43 de la Gauchetiere E.
Montreal, Quebec
Metro: Place d’Armes
Bus: STM 55, 80, 129, 150, 410, 427, 430, 435, 747
Visit: April 13, 2013
http://www.tongsing.ca/
My mission to find all the various Dim Sum locations in the Greater Montreal Area continue recently and I was more than happy to take part in it. Tong Sing is the little known Dim Sum place in the original Chinatown that seems to have taken a back seat to the 3 juggernauts. During my visit, I was hoping to see if the sleeper choice would surprise or explain why it was tucked away in a corner of Chinatown.
This is a revisited post for Ruby Rouge. Click HERE to see the original post.
1008 Clark
Montreal, Quebec
Metro: Place-d’Armes, Champ-de-Mars, Saint-Laurent
Bus: STM 14, 15, 55, 80, 129, 150, 410, 427, 430, 435, 747
Visit: March 2, 2013
http://www.restaurantrubyrouge.com/
For anyone of Chinese descent, Dim Sum is a mandatory practice that is part of living the traditional life. What used to be exclusively a Chinese activity had now become one that is now shared with just about anyone who likes to eat. I had an unfortunate Dim Sum drought that lasted years. It wasn’t until 2 years ago that the dry spell was broken with a visit to Ruby Rouge. Now, 2 years and 3 other places later, I have returned to Ruby Rouge to give it the due it so richly deserves.
72A De La Gauchetiere O.
Montreal, Quebec
Metro: Place d’Armes
Bus: STM 55, 80, 129, 150, 410, 427, 430, 435, 747
Visit: October 26, 2012
A lot of people would agree, Montreal is one of the place’s with the greatest wealth of Chinese restaurants in North America. However, one of the other things that we would also agree with is the fact that despite an abundance of those places, there aren’t very many that truly satisfy their customers. It’s no wonder that when a new place opens up in the midst of Chinatown, it gets the attention of many. Today’s place in question is Ethan, right in the middle of the pedestrian walkway known as De La Gauchetiere.
998 Boulevard St. Laurent
Montreal, Quebec
Metro: Place d’Armes
Bus: STM 55, 80, 129, 150, 410, 427, 430, 435, 747
Visit: July 30, 2012
http://www.lecristalchinois.com/
I have a real soft spot for Dim Sum and I take any opportunity to go out to sample what Montreal has to offer. Recently, Le Cristal Chinois opened its doors in the Swatow building in Chinatown. While the jury is still out about the success of the building itself, the Cristal Chinois sits atop and for rightful reason, it offers a luxurious take on one of the best facets of Chinese cuisine.
The month of May marked a bit of a slow down for the Great Burger Search. I can attribute that to the intensive preparation for the ultimate Burger 150 which is creeping up on me. This month saw 5 more burgers go down the hatch and 2 other very sought after restaurants get added to my own personal repertoire.
12242 Laurentien
Montreal, Quebec
Bus: STL 55, 144, 151, 902, STM 64, 68, 69, 180, 468
Visit: May 31, 2012
When people think of Chinese food in Montreal, one’s mind starts to think of Chinatown. In recent years, places outside that small sector have popped up in various locations around the Greater Montreal region. While Tong Por might not be one of those recent places, it’s one of those names that are quickly mentioned when one thinks of Dim Sum in this city. It’s northern location allows those who can’t travel to the central city to get their fix.
1111 Saint-Urbain
Montreal, Quebec
Metro: Place D’Armes
Bus: STM 14, 55, 129, 150, 410, 427, 430, 435, 747
Visit: July 7, 2011
http://www.restaurantlamaisonkamfung.com/
This is the second of three Dim Sum restaurants I plan to visit on the island of Montreal. When it comes to Dim Sum, you need to know when to show up. Dim Sum usually runs from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. If you want to avoid the rush, you come either early or at the tail end of the service. We showed up just before 2:00 p.m. We suffered a bit because the service seemed rather rushed. From the second we sat down, dishes just kept on circling the table. The restaurant itself was a quarter full, so it wasn’t that busy. Eventually, the push-cart staff stopped their rounds to sit down and eat. That didn’t bother anyone since most tables were done eating. Our whole experience at this restaurant took a mere 20 minutes. My last Dim Sum experience in April of 2011 took 45 minutes.
