A Quick Visit to Quebec City

Chateau Frontenac has over 600 rooms

We woke up early for a 6am start to drive from Montreal to Quebec City. It was pretty smooth getting there in just under three hours and we arrived at the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac, the iconic hotel in old Quebec.

Looking for the washroom in the basement, we looked at some great exhibits showing the history of the place.

Remnants of the original fort

The hotel is located on a hill, and in 1620 is was the former site of Fort Saint-Louis, and over the decades expanded as the number of people settling there increased.

And yes the hotel is named after Louis de Buade de Frontenac, who was a governor of Quebec from 1689 to 1698.

In the 19th century, as people began traveling, tourism to eastern Canada ramped up, as tourists could reach Quebec City by transatlantic ships and then train. As a result, in 1882, the Canadian Pacific Railway Company established Chateau Frontenac, a luxury hotel.

By 1919 the hotel was so successful that the Canadian Pacific Railway Co. doubled Chateau Frontenac's capacity so that it had over 600 rooms. 

The hotel still retains its old school charm

There are also other interesting bits of information, like how in the early 17th century, porcelain china from China was highly prized by royalty and the aristocracy for its translucency, but it was very expensive.

As a result, many aristocrats, including Governor de Frontenac, turned to ceramics from Delft the Netherlands, which was cheaper to purchase, though not as refined as Chinese porcelain. 

Another fascinating story is that in 1939, on the eve of World War II, King George VII and Queen Elizabeth had a royal tour of Canada and hosted a banquet at Chateau Frontenac. For the occasion, the hotel ordered a special porcelain design that was produced in Limoges, France.

The interior of the hotel, like the cascading symmetrical staircase continues to command grandeur, and one can only imagine what it was like back in the 19th century!

Our breakfast which took an infuriating long time

Outside the hotel is a panoramic view overlooking the St. Lawrence River.

Afterwards we looked for a place to have a late breakfast and settled on a cafe that operated at a snail's pace -- it took us 40 minutes from the time we sat down to when we finally got our three breakfast orders on the table -- after we complained.

The best the staff could do was offer us more coffee... we couldn't accept because it was pathetic compensation and also our parking meter was almost up (which was why we were in such a rush). We paid our bill as soon as the food finally came.

After driving the car around and around for another spot, we finally parked it at the bottom of the hill in a parkade and wandered around some more. We stumbled on a massive mural in trompe-l'oeil style that shows the history of Quebec.

A fun mural depicting the history of Quebec

There are some historical figures commemorated in the mural, like Jacques Cartier, Samuel de Champlain, Governor de Frontenac, and they are intermingled with kids playing street hockey with large jerseys, and a woman pushing a stroller with a child holding a teddy bear.

We also saw some public art, some cartoonish statues that had names and back stories in French. One seemed to be giving me the side eye.

However, not long after, it started to rain and not carrying umbrellas or rain gear, we decided to head back to the car park. It's a good thing we did because by the time we got to the car, it was pouring rain and hailing!

This guy gave me the side eye!

We decided to cut short our visit to Quebec City and drive back to Montreal! The first hour or so it continued to rain really hard, but then the precipitation stopped and we drove into sunshine as we approached Montreal and snarling traffic...

What an adventure!

Intimate Dining Experience at Montreal's Beba

The intimate space offers wines with fantastic bites of food

Wine bars that happen to offer fantastic food seem to be a trend in Montreal, as that's how Mon Lapin started and last year was ranked No. 2 in the inaugural North America's 50 Best Restaurants (this year No. 5). 

After our massive late lunch at McKiernan and sampled a smoked meat sandwich at Atwater Market, we were still quite full when we arrived at Beba, a very small wine bar. We got to sit in a booth across from the small open kitchen and watch two chefs pump out food.

Lovely mackerel that is a must-have at Beba

Because the wine bar is tiny in terms of real estate, Beba has the ability to take risks and make some interesting food on the menu.

When I made a reservation in late March or early April, the menu featured off cuts that I was keen to try, but when we arrived in late May, the menu had changed.

