Friday, May 22, 2009

Ds with Dr D


So this actor brought some yummy dumplings to a reading I organized with a bunch of Chinese actors a couple of months ago. Everyone crowded around and asked if it was from "that place near Concordia". Yes it was. The dumplings I tried were good and after hearing about this place from another actor who was doing a show at the DB Clarke at Concorida (maybe actors just like dumplings?), I decided to check it out.

Dumplings are called jiao zi. They're quite time consuming to make and so it's nice to have a place that does them handmade, to order, like they do at Qing Hua, the place near Concordia.

My friends Dr D and R (unfortunately, the D is not for dumplings) came to Montreal to visit. They have been to China and ate at a very popular jiaozi restaurant in Beijing (the dumplings took so long to come they almost missed their flight, but at least they knew they were made to order) so I thought they would like to revisit the experience in a less rushed environment.



Qing Hua is a hidden joint. It's tucked in in a residential street. Still, it's known. When we went, we had to wait outside until some space became free. There were others waiting with us and we ordered while we were waiting for a place to sit. Almost everyone inside was having dumplings. The menu is quite straightforward and plain - mostly a list of the different fillings for their dumplings. There's a wall with menu items written up on pieces of wood, but unfortunately I don't know how to read Chineese characters so we had to go with what's on the menu (click on the image to enlarge)



The "decor" is bare bones - white walls, white tables, folding plastic chairs - but clean. It's a tiny restaurant where you share tables. Hardly any decoration. Still, we're here for the dumplings, not the ambiance.

We ordered a noodle side dish, along with dumplings with pork and leek, with beef and onions and with shrimp. The noodles were served cold, with a peanutty sauce over it, and shredded cucumber. The noodles were freshly made from green beans and you could taste a hint of it, lovely and deliciously soft without being mushy. I usually don't like cold noodles, I found it nice and refreshing and I was battling with Dr D for seconds. I usually like strong flavours but everything was very understated here - the slight cucumber taste, slight green bean, slight peanut.


Now what to do while you wait for your dumplings? There's a sparse counter with some drinks and condiments. Dipping sauces are a personal taste where each person mixes the condiments to his liking. I like mine really hot with a bit of vinegar. I didn't find the chili oil hot enough - it barely had any heat - but it was very flavourful nonetheless.




The dumplings arrived and they were wonderful. We ordered pork and leek based on a recommendation and it was the best of the three we tried. They were very soft without falling apart and the dumpling was filled with tasty cooking juices which spurted out when you bit in. The leek was a nice compliment to the pork which was very soft so that your teeth just slices easily through it. The pork flavour was gentle and just perfect for the dumpling. They were so good I could have eaten two servings. The shrimp was my second choice, the dough was just as nice but as it was shrimp, I didn't find that it was as juicy tasty as the shrimp couldn't absorb as much of the cooking juices as the pork. Unfortunately I don't eat beef so I can't comment on it. Everyone else seemed to like it though the pork and leek was the unanimous winner.

These dumplings arrived on simple white plates, around 15-18 per order. I saw a few which arrived on metal steamer plates, so I'm guessing that we had water/soup dumplings (boiled) instead of the steamed ones.

Be careful with those juicy dumplings. I bit into one and the juice squirted right into my eye! Hot and shocking. But surprisingly not painful, even though said dumpling was entirely covered in chili oil (lucky thing it wasn't hot chili oil then).



Prices are reasonable (noodle side dish $4, dumplings around $8) especially given that they are made to order (you can see the ladies making it through a little peek window - those nimble fingers!). This is a real rare find and I'm really happy that Montreal has a fresh dumpling place. How many other Canadian cities have one?

As I said, I like strong flavours and am not used to attuning my tastebuds to softer, delicate food. I find you need to eat slower in order to savour it. I have to say, when you are on a roll eating dumplings at my speed you can easily eat a bunch. I didn't think 15 was enough for me and I left the restaurant feeling like I didn't eat my fill but later on my stomach caught up with my brain and I felt ok. Until the hunger started again.

Qing Hua
1240 St. Marc corner Tupper in the basement on the west side
Dumplings (around 15) starts at $6.99

PS - someone told me (yup, another actor - actors and dumplings...) that every culture seems to have their own version of a dumpling. I haven't found an exception yet but I have to admit this point hasn't been taking up too many of my brain cells.

Qing Hua Dumpling on Urbanspoon

Sunday, May 10, 2009

gut busting in Laval



So Saturday was gluttony day because after the glory of the TLJ breakfast, the husb and I were invited to deepest Laval (actually not that deep, but it's my first time in Laval) for an authentic Tamil meal, courtesy of his friend.

Happily, she hadn't started cooking at all when we arrived so we got to cook together, meaning that I now know (kinda) how to make this yummy meal. Now this is a friend's meal so there's not going to be a review going down, but I'll describe it.