Shrimp Cheong Fun w/o sauce
Shrimp Cheong Fun with sauce
Tried: July 7, 2011
These have become one of my absolute favorite dishes in Chinese cuisine. The shrimp contents are quite tasty and it goes down really fast. If you fold it nicely, you can fit it all in one bite. But then again, that’s how a slob eats. It’s usually better to cut them into halves.
Beef Cheong Fun with sauce
Sui Mai
Tried: July 7, 2011
This is usually one of my go-to dishes, but this time, it did not deliver. It tasted like it was made from a restaurant across the street. It left another funny aftertaste.
Har Gau
Tried: July 7, 2011
This is another one of my all-time favorite Dim Sum dishes. This time, it lived up to the hype. The shrimp contents tasted good and we ordered two containers, which I was more than happy to take down.
Dumpling w/Shrimp and Greens
Tried: July 7, 2011
This is the first time I tried this dumpling. I’m unsure as to what it’s called, but what I do know is that it tasted good. The addition of the greens added to the power of the shrimp and casing.
Smashed Vegetables
Tried: July 7, 2011
According to my sources, these are vegetables smashed together. I may be completely wrong, so please correct me if I am. This had no taste and was one of the hardest dishes to finish for the table.
Chinese Style Egg Rolls
Tried: July 7, 2011
This looks like a spring roll, but it is filled with egg roll contents. This tastes much like an egg roll and I had no complaints. The sauce is something that you can get at any ordinary Chinese take-out restaurant.
The Bill
67 de la Gauchetiere
Montreal, Quebec
Metro: Place D’Armes
Bus: STM 14, 55, 129, 150, 410, 427, 430, 435, 747
Visit: June 27, 2011
When I think of Chinese buffets, this place, in my opinion, is the top of Montreal. I don’t claim that because it is the best, but because the rest isn’t any better. As a half-Chinese fellow myself, I’ve been brought to other Chinese buffets to act as the litmus test for decency of quality. Still, nothing comes close. The problem is that I’ve been here so much that the variety doesn’t work for me anymore.
Another note that one should consider is the servers and tipping. If you don’t tip, they will hassle you. I’m not kidding. I’ve seen them run after people for tips, not just in the restaurant, but in the street. Our server was hovering around our table until all members of our party left a tip, They didn’t care so much about the bill, but the tip was paramount.
Sui Mai
Tried: June 27, 2011
This is my go-to dish whenever I come to this buffet. I know you can get this at any Dim Sum location, but I tend to always stock up on these every time I fill a new plate.
BBQ Pork
Tried: June 27, 2011
This is usually hit or miss. BBQ pork tastes a lot better when fresh. The harder the piece is, the worse the experience. It takes a very keen eye to spot the good pieces in the tray. I try, but I’m 50-50.
Spring Rolls
Tried: June 27, 2011
There’s nothing much to say about spring rolls. I like the size of the ones offered here. Having worked in a Chinese packaging plate before, there’s smaller.
Egg Rolls
Tried: June 27, 2011
These are standard to most Americanized Chinese meals. I always make it a point to get one of these during my buffet blitz, though I’ve have much better from a take-out place near Lew central.
Vegetarian Noodles
Tried: June 27, 2011
These are the exact same noodles that are offered at the Ruby Rouge Dim Sum restaurant just a block away. I usually take this to help vary the flavor on the plate.
Sweet and Sour Pork
Tried: June 27, 2011
This dish is one of the better choices, thus why you see it half empty. The flavor of this one isn’t half bad and actually earned a second helping later on.
Beef Rice Noodles
Tried: June 27, 2011
This dish is one of my standard weekly dishes I get from my regular place. I find they do it a lot better here. You don’t have to fight the noodles due to the fact that you don’t have to overchew.
Greens
Tried: June 27, 2011
I have a soft spot for leafy greens during Chinese meals. They go well with almost anything. They also help counterbalance all the “garbage” selections I tend to make, though, not by much.
