wasn't too strong so the sweetness was at the forefront with only a bit of background aromatics.

Heading to something fruity, we tried the Brioche Saisonnière featuring blueberries. This was fairly light pastry where the brioche was soft and airy as expected. However, on the outside, it great colour and just a touch of crunch. Nestled in the middle we found the juicy blueberries in a semi-sweet glaze. There was enough of it for every bite of the brioche.

Our last item was an Muffin aux Pommes which had classic apple cinnamon vibes. It was pretty sweet, but had enough tang with the apple to balance. The muffin itself was somewhere between fluffy and dense, which was a pleasant texture. A bit of crunch on top added more sweetness and butteriness. In addition to these items, we had dined on Automne Boulangerie sourdough several times when we were in Montreal. Really good bread with a crunchy exterior where the inside was moist with a pleasant chewiness. Overall, the stuff at Automne is solid, especially their sourdough. Definitely can see why they are one of the best in Montreal.

The Good:

- That sourdough

- Solid baked goods

- Now they have 2 locations

The Bad:

- Croissant could be more airy inside

Panacée

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Here we go, our last dinner in Montreal for this trip. Instead of a heavily awarded spot, we opted for something upstart and new with Panacée. Nominated for Air Canada's Best New Restaurant, they are also Michelin-recommended. Chef Catherine Couvet Desrosiers, formerly of Foxy and Bouillon Blik, uses only seasonal ingredients that are vegetable forward. There is only a tasting menu available either in 3 or 5 services (courses), but the bonus here is that you can choose your own adventure. For every course, there are at least 2 options (some with a surcharge). This way, you can tailor make your experience and also have something different than the rest of your party.

On that note, we decided to have 2 completely different tasting menus. That was achieved by each of us taking a different item for each of the 5 courses. Yes, that also meant we weren't paying the base $80.00 per person. Our tasting menus ended up to be $99.00 each as a reasult of choosing surcharge items. Regardless of that, we were both served the same Amuse Bouche being the Beet Tartlette with herbed cashew cream. This was a good start to the meal as it was light herbaceous and sweet with a crispy shell. As another surcharge, we added the Bread from Boulangerie Aube for an extra $5.00.

For our first course, we had the default choice in the La Pelletée Tomato. This featured super fresh and vibrant marigold tomatoes with saffron jelly and buttermilk with herb oil. These tomatoes had a mild natural sweetness as well as a light tang. We find some skinless cherry tomatoes that were super sweet while the little dried tomatoes were super concentrated in flavour. Our other dish, which was a $7.00 supplement, was the Gaspésie Tuna. The slices of bluefin akami were buttery and sweet while sitting on a cilantro puree that was bright and not too pungent. Ribbons of crunchy Kohlrabi added texture and brightness. Some herbaceous shishitos completed the dish.

Next up, the default dish was the Oyster Mushroom with corn sabayon, Jimmy Nardello peppers and almonds. This was fabulous where the mushroom was grilled over charcoal. Smoky with some crispy bits, the mushroom was already quite tasty itself. However, the corn sabayon added such intense sweetness, especially with the pops from the niblets. Nice crunch from the almonds and sweetness from the peppers. With a $4.00 surcharge, the Grilled Artichokes were worth it in my opinion. They were also smoky from the kiss on the grill while still tender. Extra smoky nuttiness was provided by the pine nuts. We had some aromatic shallots and some sweetness from the gooseberries. Underneath, we had yogurt with cilantro for some brightness.

Onto the "main course" we didn't opt for the default option in the Cappelletti and went for the meat dishes instead. The first was the Kenauk Trout for an extra $8.00. It actually took the place of the cod (which was originally on the menu). Further proof that they only cook with fresh ingredients. It was surely fresh with a buttery texture from the rare centre. It was beautifully plated with one side holding a bright and only lightly spicy habadoux sauce. We had some intensely smoky carrots also prepared on the charcoal grill. Some pickled carrots provided acidity while basil completed the plate. With a surcharge of $4.00, we got the Ferme D'Orée Pork. It was fatty while still a bit pink in the middle. The result was juicy and tender meat with an exterior that was the beneficiary from the charcoal grill. Hence we had smokiness complimenting the well-salted pork. Even the beans were smoky due to the mix with the charred pumpkin seeds. Tanginess was thanks to the pickled and diced wax beans. Sweet gooseberries complimented the pork well.

For our pre-dessert course, the default item was the Olive Oil Ice Cream with concorde grape, laurel and hazelnut. I thought this was really good where the ice cream was silky while being aromatic. The grapes were sweet and impactful manipulating the EVOO ice cream into being sweeter. Crunch was provided by the nutty hazelnuts. Some herbal notes were added by the laurel leaves. At $4.00 more, the Beurrasse consisted of sheep's milk yogurt, cherries, salted almond and Avonlea cheddar. Definitely a bit savoury due to the cheese, but plenty influenced by the tangy sheep's milk yogurt. The sweet cherries were the dominant component to this as it was intensely sweet. Crunch and a burst of salt (to heighten all of the other flavours) was thanks to the salted almonds.

Last course had the Peach for the regular dish with opalys, brown sugar and sheeps milk yogurt. Everything on the plate sat in a rich and thick opalys cream. Some crispy sweet crackers added texture and aromatics. In the middle, we found macerated peaches with brown sugar where things were richly sweet. Again, the sheep's milk yogurt provided the necessary bright tanginess. The Mignardise was $4.00 more and consisted of Earl Grey Ice Cream Sandwich, Chocolate Macaron, Financier, Lemon Tartlette and Blueberry caramel. Really nice bites with the ice cream sandwich being that "it" factor of the bunch. Creamy and light with the aroma of earl grey. Not too sweet either. Macaron had a crispy shell and the chocolate inside was also just sweet enough. Of course I loved the lemon tartlette as that is always my favourite. Nice tanginess on this one. Overall, we really enjoyed our meal at Panacée. The food is on point and the use of a charcoal grill affords rich flavours that are smoky and full-of-depth. Pricing is reasonable and the fact you can customize each course helps appeal to a wider audience.

The Good:

- On point execution

- That charcoal grilling!

- Reasonable pricing and the option to customize

The Bad:

- Most of the best courses we had were subject to an supplemental charge (but worth it IMO)

Restaurant Beba

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

When perusing Canada's 100 Best Restaurants, I was a bit curious why a little restaurant in Montreal ranked #7 overall. In fact, they rank #50 on North America's 50 Best Restaurants in 2025. Well, it is a bit unique where their cuisine is a mix of Italian and Spanish while paying homage to the founders Ari and Pablo Schor's Argentine-Jewish hertiage. Located in Verdun, the area doesn't scream world-class dining, but rest assured, Beba has changed that for the better. I was able to grab a table for 2 from from the 28-seat capacity restaurant.

When they describe Beba as compact, they are being generous. Let's just say you will get to cozy with the people beside you. On that note, the menu is equally compact being truly focused on a few dishes. We shared the Knish à la pomme de terre to start. This little fried ball of tender slices of potato, onion and chicken fat that was well-seasoned and rich. It was aromatic and had the silkiness of schmaltz. On top, there was a generous dollop of osetra caviar. This added briny saltiness to the bite.

No meal is complete at Beba without ordering their signature dish - Montadita au maquereau (mackerel). My initial impressions of this wasn't necessarily great, but hey what do I know? I'm glad that I kept my mind open because these bites were fantastic. Served on warm crunchy sesame buns, the mackerel was a bit tangy and exhibiting that bright fishy flavour. It was perfectly complimented by a lot of butter, grated horseradish, chives and salt. Somehow, this combination of components just plain worked. We had the creaminess of the butter, the mild kick of the horseradish (was not as strong as I would've imagined) and the brightness of the chives.

Another show-stopper was the Maitake on raw milk taleggio. First and foremost, the slightly melted taleggio was creamy, sweet and savoury. This by itself was already a treat, but on top, we found beautifully sauteed mushrooms that were aggressively salted. Fortunately, we had a bright and garlicky salsa verde on top that helped cut some of the heaviness of the cheese as well as the saltiness of the mushrooms. This was an outstanding dish yet, we felt some crispy toast on the bottom would've put it over the top. Mind you, I'm pretty sure there is a good reason they didn't do that, so what do I know?

Trying to include some vegetables in our meal, we had the Radicchio & Escarole with potatoes. This was a good interlude between heavier dishes. The crunch from the fresh greens was great along with the tangy "bean-aigrette". Lots of pecorino ensured that there was salty nuttiness to go along with the acidity. We also had some tender chunks of potato to soak up all the flavours.