Nevertheless, we really enjoyed the starter of montadito, or a small open-faced sandwich featuring two thick slices of mackerel with shaved crunchy greens, sesame and horseradish. This appetiser has been on the Beba menu since the beginning, as well as the humble potato knish made bougie with 10g of Oscetra caviar on top.

We were intrigued by lamb ham -- why not make ham out of lamb? And it was absolutely delicious, thinly sliced and garnished with bagna cauda like celery, cauliflower, olives and pickled peppers, along with half jammy eggs topped with salsa verde. Amazing.

Involtini are like dolmades, and instead of rice the grape leaf packages were filled with zucchini and Swiss chard, topped with a generous dollop of yoghurt, pine nuts and pickled vegetables. 

Intriguing lamb as ham with bagna cauda, eggs

By now we were really full, but curious about dessert. We tried the pistachio semifreddo, with olive oil drizzled on top sprinkled with whole pistachios. So simple yet so chic.

What a lovely, laid-back space, people dressed casually, some on dates, others for a regular get-together.

It's a shame we were so full otherwise we would have ordered more!

Beba

3900 Rue Ethel

Montreal

514 750 7087

Review: Mistura

Mistura is a cinematic vehicle to promote Peruvian cuisine

It was almost a full house at VIFF at dinnertime to make us salivate while watching Mistura, a 2024 Peruvian foodie film.

Set in 1965 in Lima, Norma is half French and half Peruvian, the daughter of a French ambassador who has lived in rarified circles. But she discovers her husband has cheated on her, leaving her to figure out how to pay off the mortgage on the house.

Viewers quickly see what pressure she is under with everyone gossiping about her situation, and how Norma deals with it. Despite her husband's infidelity reported in the papers, Norma is determined to keep her head held high, and retain the house -- her house -- somehow.

Norma's driver inspires her to open a restaurant

At the encouragement of her chauffeur, Norma decides to open a restaurant in her mansion, and hires a Spanish-speaking Japanese chef who had once cooked for her father. The chef makes food that diners cannot relate to, let alone pronounce the names of the dishes.

There are also scenes showing her relationship with her adult son. As she is prim and proper, Norma vehemently disapproves of his hippie look and lifestyle, but an incident later brings them closer.

Eventually the restaurant evolves to reflect Peru and the people in the kitchen, and the film's end note explains "mistura" means mixture, combining different things together, which best describes Peruvian cuisine -- featuring Indigenous, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Middle Eastern, African and Italian influences. 

While the scenes in the kitchen didn't show as much cooking as the 2023 film The Taste of Things (Le Pot-au-Feu), we got the idea, watching Norma chop luscious tender beef cubes with her manicured hands, see how ceviche is made, and grilled meat skewers.

Norma is a half-French, half-Peruvian socialite

Mistura is a good movie, though in some parts one wonders if it's really possible for Norma to have a 180-transformation in her perception of others, or maybe she realises she needs all the help she can get? 

Actress Barbara Mori who plays Norma carries the film, and subtly shows her character's emotions below the surface, while having an unconventional relationship with her driver, played by Cesar Ballumbrosio.

Nevertheless, the film is a cinematic vehicle to promote Peruvian cuisine, and it definitely gets viewers curious (and hungry) to try some!

Mistura

Written and directed by Ricardo de Montreuil

101 minutes

Montreal's Atwater Market

Atwater Market was built in 1930s Art Deco style

Chef Andersen Lee took us to his favourite public market in Montreal called Atwater Market near Lachine Canal. It's not touristy, more locals who come here to buy perennials and wines, as well as meats, vegetables and cheeses.

Thick-cut slices of smoked meat at Alywin's

The market is named after Edwin Atwater, a 19th century businessman and city councillor, and the Art Deco building opened in 1933 during the Great Depression in a bid to stimulate the economy. 

Inside there are two floors housing butchers, cheesemongers, a shop selling coffee beans, a boulangerie and patisserie. We went into Aylwin Deli to try their smoked meat sandwich (C$16) on rye and pumpernickel bread, but the thickly sliced meat tasted flat, with no peppery taste.