The friend was rushing all around the small kitchen like a mad woman, while we tried to help as much as we could in the hurricane. After the rush, we ended up with a spiced potatoe dish made with onion, dried chilis, black seasame seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, potatoes (natch) and topped with green onion. A spinach dish with onion, cumin seeds, garlic, ghee, and creamed coconut and chopped spinach, and a dal dish with orange lentils, fresh sliced chilis, onions, cumin seed.


The meat was a chicken curry with a dozen hard boiled eggs, star anise, curry leaves, rampa, garlic, dried chilis, cardamon, cumin seeds, fennel seeds (fennel seeds are used in meat dishes, but never in fish), cloves, curry powder, cinnamon and creamed cocunut. We ate on plates with banana leaves on top and with our hands. She also made a tomatoe-onion-lemon juice-"lunu miris" (made with Maldive fish) relish, raita, and papadums. And ai - butter chilis. They are deep fried chilis which she fried again, oh my god - shove a mouthful of rice/lentils/spinach and bite one of those chilis, heaven! From a tiny basement apartment in Laval we had an amazing Tamil feast.

The rents always say that unless you're blowing your nose or sweating while you're eating, it's not hot enough. It was perfectly spiced, lots of sniffing and nose blowing. Nice heat without me needing to drink down the raita.


I asked the friend about Jolee, the only Sri Lankan resto I know here. I ate at Jolee a few times during lunch breaks at the Segal and loved it but I was curious to know what she thought of it. She said it's great, though after their extension opened, their main focus is on groups and take out (I agree - the last time we ventured up there for a meal, it was sadly a disappointment). The problem with Jolee for me is that the first time I went there, I had an awesome thali and so I have been tempted ever since to keep ordering it since it was so good. I should try the other stuff.

btw - our host lived for a few years in Beijing, and she totally agreed with me about the poor state of Chinese food here, especially the dim sum. But next week I'll be trying the dumpling place on Tupper. An actor brought some to a reading I organized and they were lovely, soft, your teeth just cuts through them, but they're not falling apart, delicate flavour, nice wrapping. Made on the spot, to order, according to the peeps at Chowhound. This place has a good word of mouth buzz about it, online and from real humans I've met. So fingers crossed it will be a good experience!

Also, if you want to buy rampa and lunu miris, the friend recommends Marché Thurga on 444 Jean Talon O.

Tous les jours


Oh yes. One of the best things about North America, and what I missed so desperately while in London was a good, greasy spoon brekkie. Montreal does not disappoint. We have tonnes of lovely breakfast places here, but I tend to shy away from the beautiful people, posh brekkies accompanied with a smoothie, served by a surly hipster. It's breakfast, people! Keep it real! So I tend to go for the places where the food is cheap, the coffee refills are free, and the waitresses are chain smokers. A friend told me that what makes him happy is when you can get a good breakfast and leave with paying and tipping with a $5 bill.

Tous les jours is my favourite Montreal greasy spoon. Ok, you can't get away with leaving $5 for the brekkie and tip, but you don't have to pay much more than that.

Now my "dining companion" and I don't head out to TLJ as much as we'd like anymore as we now are keeping it real in Verdun (The Green Spot in St Henri is a pale, pale substitute but it will do) but we occasionally make the trip because it's such a wonderful deal. Potatoes sliced into half moons and deep fried, not those dried out, frozen, pre-cut, shrivelled potatoe cubes other places serve. Ok, I don't know if they cut the potatoes fresh there but it seems like it - nice and fluffy soft inside, a little crispy but not rock hard outside. Portions are generous too. Once I'm sure I got a whole potatoe's worth. Not like the attempt at modern art, minimalist scattering of cubes you get at some other greasys.


I really am quite partial to their feves au lard too, nicely cooked eggs, your standard quality brown bread, generously magarine-d, and - my favourite, a good helping of fruit. Quite odd for a greasy spoon, but their fruit brings the TLJ brekkie to another level for me. Once I counted six different fruits! This time there were just four, still, it's better than a only slice of orange.


Question though: why do these places give you milk/cream in those horrible little UHT containers and what's with the little packets of sugar? Sure it's fun the first few times the surly waitress grabs a handful from her apron and unceremoniously dumps it on the table on her way to take another order. But what a waste! I like how they do it at Cosmo's- they just pass the milk carton around. Much better. But other than that, Tous les jours gets full marks from me. Oh we were stuffed. It's really great value for money.

Two egg breakfast, with potatoes, with either bacon or sausages, feves au lard, fruit, bread and coffee, $5.45. No meat - $4.65. Brekkies until 2pm.

Oh apparently, it's technically Steerburger tous les jours but I just know it was tous les jours (what is a Steerburger?)

Steerburger tous les jours
1689 Ave Du Mont-Royal E
Montréal, QC H2J
(514) 523-1727 (but cam'an - what are you going to call them for? reserve a table?)