For our pasta course, we had the Tagliatelle with ragù genovese made with ox tongue. Gotta say this was really good with chewy noodles that had an appealing firmness to them while still being fully cooked-through. They were also seasoned well with an inherent balanced saltiness. As for the ragù, there was a generous amount of tender ox tongue that retained its meatiness. Rich flavours from the tongue (due to the fat content) and the sweetness of the onion really made this dish sing with umami. Add in some parm and we had extra saltiness with nutty cheesiness.

Our last savoury items was the Bacalao with clams and peppers in a piperade. The big piece of salt cod was only a bit salty and plenty tender and flaky. The piperade was sweet and tangy. It helped compliment the salt cod by balancing out the saltiness. There was the faintest hint of spice which varied the flavours. Add in the buttery clams and we got a touch of brininess too.

We ended up with 2 desserts including the Flan with whipped cream and dulce de leche. This was one of the richest and thickest flans I've ever had. They must've really went ham with the cream with this one. It was good though, since it wasn't too egg-forward and was balanced in terms of sweetness. That left the dulce de leche to do the heavy lifting in terms of providing that rich and deep caramel vibes.

Our second dessert was pretty darn good too in the Valrhona Chocolate Tart. It was also rich and dense (but in a good way). Hits of bitter dark chocolate with aplomb where each bite was impactful and purposeful. The addition of olive oil and salt only helped heighten theses flavours. Providing some nutty crunch, we found roasted hazelnuts on top. So guess what? I now know why Beba is rated so high in all of these lists. Mind you, I'm a bit confused as to why some of my favourites spots in Canada rank behind them. Yet, that doesn't take away that the food is pretty darn tasty.

The Good:

- Delicious

- Generous portions

- It's unique

The Bad:

- Super tight seating (and also hard to get a reso)

- Loved it, but not sure if it should rank that high

Juliette Plaza

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Having started off this trip with a wonderful dinner at Montreal Plaza, it was fitting that we visit the little sister next door at the end of the trip. Yes, Juliette Plaza opened in early 2024 and had the mission to offer more approachable small dishes that maintained the same quality as Montreal Plaza. As such, we made reservations for lunch on the day before we were supposed to leave Montreal. Loved the quaint dining room adorned with whimsical decor.

I decided I had to get another Chicken Liver & Foie Gras Mousse with a raspberry gelée. Although this seemed like a small portion, let me assure you that it was plenty. It was so rich and buttery, I'm sure any more of it and my poor heart would tell me to get a salad instead. Due to that addition of foie gras, it was definitely richer and silkier. It was well-seasoned and the taste of brandy was apparent. It came with some crisps which were texturally perfect for the mousse, but since they were brittle, it was hard to spread without breaking them.

We've had our fair share of trout on this trip, but this time we had something just a bit different in the Confit Arctic Char crusted with black sesame. With a rare preparation, the char was soft and silky. The skin was a bit crispy due to the nutty sesame seeds while a bunch of chives and salt helped add brightness and seasoning. However, the fish itself was already well-seasoned through the confit. Hence, it ate a bit salty. Underneath, we found a cucumber salad in a tangy vinaigrette.

The best dish of our meal was their cheeky nod to an ol' American seafood chain restaurant. The Red Lobster Scallops was an interpretation of the fried scallops found at the struggling chain. Instead of fried small bay scallops, their version consisted of fried scallop mousse encapsulating a smaller scallop. With crispy breading on the outside contrasting the bouncy sweet scallop mousse, it was a textural treat. However, the house-made cocktail sauce was what put this dish over the top. It was fresh and bright with bits of tomato that also had an appetizing tanginess. Oh and the scallops rested on a spicy mayo with some chives.

Next was the Coquille St-Jacques with scallops, shrimp and nduja mixed in a mornay sauce. This was a pretty small dish, but was packed with flavour. Due to the nduja, this ate with a nice spiciness which was balanced off by the creamy sauce and the sweet tanginess of the ligonberries. A plethora of chives didn't hurt matters too with a herby brightness. As for the scallops and shrimp, they were tender and delicate. As per usual, there was the pomme purée on the outside.

Normally, wherever I see Crispy Potato Skins on a menu, it gives me visions of TGIF and their big honking half potatoes that are only marginally hallowed out. Well, I wasn't expecting this to be the case here, but when it arrived, it was still a pleasant surprise. What we had was actual potato skins (sans all that potato) fried until super crispy. It was topped with tobiko, spicy mayo and parm. Underneath, there was some mashed potato to compliment. So many textures and flavours going on here. Delicious.

Another excellent dish was the Stuffed Chicken Wing with chicken and mushrooms. This was really good where the skin was rendered and completely glazed with a balance of sweet and savoury. Inside, the chicken was tender and bouncy. There was a miso sauce to compliment and it was richly salty without actually being salty. We found charred cabbage on the side. It was smoky and well-seasoned.

Onto dessert, we had the Strawberry Sundae with some banana custard on the bottom with strawberry molasses, Chantilly and strawberry sorbet. As expected, this was super refreshing and fruity. I'm not usually a fan of banana desserts, but the custard had a nice aroma and was mildly sweet. Great finish to a delicious meal. Loved the concept of smaller plates to share as we could try more items. Depending on how much you order, it is debatable if it is actually less expensive than Montreal Plaza, but then again, we order too much usually. I would come back.

The Good:
- Nice share plates that allows one to order more dishes
- Delicious
- Quaint

The Bad:
- Depending how much your order, your bill can get up there
- Trout was a bit salty

Bar St-Denis

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

So far on this trip to Montreal, we were pretty impressed with the pricing of tasting menus. At Mastard, it was only $90.00 for 5 courses (we had the 7 course option for $120.00), we felt it was reasonable considering the food quality and all the accolades. We were a little less impressed with the price at Cabaret L'Enfer where we felt there wasn't enough food for $165.00, despite being delicious. Now we head to another restaurant on St. Denis in Bar St. Denis. They have a tasting menu for only $85.00 per person. So that's what we had!

Starting our meal, we had the Little Neck Clams sitting in Tabouleh with bulgur. These clams were not little at all as they were thicc and plump. They had a bit of a sweet chew, which was not troublesome. Each one sat on a bed of fresh tabouleh that was bright and a bit peppery. There some quality EVOO as well as some tangy lemon juice. We also found some bulgur as well which provided a firm texture.

Next was the Raw Fluke topped with some crispy puffed rice. This was also an excellent dish with tender slices of fluke that were almost buttery. The puffed rice served two purposes. First, it was nutty and aromatic. Second, it was the necessary crispiness to contrast the soft texture of the fluke. With some Quebec ginger, we had some real brightness as well as a slight spiciness. Again, quality EVOO helped with the overall texture.

We were presented with one of the biggest portions of Veal Tartare I've even had. It was easily double the size of the one we had at lunch. This featured supremely fresh meat that had a vibrant colour and taste. It was buttery soft and had the requisite condiments including plenty of shallots. On top, we found a drizzle of EVOO as well as white anchovies and Arbequina olives. This was served with a wonderful fluffy bread.

With the pungency of raw button mushrooms, we got the full smell of the them before it hit the table. It was a complex contrast to the Matsutake mixed with lemon, cream and tarragon. We had the textural contrast with the sliced thin button mushrooms that were spongy while the matsutake were chewier while taking on the acidity of the lemon while combined with creaminess and brightness of the tarragon. Unassuming to look at but utterly delicious.

Our favourite item was the Spaghettoni with pesto and tomato. With a stunningly deep green colour, the promise of basil was fulfilled. Even when mixed with the tomato coated spaghettoni, the dish was extremely basil-forward. Super herbaceous and bright, the pasta was just plain delicious. It was firmly al dente with a good chew to it. Some crunch on the top provided another texture to the dish.

Onto our biggest dish, we had the Guinea Fowl Ballotine wrapped in cabbage. It featured white meat on the outer layer which held the minced dark meat inside. Right in the middle, we found the barely cooked livers. This was a contrast of textures of the fowl while also highlighting the different flavours. It went from mild (white meat) to pungent (livers). The sherry sauce was extremely gelatinous and a bit salty due to the aggressive cook down. However, it completely help flavour the dish.

For dessert, we were served the Sticky Toffee Pudding, which was deeply rich in sweetness. So smoky and caramelized, it was full-flavoured. It really didn't need the butterscotch, but it needed the moisture. I'm normally not an STP fan since it is so sweet, but I liked this, it was more complex in flavour and I ate it without sopping up the sauce. Overall, the meal at Bar St. Denis was quite good. I thought the amount of food was just right and we didn't go away hungry. Fairly intense flavours to go along fresh ingredients.