Nevertheless, we marvelled at the stalls selling an abundance of asparagus, not only green but purple and white as well, fresh bulbs of garlic, giant stalks of rhubarb, and fresh herbs.

Large selection of vegetables and fruits for sale

We also tried some pastries -- a coffee-flavoured eclair, and one with chocolate ganache inside, and a small lemon tart with lime zest. They were all delicious, washed down with a refreshing raspberry lemonade.

There were lots of baskets of colourful perennials to hang or place in small balcony boxes at home, while oenophiles enjoyed wandering the aisles of a giant wine shop selling a wide variety of bottles.

Lee likes to come here, pick out a bottle, buy some cheeses, cold cuts and a baguette and have a picnic.

It's such a French way of organising a casual bite that also tastes amazing -- with a glass of wine. 

If you don't drive, it's also relatively easy to get to Atwater Market by metro too.

Colourful perennials ready to be taken home

Atwater Market

155 Green Avenue

Montreal

Family Style Dining at McKiernan in Montreal

There's a big dining space at McKiernan if you can get a table

A food staple for Montrealers is the rotisserie chicken. One time we got lost trying to find the nearest metro station, and a guy carrying his roast chicken dinner in a plastic bag not only gave us directions, he escorted us, as he was walking in the same direction.

One place well known for its rotisserie chicken is McKiernan, a bustling restaurant in an industrial space overlooking Lachine Canal.

The rotisserie chicken is a must here

Chef Andersen Lee suggested we go there for brunch, but with last-minute reservations, we could only get a table at 1.30pm. However, when we arrived early and wanted to add another person to our table to make it five, we were told we'd have to wait even longer.

As we waited around, we could see large groups of people, extended families ranging from babies in carriers hooked on the arms of their fathers, to seniors well into their 80s who climbed up the stairs to dine here. 

Hungry diners waiting for a table can play foosball to pass the time, otherwise they are forced to watch what others are dining and salivate even more.

When we were finally seated we quickly ordered several dishes from the brunch and lunch menus, and none disappointed. 

Thinly shaved prime rib with arugula

The half rotisserie chicken was roasted perfectly, juicy, tender and seasoned just right, topped with arugula that had a lemony dressing.

We also ordered a schnitzel Holstein that was garnished with anchovies for a briny flavour, and the tuna crudo that was seasoned in a tangy sauce.

McKiernan is also known for its prime rib dinners, but for lunch and brunch you can have thinly sliced prime rib with a light creamy sauce and lots of arugula on top. Again tender and delectable. One can only imagine the prime rib dinner being even better.

There's also simple dishes like pasta with garlic and broccoli -- now that's different and delicious, or how about roast Brussel sprouts tied together with a creamy ranch dressing and lots of toasted sliced almonds.

Lemon meringue pie, donuts and banana pie

How could we not have dessert? There was banana pie, not cream pie, where banana slices are mixed with custard, and a lovely lemon meringue pie, light and dreamy. McKiernan is also famed for its donuts. One online review advised asking the server to save us some in advance, but he said there was plenty to go around. We ordered two pillowy donuts, one filled with strawberry jam, the other cookies and cream.

I didn't know about McKiernan but now I do and fully understand why you need to make reservations way in advance. If it's good for people of all ages, it's good for you too.

McKiernan

5524 Saint-Patrick Street

Montreal

514 759 6677

Remembering David Hockney

Hockney's Looking at the Flowers (Framed), 25th June, 2022

The English artist David Hockney died today at the age of 88 in London.

I was lucky to see an exhibition of his work two years ago at the Palm Springs Art Museum and was in awe of how much work he produced and what he thought was worthy of capturing -- which was everything.

Us in our own version of Hockney's installation

He made his own colourful interpretations of Yosemite Park, a series of photographs of his mother that are pieced together, a long, winding sketch of a country estate, and his famous series of swimming pool works, capturing the moment of a man diving into the water.

