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.
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