The Good:
- Impactful flavours
- Energetic vibe
- Well-priced

The Bad:
- Impactful also straddles a fine line as the sherry sauce was rather salty and the butterscotch was very sweet

Casavant

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Generally, when a restaurant is awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand designation, it indicates well-prepared food at a moderate price. Now that is all fine and dandy, but in reality, some of these restaurants are actually still pretty pricey. So to find a legitimate Bib Gourmand spot is genuinely difficult. However, we were pretty excited about dining at Casavant. Named after the grandmother of co-owner Matisse Deslauriers, it features head chef Charles-Tristan Prévost's precise execution of composed dishes for "good quality, good value cooking" as per Michelin.

We made it out for lunch and it was immediately apparent that the menu was reasonably priced. Case in point, the Beef Tartare was only $17.00. Now this was no ordinary beef tartare as it had a secret weapon. That would be the smoked mackerel, which added a noticeable smokiness and that unmistakable fishiness (in a good way) of mackerel. In addition to that, the base product was solid too with tender nuggets of beef dressed with the usual condiments including a mustard tang, silkiness of egg yolk and aromatic shallots. This was topped with watercress, which provided some bitter brightness.

A bit more pricey, but still not expensive, the Pan-Seared Scallops were nicely prepared being properly salted and exhibiting caramelization. They were still rare in the middle being buttery soft while also its briny sweet self. All of these sat in a watercress emulsion which was slightly bitter, a touch sweet and bright. I considered this to be only a complimentary flavour as it let the natural flavours of the scallop to shine. We also found slices of apples, watercress and almonds in completing the dish. Not sure, if the raw watercress was the best addition, but the vinaigrette helped take away some of the bitterness.

To completely illustrate the good value at Casavant, the Kenauk Trout was only $24.00! Such a composed dish for the price of a burger at a chain restaurant (maybe you can't even get a burger for that price). It featured crispy, well-salted skin which gave way to tender flakes of trout. It was a bit rare in the middle, which was perfect. With a buttery sauce, it sure seemed like a beurre blanc, but there was no white wine flavour, so maybe it was just a butter sauce? There was a fennel puree, herb oil and sorrel to finish.

For myself, I had the Casavant Burger for $23.00. Yes, for less than a chain restaurant! This burger was excellent with a medium-rare well-charred patty. Hence it was juicy, plenty fatty and super tender. Great flavours with the meat, but the cheese and pickles, there was definitely complimentary hits of tang and cheesiness. All of it sat within a soft brioche bun with plenty of aioli. A very good burger at a great price. A few salted potato wedges were included as well.

For dessert, we had the Coffee Cream Puff filled with ricotta and topped with candied orange rinds. This was super light with a crispy coffee topping. Inside, the ricotta was creamy and lightly sweet while spiked with coffee. I thought the orange rinds on top provided a sweet bitterness that helped cut the coffee flavours. As you can tell, we were rather impressed with the food at Casavant, especially for the price. It truly embodies what a Bib Gourmand designated restaurant should be.

The Good:
- Excellent food
- Inexpensive for what you get
- Great service

The Bad:
- Small place, so be prepared to be friends with table neighbours

Cabaret L'Enfer

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

After a fabulous 7-course tasting menu at Mastard, we had a second one planned at Cabaret L'Enfer. Opened by Chef Massimo Piedimonte, Cabaret L'Enfer has the cachet of a semi-finalist on Top Chef (USA) as well as being named to Canada's 100 Best Restaurant list. He combines his Italian roots with his French training to create striking dishes in his $165.00 tasting menu. We made our way out to St. Denis with high expectations.

Our meal began with a trio of items including a Bombalone filled with cold cream and topped with lots of truffle. It was slightly crispy and airy while the filling was custardy with savoury sweetness. The plethora of truffle add the usual woodsiness. We also had a crispy discs filled with Chicken Liver Mousse with plenty of pepper and brandy. That was rather evident with the big booziness of the creamy mousse. To balance it off, there was some pickled rose petals offering up tanginess. The last item was the Pâté en Croûte made with beef tongue, pork shoulder and trumpet mushrooms. Very well-constructed with a firm and almost crispy exterior. The inside was plenty meaty with different textures and plenty aromatic with umaminess.

Next Course was the Scallop that was lightly cured, then steamed and sliced into 4 pieces. They were buttery soft and sweet topped with a saffron emulsion. This added slight creaminess with the unmistakable sweet floral taste of saffron. There was also a second emulsion of bone marrow as well. At the bottom of the bowl, we found some gooseberry juice that was almost sour, but a great palate cleanser. On top, we had a saffron tapioca chip that was crispy and light emitting some lobster vibes due to the saffron.

Our favourite course was the Spinach Pasta with a tomato emulsion made with tomatoes from Chef Massimo's mother's garden. There was also plenty of basil and it made the dish basil-forward (in a good way). Lots of herbaceousness combined with the tangy and fresh-tasting tomatoes. Nice crunch from the bread crumbs underneath. The pasta itself was al dente with a bouncy chewiness. It was lovingly embraced by the bright tomato and loads of basil. As for the shrimp, they were super sweet and delicate. The side of freshly-baked bread (we saw this happening as we entered the restaurant) was fantastic with an appealing density, sweetness and crispiness on the outside.

Our bluefin tuna consumption has been off the charts here in Montreal and our next course was the the lightly-seared Otoro with saffron sauce. As with all the bluefin we've had, this hailed from Gaspe and was super fresh. As with Otoro, it was buttery and fatty with only a bit of chew. It was bright and since there was a good amount of fat, the true taste of the fish came through with sweetness an umami. I thought the saffron sauce was equally full of umami and sweetness with its unique floral taste. There was a bell pepper condiment made with tomato and it was a flavour bomb. It was probably a bit too strong for the delicate Otoro, but whatever, it was super tangy, salty, sweet and just plain yummy.

Stunningly plated, the Aged Duck marinated in koji was delicious. It was served with a heavily reduced duck jus made with the duck bones, gooseberry reduction, red wine reduction and a black mushroom puree. First off, the duck was beautifully medium-rare which meant it was juicy and sufficiently tender. The skin was well-rendered. Being aged, the duck was meaty and intensely flavourful. With a myriad of sauces and compliments, there was a lot going on. We had the silkiness of the duck jus mixed with the tanginess of the gooseberry and the slight bitterness of the red wine. As if the umami of the mushroom puree wasn't enough already, we also had a corn puree which was intensely sweet as expected. To top it off, there was a burnt thyme oil that was smoky and earthy.

Onto the first of our 2 desserts, we had Plums with a roasted yeast crumble and an espuma made from cherry leaves. Tart and sweet, the plums were a nice way to cleanse the palate upon the end of the savoury course. Loved the nutty yeast that was also earthy and had a firm crunch. Creamy and light, the espuma was earthy and pleasant. When everything combined into one bite, there was a certain harmony going on.

Our last dessert was something they like to call a "Winter Dessert". It consisted of a dehydrated chip, buckwheat ice cream, dulce de leche and caramelized white chocolate crumble. Definitely comforting and as they said, great for curling up in a blanket and eating this. Really nice crunch from the chip and the combination of flavours really worked. Classic caramel sweetness with a creamy nuttiness from the ice cream. In the end, we did enjoy the tasting menu at Cabaret L'Enfer. It was well-executed and featured some appealing ingredients. The one issue is that the price is double that of Mastard's tasting menu and I didn't think it was better. Of course that is subjective and only my opinion. But it can be a determining factor when deciding between the two restaurants.

The Good:

- Well-prepared

- Sauces were delicious

- Wonderful service

The Bad:

- In comparison to other tasting menus in the city, it is one of the more expensive ones

- If you like drink options, they only have wine pairings

Toque!

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Always chasing after new restaurants is what many people do to keep on top of the restaurant scene. However, we must not forget about the ol' standbys too. They were, at one point, the new kid on the block. One of the long standing restaurants in Montreal that still receives accolades is Toque! on the outskirts of Old Montreal. It has been around for 30 years and has morphed from a small restaurant on St Denis to the larger elegant space in 2004. We were able to squeeze in a lunch here on our eating adventures for this trip.

Their lunch menu is strictly table d’hôte featuring one appetizer and one main course. For our appetizers, we had the classic Pâté en Croute. This was beautifully plated with squash mostarda, apricot purée, somerset grape and pumpkin seeds. Crispy and firm, the hot water crust pastry was excellent and did not separate from the pâté. About that pâté, it consisted of duck liver, tongue and pork. It was rather meaty, especially from the tongue. Just enough fat to keep things silky and bonded. The accompaniments helped lighten things up with tang and sweetness. Loved the sprinkle of pistachios on top adding nuttiness without being wet.