I enjoyed one whimsical installation where he painted himself looking at paintings of flowers that he has made and framed on the wall, and then on the other side is a physical representation of the painting, with two chairs, inviting visitors to pose like him.

He made me realise there is art in the everyday, and it can be fun, colourful, and doesn't have to be profound.

Contemplating Art on Your Montreal Commute

Colourful stained glass while waiting for train

Taking the Montreal metro is very convenient, costs C$3.75 for Zone A fares (which was the only area we went around), and if you miss a train, the next one comes in a few minutes. 

What was very interesting for me was to see a lot of public art in the metro stations, either around the entrance, or by a stairwell, or above the train tracks. It was so unexpected to see art in a mode of public transportation that it took me by surprise.

The Tree of Life by Joseph Rifesser

The Societe de transport de Montreal (STM) provides around 1.4 million trips per day in its metro and bus network, and the metro is a kind of underground art gallery, featuring murals, sculptures, and stained glass panels in most of its 68 stations around the city.

When it comes to murals, mosaics are popular because they are highly durable and low maintenance, the colours don't fade and they are relatively easy to clean -- even graffiti can be removed.

I spotted a few pieces that caught my eye -- a colourful disc, more colour from panels of stained glass, and a sculpture hewed from wood.

The STM even has a website documenting the different art works, helping passengers learn more about the artists, and hopefully encourage them to interact with the pieces, or at least contemplate them during their commute.

Creative Contemporary Chinese Food in Montreal

Five spice duck platter with condiments

As soon as we arrived in Montreal and dropped off our suitcases, we headed to Oncle Lee Kao, a modern Chinese restaurant in the old part of the city.

Driving there was no problem, but finding parking was quite the challenge. Eventually we found a spot -- and free too!

We entered the restaurant at 8.30pm on a Saturday night and were shocked to see it hopping, all the tables were full, and it was noisy. Did we mention the vast majority of diners were not Chinese?

Savoury jian dui with shiitake and sesame sauce

My main purpose of coming here was to finally try chef Andersen Lee's cooking, after having interviewed him 2019 when he won the inaugural 50 Best BBVA Scholarship. The award entitled him to stage or intern at three top restaurants -- Core by Clare Smyth in London, Odette in Singapore, and Quintonil in Mexico City.

Following his internships he wasn't inspired to go abroad or fine dining -- instead the experience pulled him back to Montreal, where he opened Oncle Lee and now Oncle Lee Kao, with his creative takes on Chinese dishes. 

Most impressive was the five spice duck platter. Lee explained they didn't have the capacity or knowledge to make Peking duck, so why not make it pastrami style, as an homage to Montreal? And the result is fantastic. 

The duck breast is thinly sliced so they can be placed in thin steamed wrappers and condiments can be added before wrapping it up and popping it into your mouth.

Asparagus with mapo tofu sauce

We also enjoyed the steamed oysters with black bean sauce, shrimp toast, and a savoury jian dui with shiitake mushroom and sesame sauce. How novel.

Mini egg rolls are filled with duck rillettes, while chunks of tender octopus are placed on skewers with lap cheong or Chinese sausage and spring onions in between. Typically octopus is paired with chorizo, but lap cheong is an interesting substitute we couldn't identify at first.

Asparagus are in season and they came with mapo tofu sauce on top; the green stalks were so tender that at the end of our Montreal trip we bought some at a farmer's market to bring back to Vancouver.

Sashimi isn't exactly Chinese, but we had some, along with a giant platter of fried rice that Lee likes to cook at home with crunch thinly sliced cabbage and mayonnaise and chilli crisp.

Lee's homestyle fried rice with chilli crisp

For dessert, a bowl of tapioca with coconut, strawberry and rhubarb, and some mini yuzu tartlets with green tea, together with fresh fruit.

Lee recently came back from a trip to Shanghai, Ningbo and Hong Kong -- his first to China -- which really opened his exposure to not only Chinese cooking techniques but also flavours and ingredients. 

Can't wait to see what he will do next.