Dessert
Tried: June 27, 2011
Chinese restaurants don’t really offer dessert options, and this is why. These are very simple cakes. You can finish them in two bites and feel blah about the whole thing. If you want something dessert like after the buffet, just cross the street and go to a pastry shop, there are plenty.
Plate 1
This plate contains Sui Mai, an egg roll, a spring roll, beef rice noodles, and bbq pork.
Plate 2
This plate contains vegetarian noodles, greens, Sui Mai, sweet and sour pork, and beef rice noodles.
Plate 3
This plate contains a spring roll, sushi (yes, I know), Sui Mai, sweet and sour pork, and bbq pork.
1008 Clark
Montreal, Quebec
Visit: April 25, 2011
Metro: Place D’Armes
Bus: STM 14, 55, 129, 150, 410, 427, 430, 435, 747
It’s been a very long time since I’ve been to Dim Sum. I’ve always had pleasant experiences with Dim Sum and this time was no different. This restaurant used to be a whole lot smaller. It now encompasses the entire floor of a small shopping center. Come early, or you might now get seated. It should be noted that the division of staff was really off. There were so many waiters who had nothing to do during this busy period. It makes you wonder.
For those of you who don’t know how Dim Sum works, let me explain. As you’re seated at your table, ladies with carts pass by telling the diners what they’re offering. If you choose to go for that dish, the lady takes your piece of paper and initials it. At the end of the meal, the waiter adds it all up and presents you with the bill. Simple process and the ladies can now communicate in English, because at one time, hardly any non-Chinese people went to Dim Sum.
Siu Mai w/Mushrooms
Tried: April 25, 2011
This was one of my favorite dishes of the proceedings, thought I could’ve done without the mushrooms. Siu Mai contains so many ingredients, that when put together, it creates a powerful taste that I can’t go without.
Dumpling
Tried: April 25, 2011
I’m unsure of the name of this dumpling, but it was also really good. I usually go without the use of any soya sauce and I made the right decision. This stands up well on its own.
Dumpling
Tried: April 25, 2011
Years ago, I wouldn’t of touched this with a ten-foot pole, but I decided to give it all a go. This dumpling was soft but the taste was lacking. It wasn’t bad, but I chose to only have one and try for something else.
Rice Noodle Rolls
Tried: April 25, 2011
These were one of my favorites during the meal. In combination with the provided soya sauce, the rice noodle rolls were extremely good. They are soft and provide a very decent taste. I was kinda yearning for more after they disappeared.
Potato Dumplings
Tried: April 25, 2011
I have a vague memory of what this tasted like. If that was the case for me, I can’t count this as good. If this was presented to me year ago, I also wouldn’t have touched this. At least you try everything once.
Ha Gau - Shrimp Dumplings
Tried: April 25, 2011
This was the second star of the day’s Dim Sum. You can’t go wrong with anything that has shrimp in it. Shrimp is like the Chinese equivalent of bacon, but bacon is always tops. You should never pass up on this.
Fish on Green Peppers
Tried: April 25, 2011
This was a weird one for me. This is fish combined with green peppers. I believe that the taste of the peppers overwhelmed the “fish” a lot. Even with the sauce, it wasn’t one to remember.
Pig Stomach
Tried: April 25, 2011
Yes, that’s pig stomach. I’ve once had pig intestines and that was good. This, however, was not. It takes a long time to chew and the texture leaves a lot to be desired. This is the last time I’m ever having pig stomach.
Vegetarian Noodles
Tried: April 25, 2011
These noodles have no content other than noodles and very few veggies, none of which you can see. There is no taste and you could get this at the buffet a block over, which is owned by the same Chinese man who owns the Dim Sum place. I had this later in the day, re-warmed. This was easily forgettable.
Siu Mai
Tried: April 25, 2011
We got these special orders from one of the ladies. We waited so long for these, that we knew she forgot about them. We had to send one of the waiters back to find her and the Siu Mai. Then again, it was worth every second of the wait.
This is an example of a Dim Sum bill.