Our other appetizer was the Laquered Miso and Maple Trout with cauliflower purée, nasturtium, apple & maple mignonette and trout roe. This was a well-composed plate with super crispy fish skin that was properly seasoned. The trout itself as lightly cooked where the centre was still rare. It was buttery and sweet with the natural flavours coming through while the miso added fermented saltiness. To balance, the maple did its job with aromatic sweetness.

For our mains, we had the Lamb with romesco, cauliflower, confit leek, matsutake mushroom, thyme and lemon sauce. Served in 3 pieces, we found the lamb saddle, rib and leg meat. Prepared medium-rare, the leg meat was tender and juicy with a nice char on the outside. The thyme and lemon sauce was tangy, earthy and sweet. Lamb saddle had crispy fat giving way to tender and fatty meat. Nice saltiness with this. Braised rib meat was more lean, but the romesco helped in that regard. Confit leek were charred, so there was smokiness to go with the brightness.

The other main was the Beef Strip Loin with bak choy, shiitake mushroom, beet, zucchini, red bell pepper chutney, black sesame purée and foie gras sauce. Prepared medium as requested (not for me, I like medium-rare!), the steak was tender with a meaty texture. It was properly seasoned, but the foie gras sauce was silky and savoury with plenty of umami. The black sesame purée was quite potent with plenty of nuttiness.

Dessert was not included with the table d’hôte but we ordered 2 of them anyways. The Corn Crémeaux consisted of basil dehydrated sponge cake, nectarine, caramelized corn, olive oil ice cream. Really sweet and rich, the corn crémeaux was the beneficiary of actual sweet niblets. Loved the crispy sponge cake, which was the perfect compliment to the creamy and mildly sweet ice cream.

Lastly, we had the Strawberry salad with jasmine syrup, gin, strawberry sorbet and lime gel. Such a simple dessert, but truly refreshing and satisfying after some heavier dishes. Since the strawberries were sweet already, the light kiss of the syrup was enough. Could definitely get the brightness of the gin coming through. Finished off with some Dark & Milk Chocolate with dried raspberry and ginger gel. Nice little bites to end a very solid meal.

The Good:

- Solid execution

- High level of service

- Classy and spacious dining room

The Bad:

- Maybe less sexy than the new places?

Bistro La Franquette

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

So here we go with a restaurant that is neither on Canada's 100 Best Restaurant list nor have any form of Michelin recognition. This brings up an important debate - does a restaurant need to be a multi-award winner to be considered one of the best in the city? You probably already know the answer to that - a resounding "no". Bistro La Franquette may not have a cache of awards, but they are highly-rated and for those who are in the know, it is one of Montreal's best. Therefore, we headed out to Westmount for some French eats.

Really loved the vibe of the place, with high ceilings, killer tunes and warm hospitality. We started with the Roasted Beet Salad. This was not a complex dish, but in the end, it did exactly what it was supposed to do. With a bright and tangy vinagrette, it did whet our appetites. The sweet and earthy beets were tender with some bite. Those radicchio leaves provided crunch and bitterness while the star of the show was actually the pickled black walnuts that added an extra bit of texture.

The next item was really something different. So it was not different due to the main ingredient because Bluefin Tuna Crudo is nothing unusual. Rather than cubes of bluefin, it came in two large slices. That in itself made this crudo very different in texture and effect. Since the accompaniments underneath the tuna were so bold (sheppard pepper, piperade sauce, black olive oil and espelette), I felt the pieces of fish had to be bigger. Even after we cut them up, the size would've been bigger than the usual cubes. Hence, we got the buttery taste of the sea from the bluefin mingling with the tangy sweetness of the piperade sauce (particularly from the onions and tomatoes).

We moved onto our favourite dish of the night, the Black Cod. I rarely see a piece of black cod hard seared as such, especially without the skin. But the result was fantastic with a crispy exterior that was well-charred. It was properly salted and had a nutty smokiness. On that note, the fish was still flaky and buttery at the same time. This sat atop a cauliflower purée that was creamy and buttery. We also found thinly sliced cauliflower that had a beautiful crunch. That caramelized fennel was super sweet and of course had the usual liquorice essence. Finally, this was finished off with some brown butter with capers and lemon, which had some piccata vibes offering up creaminess, nuttiness and tang.

We moved onto the beef portion of the menu with the Franquette Burger. Due to the popularity of the dish, there are limited quantities available each night. We snagged one and it was good. The soft buttered brioche bun held the freshly ground patty well and held together until the last bite. Prepared medium, the beef was tender and almost buttery while well-seared on the outside. It wasn't overly fatty where it got too messy nor heavy. With beautifully melted 2-year old cheddar, we had some sharpness and nuttiness. Finally, the caramelized onions offered up rich sweetness. The side of Frites were fresh-cut and crispy with creamy insides.

For our Hanger Steak, it was perfectly medium-rare being juicy and tender. It still had a meaty bite and also offered up a wealth of natural beef flavour (as hanger steaks tend to be). There was an aggressive sear on the outside that offered caramelized flavours (while the steak was properly salted). The steak was well-rested and sat in a tasty red wine sauce while topped with a herb & lemon compound butter. This was creamy, bright and herbaceous. We chose a Salad for the side instead of fries and it was quite good. Lots of fresh produce including different sweet grape tomatoes, all in a tangy vinaigrette.

We were pretty full by now and decided to share the Basque Cheesecake with blackberries. This was a fairly light version where it as airy and creamy with a mild cream cheese flavour. It wasn't overly sweet, but still aromatic. The tangy and sweet blackberries and accompanying sauce helped keep things bright. Overall, the food at Bistro La Franquette was delicious and well-portioned. Prices are reasonable too.

The Good:

- Well-prepared eats

- Fairly large portions at reasonable prices

- Personable service

The Bad:

- Some tables are really close together

- It can get loud in there

Kitano Shokudo

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

So here we go with another restaurant in Canada's 100 Best Restaurant list in Kitano Shokudo. From the outside, it wasn't very apparent what we were looking at. Walking in, you would still be a bit confused with all the eclectic items from DJ equipment with records to a print of Monarch butterflies. Formerly Otto Bistro, this small Japanese restaurant is run by Chef Hiroshi Kitano. Sure, the menu features supremely high-quality sashimi that you can also get on top of rice in a chirashi don or maguro (bluefin) don, but there are some fusion dishes that are equally as good. We stopped by for lunch to see what it was all about.

Starting with the 8-piece Sashimi, we were treated to 2 each of the Bluefin Akami, Ora King Salmon, Hotate and Shima Aji. It might sound like an easy way of describing the sashimi as excellent, but it really was. The quality of the fish was top-notch and served at the right temperature. Cuts were precise and presented in the right size. I particularly enjoyed the scallop as it was buttery soft and super sweet.

As if you weren't eating enough bluefin these days (should stop because high-mercury levels), we had the Bluefin Futomaki. This thing featured a thin layer of soy rice and equal amounts of akami and chutoro. This thing was stuffed full of bluefin and well, need I really have to say it was delicious? The picture itself tells the whole story. Supremely sweet with the taste of the sea and also that classic soft texture with the chutoro being fatty and buttery. Just a bit of real wasabi and a dab of soy was enough.

We tried 3 of their noodle dishes including the Duck Confit Mazemen. It featured a massive duck leg that had the crispiest skin. Nicely salted too. I thought the duck meat was trending towards the drier side, but it was still quite good and not overly seasoned. The al dente noodles were great and the combination of dashi and onsen egg made for a smoky, silky and aromatic flavour profile. The wealth of green onion and red onions wasn't really my thing, but it did add brightness and some sharpness.

The most fusion dish of the bunch was the Mushroom "Pasta" as it combined sauteed mixed mushrooms, butter and chives with an egg yolk. There was pecorino as well, but we opted for it to be on the side because it can be pretty overwhelming. This was delicious with the earthiness of the mushrooms and silkiness of the butter. Extra creaminess was thanks to the free-range egg yolk. Al dente with a nice bite, the noodles were fully seasoned by the components. After I added in the pecorino, there was a nutty saltiness which as brightened up by the ample chives.

Our last noodle was the Shoyu Ramen with chicken, clam and fish broth. Really nice sweetness with certain silkiness from the slow and long cook of the chicken. I noticed there was quite a bit of umaminess to the broth due to the combination of components. Once again, the noodles were beautifully chewy and held up until the end. We found a beautiful runny seasoned egg along with a few slices of medium-rare duck breast.