Oncle Lee Kao

112 Rue McGill

Montreal

514 303 1100

A Montreal Cathedral with Echoes of St. Peters

The nave has a Bernini-like altar like in St Peters

In Montreal we went to one of the city's most famous landmarks, Notre-Dame Basilica, but we were dismayed to see the left tower covered in scaffolding, the telltale sign of renovation work.

We were also surprised to see a C$16 admission fee. My relatives, who are Catholics, said we should skip visiting the cathedral, so we carried on our walk and not too long later we stumbled upon Marie-Reine-du-Monde Basilica, a massive cathedral, aptly situated on Cathedral Street, near the Bonaventure metro station.

Marie-Reine-du-Monde Basilica in Montreal

Curious, we approached the entrance, where a security guard told us there was a service in session and we could sit in, but to be quiet; after it was over we would be free to wander the cathedral.

So we sat down and soon realised the service on June 2 was a memorial for two martyrs, Saint Marcellinus and Saint Peter.

The service was delivered in French, but towards the end, my relatives could sort of follow along with the prayers, and even received Communion.

What was most striking about this cathedral was the altar with its twisting columns that reminded me of the one in St Peter's Basilica in Rome that was designed by Bernini. 

And it turns out Marie-Reine-du-Monde Basilica was inspired by St Peter's. The Montreal cathedral was built slowly, from 1870 to 1878, and then 1885 to 1894. When it was consecrated in 1894, it was the largest church in Quebec. Today it is the third-largest in the French-speaking province.

An impressive space full of wonder

After the service was over, we wandered around the cathedral, first lighting a candle for $2 and then walking to the nave, where the elaborate altar is. We also saw a crypt, where bishops and auxilary bishops were laid to rest. 

Outside on the top of the cathedral is a statue of Mary, Queen of the World, who is flanked by the patron saints of 13 parishes of Montreal.

We enjoyed our contemplative visit, and even more so because it was free!

Wandering Montreal's CBD

Ju Ming's Tai Chi Single Whip

Montreal is a relatively easy city to get around by the metro of subway. We don't know what it's like during the freezing depths of winter, but we already had a good idea from the intense wind tunnels in some of the metro stations. Just pushing the station door open can be a Herculean task as a gust of wind barrels past you.

Nevertheless, we had fun wandering around the city. On the way to the Notre Dame Basilica, we saw the entrance to Montreal's Chinatown, with a Chinese-style gate with "唐人街" on it. When we arrived at the famed church, one of the towers was under renovation and we weren't keen on paying C$16 admission to go inside.

The entrance to Montreal's Chinatown

Not far from there was the financial district, where we saw a number of banks: BMO or Bank of Montreal, TD, or Toronto Dominion Bank, and even Molsons Bank. 

It was started by Montreal brewer John Molson's two sons, William and John. Not only did William serve as the bank's president until his death, but also expanded the family business empire with a distillery, a lumberyard, a foundry, steamships and railways. 

William Molson was also a leading philanthropist who served as president of the Montreal General Hospital, and donated funds towards the establishment and construction of McGill University, where he later became a governor.

After we crossed the street, we came to Victoria Square, where I spied Taiwanese artist Ju Ming's sculpture!

His blocky tai chi figures graced the Bank of China in Hong Kong, and now there was one in Montreal!

Molsons Bank building

There was no information about it and I had to look it up online. The sculpture is called "Tai Chi Single Whip" that was cast in bronze and erected in 2006.

It became an endearing figure in 2015 when some Montreal Canadien fans made a giant Habs hockey jersey for the sculpture with the number 31 on it for the goalie Carey Price at the time.

Price had won his 43rd game that year, breaking the Montreal Canadiens' single season record previously jointly held by Ken Dryden and Jacques Plante.

Sadly the Habs weren't able to go on to the Stanley Cup finals this year, after they were eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference final...

Hong Kong-style Wonton Noodles in Toronto

Giant freshly made wontons with noodles in soup

On our last day in Toronto we made our way to the airport via a stop in Markham for some wonton noodles at Wonton Hut Noodle Bar.