Steerburger Tous Les Jours on Urbanspoon

Thursday, May 7, 2009

the vain search for good dim sum



Ai ya. When I first moved to Montreal, a friend from Edmonton told me not to approach the Chinese restaurants. They are all a disappointment. Well, come on. Can that be true? Ok, two and a half years later I have yet to find a good one. Some are acceptable.

So now dim sum. I've had dim sum in only three restaurants here: Kam Fung, the place on de la gauchetiere x st dominique and now, Ruby Rouge. I went with the husb, the mother in law, and my neighbours, one of whom is from Taiwan. We wanted to go to Furama but it looks like they've closed. According to the neighbours, a lot of the Chinese restaurant owners go to the Casino a wee bit too much and then lose everything, including their business. Um, cultural stereotype?!

Anyhoo, since Furama was closed, I wanted to try Ruby Rouge. I tried Kam Fung before and it was pretty bad I thought, the food was cold and way too salty. But the place was packed! and with Chinese people - with kids, usually a sign of a good place! (?!) If this was Edders, that place would definitely be empty. But I digress.

I like dim sum because if you don't have to wait in line, you get to eat pretty quickly. You get the tea, the chili sauce, then the food starts coming to you. I don't know what the cart ladies were on, but it was like they were crack addicts and we were the sole dealers they've seen in a month, they swarmed us and pawed us with dumplings. When they left we had lots of food to manage.

The dumplings were good, especially the ones with pea shoots. Delicate flavour, nice wrappping.

Turnip cake was a disappointment, it came already fried and it was quite tough - and cold. Cold! Why don't they fry on the go (yes, comes the refrain, "like in Edmonton"...but like in Vancouver and Toronto too)

Then the steamed sticky rice wrapped in leaf. For my neighbour, this was the litmus test of a good dim sum joint. I'm afraid they didn't pass...the rice was tough and DRY, and there were barely any filling. You should find nice, slightly saucey, pork in the middle, along with some other tasty bits but this really skimmed on the fillings.

Service was the standard Chinese restaurant service (I can say this, cos, you know, I'm Chinese). I found the items, for their quality, pretty expensive (average $3.50 an item).

All's I'm saying is that when my parents come to visit, there's going to be plenty of bitching going on about the crap Chinese food here...

hey - I had AMAZING dim sum once at Hakkasan. Probably the best turnip cake I've had. Super posh. Also, if you are in London, Royal China, and the place near the Millenium dome that's on the main floor of a hotel are good. And I have to say, I rather liked ping pong when it first opened (don't know what it's like now), but I wouldn't take my family there. It was more of an after work (therefore not really dim sum) with work mates kind of place.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

You call that a carrot muffin?!

Shame on you MBCo. You are so fancy with your all white interior and fancy sandwiches tied up with raffia. Looking for a classy place to have some tea at Trudeau airport yesterday (yes, a futile activity), I stopped with the fam at MBCo . Looking for something cheap, I got a carrot muffin, which looked promising. One of those tall, baking paper wrapped, posh looking dealios with icing on top. It kind of looked a bit pale but maybe it's the nice raffia tying up the little bundle. (sorry, no one bothered to pull out the camera)

It was a disappointment. Pale interior with just a few lonely slivers of carrot, I detected little brown bits but couldn't tell if they were raisins or bits o nuts (yes, I know the difference), and hard as a rock! It looks like they didn't even use brown sugar to make it! Not at all nice and moist as a good carrot muffin should be. The icing was a fancy glossy lemon kind, but it really didn't complement the cylindrical dowel. Probably the worst excuse of a carrot muffin I've ever had.

oh and they present it on a classy small styrofoam tray.

at least the tea is good, Higgins and Burke. Their green tea is lovely, with lemongrass and verbena leaves. I actually, surprisingly had this first at St. Huberts . Yes, St. Huberts, what was I thinking? Well, I was horribly sick and had impaired judgement. So I'll blame my hus, who I blame for everything that goes wrong. Ah, scapegoating!

I'm sure MBCo does some stellar raffia wrapped up posh sarnies but am I really going to pay $12 for a sandwich on a styrofoam tray? Way to treat the people of Montreal well, Montreal Bread Company. That's like Leonard Cohen charging over $100 for tix at his hometown concerts. Well, kinda.

hungry!

ok so welcome to the blog. Like many of you, I like to eat. And I like to criticize. So why not do both? It's no Chez Pim but I lerve eating. I think that having a bad meal is a waste of a good appetite (and time, and money and food - it had so much potential, you know?).

I've been fortunate to eat at some great restaurants. And unfortunate to eat at a bunch of crap ones. So as I hunt for the good places, I'll write about them.

oh am I am a semi-victim of the credit crunch so there's not much fancy eating going on.

most of the stuff will be about Montreal, where I'm currently based. But I'll write about places that I've been to elsewhere too.

so I am supposed to be learning lines for an audition tomorrow but I need to make some food and I'm easily distracted...