We ended off our meal with 2 scoops of Sorbet including Passionfruit and Strawberry. These were really refreshing and quite creamy despite it being all ice. Flavours were pretty natural-tasting and the sweetness was measured. Great finish to a solid meal that featured high-quality ingredients that were honoured in their preparation. Although I've had better in Vancouver, it is still a nice little spot in Montreal that offers delicious eats at a reasonable price.

The Good:

- High-quality and fresh ingredients

- Carefully-prepared

- Quaint

The Bad:

- Enjoyed it, but I've had better though

Le Violon

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

You would think that Le Violon would be known for its Co-Executive Chefs, Danny Smiles and Mitch Laughren. Moreover you'd also think that they are known for their use of local in-season ingredients, in which they highlight in their carefully executed dishes. Maybe, their inclusion in Canada's Best 100 restaurants, Michelin-recommended designation or being a finalist in Air Canada's best new restaurant would be their claim to fame. But alas, they were the restaurant that Justin Trudeau and Katy Perry had their "first date". For me, I don't really care about the latter as I just want to dine on delicious eats. So yes, we got a reso for Le Violon and made our way for a late dinner.

We decided to get 6 dishes to share including the Automne Boulangerie Sourdough with whipped butter with fennel pollen. Really loved this bread as it was firmly crusty on the outside while soft and fluffy on the inside with some density. It was perfectly salted where it totally stood on its own without the butter. However, of course we slathered on all of the butter! It was creamy and light with sweetness and only a hint of liquorice.

As if we didn't have enough lobster with Hollandaise already for lunch at Monarque, we had the Lobster with braised leeks. Yes, it was covered in a velvety Hollandaise that was even better than Monarque. Perfectly seasoned, buttery and with the right viscosity, it held onto each bouncy and sweet piece of lobster lovingly. There was quite the generous portion of lobster too. Underneath, we found braised leeks that were tender while holding some texture. They added some sweetness to the dish as well as interrupting the heaviness of the sauce.

Our last small dish was the Corn with pine nuts, mint and sliced zucchini topped with zucchini blossoms. Intensely sweet, the corn niblets were tossed in a creamy mint vinaigrette. The acidity and herbaceousness of the mint helped compliment the sweetness but didn't obscure it. Extra texture, albeit subtle, was provided by the sliced zucchini. Add in some nuttiness and minor texture from the pine nuts and this was one addictive dish. The only thing we wished for was it to be served warm rather than cold. We thought it would've been even more impactful.

With our larger plates, we went for the Gnocchi as our mid-course. It was made with ricotta rather than potato and hence, it was fluffier and lighter. They repurposed the Guinea Fowl jus from the dish with the same name as the base. Cream and mushroom were added, which made for a creamy umami-packed sauce. This ended up to be a pretty rich-tasting dish, but the addition of fresh tarragon leaves on top provided that bright sweetness along with some background anise flavour.

Once again, we had fish in the form of Seabream with a wild green onion beurre blanc. Since the green onion was cooked on a hibachi, there was a considerable amount of smokiness added to the sauce. Hence it was buttery, a bit tangy (from the wine), smoky and bright. The fish itself was beautifully prepared with a moist texture and flakiness. The skin was lightly crispy and well-seasoned. There was some sliced rabiole on top that was crunchy and sweet.

Here we are with our 4th Hanger Steak so far and this one was cooked to a beautiful medium-rare (being tender) and topped with Cantabrian anchovies. Beyond the nice sear and proper cook on the steak, it was also nicely seasoned. However, with the addition of anchovies, there was intense umaminess but not an overbearing amount of saltiness. Underneath, there was a piperade that was sweet and aromatic but not spicy. It complimented the steak while allowing the beefiness of the hanger steak to shine.

Finally, for dessert, we avoiding having meringue again by ordering the Valrhona Basque Cheesecake topped with pistachio crème anglais. Employing 70% bitter chocolate, this cake was not very sweet. Perfect in my opinion as the bitterness of the dark chocolate made it appealing. The cake itself was a bit firmer than the usual Basque cheesecake, but I enjoyed it. As for the pistachio crème anglais, it was a bit sweet, which balanced of the bitterness nicely. In the end, we agreed that Le Violon is deserving of all the accolades earned during its short time in business. Food is fantastic and pricing is rather reasonable with all things considered.

The Good:

- Well-crafted eats that are not fussy

- Reasonable pricing

- Attentive service

The Bad:

- Really tight seating (not unlike many other Montreal restaurants) and hard to get a reservation

Monarque

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

So how much French food (whether it be French or French Canadian) can we handle over a week? Apparently a lot because we moved onto Monarque for lunch after 5 meals already! There are 2 options for lunch service at Monarque with one being the bustling Brasserie and the other in the Salle de Manger (Dining Room). We went for the more casual Brasserie where we were surrounded by business people doing their power lunches.

To start, we went for something a bit lighter in the Ocean Trout Tartare with miso eggplant puree, puffed rice, roe, daikon and radish. This was beautifully plated with buttery trout that was cut up into manageable pieces. Even though the sweetness of the trout was prevalent, the dish was shoyu-forward being just a touch salty. However, that didn't mean the miso eggplant puree wasn't welcomed though. Really enjoyed the fermented saltiness that added depth and another layer of flavour. Crispy and nutty, the puffed rice added the necessary textural contrast while the radish did the same thing but in a bright and refreshing manner.

We also had the Ricotta Ravioli with basil and tomato beurre monte. Featuring a thin exterior, the raviolis were delicate yet still had a nice chew with our initial bites. Inside, the ricotta was not packed in too tight. As a result, it was light and airy with a herb-forward taste. The sauce was buttery and super bright. It was also clean with a pronounced fresh tomato flavour with both tang and sweetness.

Onto the mains, we had 3 of them including the Monarque Burger. This IPE housemade patty was nicely seared to rare and the meat was plenty juicy. It didn't eat like a tartare though as it was cooked enough for the texture to tighten up, but it was not shy about leaking meat juices all over the place. Fortunately, the heavily buttered and toasted brioche soaked up all of the meat juices and still held together. To make this even better, we found meaty and crispy bacon as well as 12-month aged cheddar for smoky saltiness. Really solid burger. The frites were slightly crispy with lots of natural potato texture.

I finally got to order a Duck Confit after many opportunities at the other meals in Montreal and this one didn't disappoint. It featured a duck leg that had some crispy skin which was mostly rendered. I found the fall apart meat to be flavourful and gelatinous without being overly salty. Plenty of duck flavour that was pretty intense. This was further enhanced by the silky duck jus (which was a bit salty, but needed as the rest of the items were not). Underneath, we found tender pieces of radish and zucchini that still had a bite. The fingerling potatoes were also tender, but still firm.

Our last large dish was the Half Lobster Thermidor served with a Jardin du Monarque Salade. Impressively plated with the half lobster acting as the serving vessel for the meat, spinach and Hollandaise sauce, this dish was rather filling. I guess the silky and buttery Hollandaise helped in that respect, but really, it was delicious and complimented the buttery lobster expertly. Even the spinach was cooked beautifully being wilted but not mushy. It was well-seasoned too. The side salad was excellent too with a variety of fresh crispy greens and sweet tomatoes in a tangy vinaigrette.

As if we didn't have enough meringues on this trip already, we had the Passion Fruit Pavlova. Arriving at our table, it certainly looked massive, but in reality, the crispy meringue was only a thin layer compared to the airy and eggy meringue in the middle. To balance the sweetness, we found real passionfruit (with the seeds) providing a considerable amount of tang. In addition to this, we had some passionfruit cream (that resembled a sabayon) for further effect. Overall, Monarque met our expectations and was a good meal. Definitely a great option if you are around Old Montreal.

The Good:
- Solid eats
- The service we had was friendly
- Loved the bustling atmosphere

The Bad:
- Some things were a touch salty

Mastard

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Here we go with my only Michelin-star restaurant for this trip to Montreal. I was lucky enough to snag a reservation for Mastard but not Sabayon. I didn't even bother with Europea as their reviews are all over the place. As for Mastard, Chef Simon Mathys is at the helm and he uses as many local ingredients as he can. He is also the master of sauces where each dish is composed and flavours are thoughtful. We were excited to experience their reasonably-priced tasting menu (available in 5 and 7 courses). Go big or go home, there was no hesitation in deciding for the 7 course tasting menu.