Chef and owner Eddie Yeung is very passionate about making wontons and dumplings from scratch, having learned the craft back in his hometown of Hong Kong. He puts a lot of effort into the food he makes and it shows.

Traditional dumplings in broth

We had the signature wonton noodles, and we were already impressed by the jumbo-sized wontons almost the size of golf balls that were choc full of fresh shrimp and some minced pork. 

Sui gao or traditional dumplings as they are called on his menu, were also very good, stuffed with shrimp, pork, yellow chives, wood ear mushrooms and shiitake. 

Also well made were the beef meatballs, made with Ontario beef and seasoned with black pepper. The texture of the meatballs were bouncy and tender, though they would have tasted better with a hint of mandarin peel.

The same could be said of the dace fishball, which could have benefited from the addition of mandarin peel, instead of just the fish that is minced and made in-house. We didn't get a chance to ask Yeung why the mandarin peel flavour wasn't added, was it because of cost or customers didn't like it?

Nevertheless, we also enjoyed the braised beef brisket and tendon coated in a thick sauce, though it was on the slightly saltier side. 

Braised beef brisket and tendon

We left sated and definitely full as we had a late afternoon flight to catch and wouldn't be eating until later that evening.

Wonton Hut Noodle Bar

3760 Highway 7

Markham, Ontario

905 604 9060

Toronto's Biggest Cheerleader

Chow talks to the media after her speech

On our second last day in Toronto, we walked from Union station to City Hall, and when we approached, we could see several small booths set up in Nathan Phillips Square.

It turns out Mayor Olivia Chow declared that day, May 29 as Newcomer Day, where those in the booths were many non-profits that offer social services like employment counselling, health and mental health programs, arts and education programs, and shelter and housing supports. 

Chow speaks at Nathan Phillips Square

Kicking off the event was Chow herself, who gave a speech about how she was an immigrant too, as the Hong Kong-born politician immigrated to Toronto with her family in 1970 when she was 13 years old. 

She encouraged the crowd to explore the various booths and take advantage of the non-profits' services to help them settle in Toronto.

Later we spotted Chow talking to the media backstage; one of her assistants indicated that she would be available to meet some fans, but after her media interviews, there was no time and she slipped in a back door into City Hall.

I've heard that Chow is a great cheerleader for Toronto and is very supportive of community events. She apparently goes to almost every one of them, even dressing up in an elaborate purple and pink feathered costume to participate in the Caribbean Carnival Grand Parade last August.

Chow seems quite popular, and has indicated she will run for a second term this October. Chow was elected in 2023 after former mayor John Tory resigned. 

Modern Chinese at Toronto's Mimi Chinese

Fantastic Dungeness crab with steamed cheung fun

Toronto has many Chinese restaurants, but how about one where the dishes have a slight twist, making them modern and are served by waiters wearing crisp white shirts and bowties?

That's the concept of Mimi Chinese, where regional dishes are re-interpreted and accessible, making them fun and delicious, and more importantly get the thumbs up from the pickiest of Chinese diners.

Outstanding Iberico char siu here

On the night we went, the clientele was more Chinese, with young people to middle-aged and they had obviously come for the very good dishes that aren't found in most top restaurants in Markham, where many of the Chinese diaspora live.

The hands-down winner of the evening was the Iberico pluma char siu, the pork so tender and flavourful, we all savoured each bite, and the taste was also marinating in the caramelised soybeans.

Another winner was the BC live Dungeness crab steamed with fresh cheung fun. It's definitely the Canadian version of The Chairman's flower crab dish ini Hong Kong. Instead of marinating the crustacean in Shaoxing wine and chicken fat, here the fresh crab's flavour was enhanced by the ginger and scallion sauce.

Beef tenderloin with black pepper sauce

The crab shell was already scraped clean by the kitchen, so all we had to do was focus on the clean flavours complemented by the delicateness of the cheung fun, soaking up the light soy sauce and sweet crab meat.

We also had some outstanding starters, like Chaoshan marinated scallops with a sauce made from ginger and scallion, similar to poached chicken, but with a citrusy soy sauce for brightness. Another was fluffy shrimp toast studded with sesame seeds, and gorgeous chicken wings deboned and stuffed with glutinous rice, mushrooms and bamboo shoots.