It started with an Amuse Bouche consisting of fry bread stuffed with cream cheese and topped with coppa. A very nice start to the meal with varied textures including the crispy and light fry bread. It was contrasted by the creamy cheese in terms of temperature and texture. The heavy-lifting was provided by the coppa as it added a sweet savouriness with a touch of spice. That in itself also offered up a different texture with its pleasant chewiness.

Onto the blind tasting menu, we began with the Nova Scotia Scallop. It was hard seared on one side and sliced into 3 pieces. Hence, we were treated to a progression of flavours and textures. Buttery and rare, the 2 bottom slices were the soft introduction to the sweet scallop. When we got to the top slice, it was crispy on the top while still soft on the bottom. Best of all, the caramelization afforded an intense brininess. Very clever. We found a corn puree and white onion foam that offered up different types of natural sweetness to further supercharge the dish. There was also a white wine sauce with trout eggs on top. On the side, we found some charred bread with butter and what I thought was lettuce custard (from his famed tart).

If the scallop wasn't a great enough start, the hits kept coming with the Braised Cabbage with an emulsion of smoked clams with guanciale. Delicate and packed with flavour, the cabbage was salty and smoky. With some ying and yang, we found 2 different sauces including a emulsified matsutake-infused sauce and sea urchin & pepper sauce. Both sauces were packed with umami. I found that they complimented each other well where we had an oxymoron of effects - subtly impactful. Completing the dish, the 2 pieces of buttery sweet sea urchin added fresh sea vibes and raw thinly sliced matsutake with its natural woodsiness bite.

A little surf & turf followed but not in the traditional sense. Instead of steak and lobster, we had Braised Rabbit with 2 smoky oysters. Tender and sweet, the rabbit was presented in its own juices. Exhibiting briny smokiness, the buttery oysters provided a gentle jolt of the sea to its land-based partner on the dish. Adding some bright sea sweetness and tanginess, we found a prosecco and oyster seafoam on top. Adding some texture and a vessel to soak up the delicious sauces, a crispy and flaky feuilletée sat atop the dish.

As a supplement to our tasting menu, we really didn't hesitate to add Chef Mathys signature dish, the Bluefin Tuna with lettuce tart. It featured a beautiful and large piece of fresh bluefin atop his famed lettuce tart. Creamy and almost airy, the lettuce custard shone in a bright green. It was subtle tasting with some sweetness. Contrasting the custard, the crispy tart shell was flaky and buttery. Ah yes, then we had the beautiful bluefin from Gaspé with its meaty butteriness. The inherent sweetness exuded bright and clean sea vibes. Just a touch of salt on top and it helped highlight those flavours. Finished off with a nutty camelina oil, it meshed well with the salt to give the dish some silkiness and flavour. There was a hit of acidity for balance as well.

At this point, we were thoroughly impressed with the intricate and thoughtful execution of our dishes. That was further reinforced by the Nova Scotia Swordfish that was cooked to perfection. Just a touch rare in the middle, the fish was tender and soft. On top, the miso and koji sauce was silky and full of depth. It had a rich saltiness that was balanced off by its creaminess. Accenting the components, we found eggplant and a zucchini puree with a basil curry. Combined together, they offered a complexity to compliment the miso and koji sauce. We found the slightest bitterness combined with sweetness and anise-like flavour of the basil. Served on the side, we found some Agnolotti stuffed with chicken and pepper. Pasta was firm with a nice chew and the ample chicken filling was tender.

Moving onto the heavier dishes of the tasting menu, we had the Lamb with cheese, mint puree and lamb jus with Swiss chard. The piece of lamb was cooked to perfection being medium-rare. It was juicy and full of natural lamb meaty flavour. However, it was a bit on the chewier side. Bordering on salty without going over, the jus was full-on lamb essence with the slightest bitter influence from the chard. I felt that the mint puree really helped cut the saltiness and add some classic compliment to the lamb.

Our final savoury course was the Duck from Ville de Carignan. Much like the lamb, it was prepared with precision where it was evenly cooked being medium-rare and sporting fully-rendered skin. It was sufficiently flavourful by itself, but it was further elevated by the tomato puree that was cooked on the barbecue for 10 hours. It was intensely concentrated in flavour as well as being smoky. We also found a herring emulsion that was quite mild. There was a side dish consisting of Fried Potato with heirloom tomato and a smoked tomato sabayon. This was delicious with brightness and natural sweetness. It was also lightly tangy while the potato was super crunchy.

For our dessert course, we were served the Meringue encapsulating mini-cantaloupe melon balls. Superb and strategic, this refreshing dish helped balance off the rich ending to the blind tasting menu. Once we broke through the crispy and sweet meringue, the melon balls were sweet and juicy. Complimenting all this was a marigold ice cream that was bright and creamy. However, the most impactful part of the dish was the cantaloupe water and lemon vinaigrette. It added a real kick of tanginess and intense sweetness.

To completely end off the meal, we shared an Apricot Tart with vanilla and salted caramel. This was also excellent with a semi-firm tart shell that was buttery with a nice mouth-feel. Sweet with a soft texture, the apricots were further enhanced by the saltiness of the sweet caramel. We also found some house-made chocolates that had a pleasant bitterness from the ganache in the middle. I have to say that Mastard was one of best, if not the best meal we had in Montreal this time around. Considering the reasonable pricing, precision and a Michelin Star, it is no wonder securing a reservation is so difficult.

The Good:
- Lives up to its Michelin Star
- Reasonable pricing
- Excellent service

The Bad:
- Hard to get a reservation

L'Express

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Nearing 45 years old, L'Express is been a big part of the dining scene in Montreal. It was originally the brainchild of Colette Brossoit and Pierre Villeneuve, who wanted to open an affordable spot for classic French fare late into the night. Things have changed since then, but it is still reasonably-priced and open late. It was recently awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand designation that reflects its original mission as well as its current iteration. Trying to fit in a visit at L'Express was fairly easy since they are open for lunch.

Compared to the bistros I've been to in France, L'Express really captures the decor, vibe and classic menu items. We started with the Chicken Liver Pâté with pistachios, which was served in a fairly large portion. It was rich and buttery smooth. Nice sweetness and the aromatic hint of brandy made this really delicious. Sure, it was probably full of cream and butter, but that is why it was so delicious! I really didn't want to eat that much bread, but we dusted it off quickly. Prior to that, we were delivered some Cornichons and Mustard.

Next, we had their classic Homemade Ravioli stuffed with veal, beef and pork. The pasta itself was on point being thin but still having a nice chew to them. In fact, the rebound from the pasta was some of the best I've had of late. The filling was a bit crumbly, but tender with plenty of natural meat flavour. To bring it all together, the reduced veal stock and mushroom sauce was silky and gelatinous. It was full of umami and didn't need a lot of salt to be impactful.

Another must order here is the Veal Kidney in mustard sauce. Okay, I'm a big offal fan and normally, nothing fazes me. However, the kidneys in this dish were extra pungent and gamy. Texturally, they were perfect being cooked through but still showing a bit of pink. Hence, there was definite meatiness, but it ate tender and juicy. The mustard sauce had a tangy sharpness complimented by the earthiness of mushrooms, gaminess of the kidneys and the richness of cream. I would not recommend this to anyone who doesn't like gaminess.

We moved onto a few more dishes including the Quiche with leek, ham and emmenthal. This was a pretty solid quiche where the egg was fluffy and light. Inside, the balanced amount of ham provided not only some saltiness but a meaty chew. Some brightness was provided by the leeks while the emmenthal added some cheesy sweetness. The best part was the crust as it was light, flaky and buttery. It really helped keep the quiche from being heavy and the texture was on point.

For the second meal in a row, we had the Hanger Steak. This was cooked to somewhere between rare and medium-rare. Hence, it was juicy, yet a bit chewier due to it being rare. It was also very beefy, which was fine by us as it didn't need much of anything else as it was also well-salted. However, the shallot butter was welcomed as it was aromatic and sweet. The large pile of frites on the side were excellent being lightly crispy but plenty potatoey in the middle. Nice creamy aioli on the side too.

For dessert, we had their famed Île Flottante with caramel. This thing was huge but thankfully ate light due to the airy meringue "floating" on crème Anglaise. I would say this was pretty sweet, with the combination of ingredients including the hard caramel dome. Providing some sweet crunchiness, the almond brittle/granola was nutty and aromatic. I felt this was good, but not really my thing. It was impressive to look at and the crème Anglaise was good, but the entire thing was too sweet for me. In general, L'Express does satisfy its core mission, providing competent food at reasonable prices.

The Good:

- Decent eats

- Reasonable prices

- Attentive service

The Bad:

- The kidneys were a bit too pungent for me

Vin Papillon

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000

One of my most memorable meals I had in Montreal the last time I was here in 2023 was at Joe Beef. Now that I'm back again, I decided to go for another restaurant from the same team and on the same block in Vin Papillon. It is mainly a wine bar with share plates to compliment. They have a farm-to-table theme where seasonal vegetables are at the forefront of the menu. We made our way to Little Burgundy from our hotel to check it out.

Our first dish was the Couteaux de Mer or Razor Clams that were nicely presented atop some rock salt. The sliced-up razor clam was combined with herbs including cilantro and chives served atop crème fraîche in its shell. The bouncy and sweet clams were complimented by a tangy and bright vinaigrette that had a balanced amount of herbaceous cilantro. There was some added crunch from the cucumber.

A bit under-the-radar, the Maïs du Québec & Radis Grillés or Québec Corn & Grilled Radish was fantastic. Those sweet niblets were aggressively charred where the smokiness was direct and impactful. Sure, some of them looked burnt, but let me assure you that it really intensified the sweetness as well. The salt levels were really good where the corn was also dressed in a bright dressing with chives. I thought that the grilled radishes could've been seasoned with something as they were pretty plain. Good crunch and natural earthiness with them though.

One of the specials of the night was the Brochette d'Onglet with chimichurri. This was fantastic with a smoky char from the charcoals. It formed a crispy exterior that was also well-salted. Inside, the meat was medium-rare and juicy with plenty of natural beef flavour. Underneath, we found a bright and tangy chimichurri which kept things from being too heavy. We liked how there wasn't a strong cilantro presence as it was quite balanced.

One of our favourite dishes of the night was the Poisson au Charbon. In this case, it was the Charcoal Grilled Arctic Char with white bean sauce. The cook on the fish was absolutely flawless featuring well-salted crispy skin with tender and flaky meat. Once again, there was pleasant smokiness to the dish. That white bean sauce underneath was smooth and well-seasoned.

Their charcoal flame-grilled game at Vin Papillon is strong where the Maïtakes aux Champignons was another beneficiary of charring. These maitakes had some crispy parts at the top that were smoky and aromatic. It was tossed in a mushroom cream sauce that was earthy and woodsy. It was almost like a café au lait sauce without the coffee. So creamy and rich, the sauce was properly salted too.

At the end we also added the Plateau de Fruits de Mer for good measure. This also included the same razor clams and added little neck clams, mackerel and baby shrimp. These were all served on ice and accompanied by an aioli. I found the clams to be super plump and sweet. There was some brininess and plenty of tender chewiness. As for the shrimp, they were tender and sweet. The best thing on the plate was the raw mackerel that tasted like the sea. It was dressed in a tangy sauce.

For dessert, we had the Sundae Maïs, Miso & Bleuets or Corn Sundae with miso and blueberries. This was surprisingly good with a creamy corn soft serve that was spiked with salty miso. This heightened the sweetness and had a great deal of saltiness. I was deciding whether this was savoury or sweet. On top, we had some caramel corn for some crunch. Huge and sweet blueberries finished the dessert. In the end, we enjoyed the food, which was the beneficiary of their charcoal grill. Nicely executed and full-flavoured.

The Good:

- That smokiness from the charcoal grill

- Fresh in-season ingredients

- Energetic vibe

The Bad:

- Dishes are small, so you either order lots, or may need to plan on eating more before or after

- Service was proficient, but not particularly engaging

Bernie Beigne

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000

While walking to the metro station after our visit to Lester's, we noticed a huge lineup for donuts at Bernie Beigne. Not only that, we watched where they took freshly fried donuts and hand-dipped them into glaze. Then they hung them for all to see in the window. Wow, if that wasn't a call of the wild for some donuts! We proceeded to get in line for our chance to grab some of these highly-sought after fried dough rings. We ended up getting a half-dozen only because these donuts were pretty large.

Of course we had to get the classic Glazed Donut that we saw majestically hung for all to see in the front window. Well, I'm glad to report these were as good as they looked. The donut itself was soft and airy, but at the same time, had a good chew. There was a good flavour where it was lightly sweet but also had some balancing amount of salt. As for the glaze, it was definitely there with sweetness, but enough of it had dripped off that it wasn't overly sweet.

Coated with a bright red glaze, the Strawberry Donut was not really our favourite. Let's start with the positives first. Same as the glazed donut, the base product was really good. However, the strawberry glaze was too artificial-tasting, so it was quite sweet and strawberry candy-tasting. Now, this is my own subjective opinion. I can totally see this being completely acceptable to other people, especially children.

Now for 2 donuts that had the same glaze in the Maple Donut and the Maple Bacon Donut. Of course the maple glaze was sweet, but it came with the territory. Nice aromatics and an unmistakable essence. With the addition of a whack load of fairly lean bacon, this totally transformed the donut. The salty smokiness really elevated the flavours where it completely balanced the sweetness of the maple glaze. Of course maple bacon is such a complimentary combination that has breakfast vibes.

Now for 2 fruity creations, we started with the Lemon Meringue Donut. This one they totally nailed it with the same soft fluffy texture with an appealing bite. Inside, we found a considerable amount tangy lemon curd. There was enough in every bite. On the outside, there was some lemon glaze topped with torched meringue. There was some smoky sweetness to go with the airy creaminess of the meringue.

One of the more under-the-radar donuts was the Apple Spice. It featured an apple pie-like filling that was sweet with a touch of light tanginess. On top, we had some frosting glaze with an apple crumble-like topping. Classic combination that provided that apple crumble experience in a donut. Overall, I liked the donuts from Bernie Beigne. They were light, but still retained a chew. The dough was seasoned well and the flavours popped.

The Good:

- Impactful flavours (lots of toppings)

- Nicely textured yeast donuts

- Donuts are large

The Bad:

- Most are pretty sweet, but I'm sure many people like that

Lester's Deli

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

When people think Smoked Meat in Montreal, the first thought would be Schwartz's. Now that is not a bad thing as I've had great meals at Schwartz's in the past. However, they are not the only game in town where my personal favourite is Snowden Deli. I've been to Dunn's and well, it is "ok". One place I've been meaning to hit for quite some time is Lester's. It is also a long time favourite and some would even argue it is the best in town. Well this visit would be finally where I get to do a comparison.

For this to happen, we needed to get the Super Smoked Meat Sandwich. This was a considerable amount of hand-sliced smoked meat on rye bread. The first thing I noticed about their smoked meat was that it was super juicy and tender. It was giving me ham vibes due to the wet brine rather than the dry brine used at Schwartz's. Hence, there was less natural meat texture. Bread was soft with some structure where it held everything together without getting soggy. The meat was a good balance between sweet and salty with minor smoke hits. Overall, it was a good sandwich but I personally prefer the meatiness and drier texture of Schwartz's.

We wanted to get something to compliment our meal that wasn't another sandwich, so we opted for their Hot Dog with coleslaw and relish. Really enjoyed the buttered and toasted bun which had a nice crispy exterior that gave way to a fluffy soft interior. The grilled all-beef wiener was smoky and juicy with a nice charred exterior. It worked well with the crunchy and tangy coleslaw where it had sauerkraut vibes.

We ended up with a side of Fries as well as the Poutine. I thought the fries were quite potatoey and had good potato flavour. However, they were too soggy and need more exterior crispiness. We also had to add extra salt to coax more flavour of the fries. However, this was not an issue with the poutine as the gravy was thick and full-flavoured. The ample bits of cheese curds were partially melted with some unmelted ones, just like it should be. Solid poutine. Overall, we found Lester's more than acceptable and a great place to grab a Smoked Meat Sandwich as well as other things. Although there can be lineups here, they are generally shorter and the vibe is much less chaotic than Schwartz's.

The Good:
- Ample tender meat in the sandwich
- Lower key spot
- We got really great service

The Bad:
- Fries could be crispier

Montreal Plaza

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Here I am back in Montreal for no other reason than to eat! Yes, I was somewhat here recently in 2023, but I've been on this quest to do as many restaurants on Canada's 100 Best list as possible. So after catching a wonderful Porter flight (with their spacious Porter Reserve), we got there just in time to pay Montreal Plaza a visit. This eclectic French restaurant opened in 2015 and they really know how to celebrate your birthday or anniversary with sparklers and some loud music while all of the staff and other patrons clap along. It wasn't anything special for us as we were there only for the food!

We decided to do à la carte and started with one of their daily features - the Corn Mousse. Now you might think this was nothing really special, but oh man, was it truly a revelation. One spoonful and that light airy cloud was a flavour bomb. If you take fresh sweet corn and concentrate it so that the natural sweetness and aroma blasts our palate, then this was it. With a bit of salt, it only further enhanced the sweetness that was already there. Now if that wasn't enough, some silky butter just added that something something to put it over the top.

Next, we moved onto the Foie Gras & Apple. This was really delicious where the large slab of foie gras terrine was smooth, silky and buttery. What really enhanced the dish was the crispy caramel coating the sliced apples on top of the terrine. This added both sweetness and texture to smooth foie gras. Of course the apples were a perfect compliment as well. The combination of brunoise apples and hazelnuts with truffle vinaigrette further helped cut the heaviness of the foie gras. On the side, we found some crispy toasted brioche.

We had an interestingly named dish in the Tartare Popcorn. Now if you think that the popcorn part of it is merely in name only, you'd be wrong. There was actual popcorn mixed with big chunks of bluefin tuna and soy vinaigrette. I thought it was on the saltier side and it partially obscured the natural sweetness and essence of the bluefin. However, it didn't make or break the dish as the quality of the bluefin was high being buttery and flavourful. I also thought the marinated ginger on top was quite strong and I used that sparingly with each bite of fish. About that popcorn, it got pretty soggy and chewy when mixed with all the wet ingredients. Maybe it should've been sprinkled on top or around the tartare instead. I thought the melon and pepper sauce has some nice accent to the dish with some sweet pepperiness.

On the menu, they have the Arctic Char Plancha, but for this night, it was Cod Plancha. Man, this was a unique and appealing dish. First of all, the intensely crunchy texture on one side of the fish was what made the dish. This was due to the "bread" which was probably a flour and water mixture seared intensely with oil on the plancha. It gave way to moist and tender cod that was beautifully accented by the tangy mix of capers and cherry tomato. We found some guanciale which added some saltiness. We had some seabuckthrone berries on the side adding more acidity while the spicy mayo provided that creamy heat.

One of their most classic dishes was next in the Whelk Miso. Presented in an escargot plate, the whelks were tender with an appealing chew. It was topped with a miso butter that was richly flavoured without being overly salty. This was mixed with salpicon, chives and espelette. As a result, there was meatiness, tanginess and smokiness to the dish. Quite possibly, there might've been a touch too much on top of the whelks. However, when combined with the crispy and buttery milk bread, this was yummy dish.

Onto another daily special, we had the Hanger Steak with ratatouille. This was prepared somewhere between medium-rare and medium (as we requested). The meat was tender and succulent. It had a pronounced beefy flavour that was full of umami. With enough salt, it was also properly seasoned. It was topped with a silky pepper sauce which was fairly mild as well as having an eggplant puree on the side with the classic ratatouille veggies served as balls.

For our last savoury item, it was also from the daily specials being the Squash Mezzaluna. This featured half-moon raviolis with super thin pasta. Hence, it ate delicately while still having an al dente chewiness. Inside, the roasted butternut squash was naturally sweet and smooth. These sat in a light butter sauce that was mild, but nutty. We found some spaghetti squash underneath adding some sweet earthiness and texture.

Of course no visit to Montreal Plaza wouldn't be complete without ordering their long-standing signature dessert - Crispy Fruit. If you are into light and not overly sweet desserts, this one would be for you. It featured berries on the bottom and white chocolate mousse in the middle tier topped with meringue fruit chips and berry sorbet. We really got the flavour of the strawberry fruit chips which was quite aromatic. Nice soft crunch to go with the surprisingly mildly sweet white chocolate mousse. It was only there in name only as the berries on the bottom were lightly sweet and fruity. That cold sorbet added more tanginess and light sweetness.

Our other dessert was the Blueberry Fake Truffle. This "faux" tuffle was filled with chocolate mousse which was creamy and slightly bitter. The chocolate crumble underneath had some wonderful crunch while the blueberry gelee on the plate added fruitiness. To completely go in another direction, we had creamy earl grey ice cream that was a temperature contrast as well as offering aromatic sweetness. Overall, our meal at Montreal Plaza was delicious. Some unique items on the menu and we loved the crispy fruit dessert. The place can get a bit loud, so it is great if you want that type of atmosphere.

The Good:

- Delicious food

- Friendly service

- Festive atmosphere

The Bad:

- Can be too loud for some people, we didn't mind it

- Not sure about the popcorn in the tartare

Tanlu Grill

noreply@blogger.com (Sherman Chan) — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Cook-at-your-table Asian BBQ - we all seen it in one form or another in the Lower Mainland. From the classic Korean BBQ to Japanese Yakiniku spots, there is no shortage of grilling your dinner restaurants. However, most, if not all of these places feature propane-fuelled BBQ setups. Nothing wrong with that, but on a recent visit to a charcoal grill in Richmond, I noticed that the intense head from the coals added more charring, caramelization and smokiness. With that, I was excited to try out Tanlu Grill located in Central at Garden City also in Richmond.

Before we even ordered, we were presented with a selection of Banchan. It included kimchi, fish cake, stewed potato, celery and pickled daikon. We also found a green salad as well as romaine for wrapping the grilled meat. The one item that was a bit different was the potatoes as it featured whole baby potatoes that were soft and coated with a sweet glaze. They brought the flaming coals to our table and as you can see, it was ready for some grilling. We appreciated that the exhaust was adjustable and really did a great job in preventing smoke from getting everywhere.

We ordered some meats to cook on the BBQ and the best of the bunch was the Royal Marinated Galbi. Due to the intense heat from the coals, we had to keep a close eye on the meat as the sugars started to burn. Once we got into a rhythm, the was completely caramelized and had an intense smokiness that created a flavour bomb of umami, meatiness and a sweet savouriness. Moreover, the meat was super tender, yet still retained that classic short rib chew.

Going for another cut of beef, we chose the Sea Salt Marinated Beef Rib Fingers. For those who don't know, this is the meat found in between the ribs. Hence, they were rather fatty and are also meaty in texture. When cooked on the charcoal grill, these seared up nicely due to the fat and hence, there was some smoky char. There was enough marinade for the rib finger meat to stand on its own. However, we had Tanlu House Dipping Trifecta at the table. Also, we had bean paste, garlic and peppers to compliment the lettuce wrap.

One of the best values on the menu is the Pork Platter consisting of pork jowl, marinated pork shoulder, pork belly and pork sausage for $50.00. The large slices of pork jowl were fatty and crisped up on the grill. Despite not being marinated, the pork jowl was meaty and aromatic from the fat. Pork belly was fatty, but rendered well on the grill and was delicious when wrapped in the romaine with the bean paste. Due to the sugar content of the marinade, the pork shoulder had intense caramelization and smokiness. It was also super tender and juicy. As for the sausages, they had a nice snap while the meat was firm with a nice rebound texture. They were sweet and full of umami.

We got some non-BBQ dishes to compliment our meal. Served cold, the Beef Shank marinated in chili oil had a noted spiciness. There was no shortage of thick slices of tender beef shank. Normally, we would find thinner slices, but due to the robust nature of the chilis, the meat was able to stand up to the spice. With slices of crunchy cucumber added to the mix, we had both texture and a refreshing bite to balance out the chilis.

Bubbling hot, the Dolset Bulgogi Bibimbap was plenty saucy. As such, it didn't develop a socarrat (rice crust) despite the scorching hot stone bowl. Despite that, the amount of sauce did not degrade the texture of the rice. It was still chewy and was a good textural foil to the buttery soft beef. With the sauce reducing in the hot bowl, it became intensely sweet with some balancing savouriness.

When the plate of Japchae first arrived at our table, we were a little concerned with the excess moisture on the plate. It may have been due to the ample mushrooms and spinach. However, after a bit of time, most of the moisture was absorbed by the potato starch noodles and the dish wasn't any worse off. The noodles were still al dente with a gelatinous chew while completely seasoned with an impactful sweetness. Loved the crunch from the big pieces of woodear mushroom and the butteriness of the mushrooms. Spinach was not overdone being still vibrant with an appealing colour.

At the end of our meal, we were presented with Marshmallows on skewers. Yep, we were able to toast our marshmallows over the hot coals. This was such a treat as it created a smoky and crispy crust that gave way to a melty and silky sweet centre. Overall, we enjoyed out meal at Tanlu. It cannot be overstated that the charcoal grill makes all the difference in the world. The heat is more intense and it helps add depth through smokiness and caramelization. Pro tip - do not over order on the meat as it is quite filling. You can always order more as you go.

*Partial credit for this meal*

The Good:
- Charcoal makes a big difference in terms of smokiness and caramelization
- Good quality meats
- Excellent exhaust

The Bad:
- A bit too much moisture in the rice and noodle dishes