The four foot belt noodle was a showstopper. The waiter did his routine of using tongs to lift one end up so high -- it really was one noodle, about two inches wide. Then he placed it down, folding it back and forth and then used a pair of scissors to cut it in half. The noodles had a spicy kick, thanks to the chilli crisp.

Sizzling prawns in hot pot with a spicy kick

Another spicy dish were giant prawns sizzling in a hot claypot, while a Cantonese favourite of beef slices stir-fried with onions and thick rice noodles (gon chau ngau ho) was altered to use wheat noodles instead and strings of scrambled egg. So good and comforting.

The only minor fault was the typhoon shelter asparagus, as the seasonal vegetable was lost in this dish, and the seasoning didn't enhance the asparagus. Nevertheless we finished on a high note with an ode to sizzling platters, this one with beef tenderloin and cooked with a black pepper skillet. The beef was so tender, it was brilliantly executed.

To cleanse our palates, we were given a small scoop of sorbet made from almond jelly. It was a taste we all instantly recognised from our childhoods. Personally I didn't particularly like this flavour growing up, but it was nostalgic for sure.

For dessert we had a refreshing seasonal fruit sorbet featuring slices of snow pear with osmanthus jelly and oolong tea. Another using gai daan jai, or egg waffles with caramelised banana, hawthorn jam and sesame ice cream with maple syrup drizzled on top. A creative way to elevate a simple street snack.

Snow pear with osmanthus jelly and oolong tea

Overall the food and experience at Mimi Chinese was outstanding and we can't wait to see what comes next for this restaurant that has modernised Chinese food in a thoughtful way.

Mimi Chinese

265 Davenport Road

Toronto

416 505 0799

Michelin Star-Studded Dinner in Toronto

Boulud giving diners more white wine sauce

I had some outstanding meals in Toronto, which has changed my perception of the city that I lived in from 2001-2002. The diet was mostly hamburgers, steaks, and ham, oh and lots of potatoes. 

A lot has changed in over 25 years for sure, and the Michelin Guide and North America's 50 Best have helped the city develop a more sophisticated palate.

Duck pate en croute served like a cake slice

At the beginning of my trip, I was lucky to attend a four-hands collaboration featuring superstar celebrity chef Daniel Boulud with chef Guillaume Gailliot, who helms the three Michelin-starred Caprice in the Four Seasons Hong Kong.

They presented a stellar six-course dinner that was classic French at Cafe Boulud in the Four Seasons Toronto. Galliot cooked the first three dishes. Veloute de petits pois or green pea soup with a dollop of krystal caviar was a taste of spring, the peas so fresh and seasoned with brininess from the caviar.

The tarte de canard was a riff off of pate en croute. Instead of making the duck terrine in long rectangular molds, Galliot presented it like a giant round cake, studded with pistachio on the exterior. The "cake" was paraded around the dining room before it was sliced up and served with strawberries, and spiced caramel. It was delicious, though quite rich.

Lobster with white asparagus and morels

For the third dish, the chef from the Loire Valley presented one of his signatures, lobster tail with white asparagus, stuffed morel mushroom comte and white wine sauce. Boulud even came by to each diner to pour more of the beautiful white wine sauce on their plates.

Then it was the master chef's turn in the kitchen and Boulud's baked black cod was so light, coated with breadcrumbs for a slight crunch, and accompanied with purple potato and sorrel coulis.

The other main course was a tender lamb saddle with gravy, a dollop of vegetable custard and spring garlic jus. While the lamb was fantastic, the rest of the dish seemed a bit lost in terms of presentation.

Nevertheless, dessert was exquisite, a delicate raspberry rhubarb treat with olive oil whipped ganache on top of a semolina cake, accompanied with refreshing rhubarb ice cream and raspberry jam. 

Black cod with a tart sauce, and purple potato

It was great to see Galliot who I have known for about 15 years and watched him grow and evolve, his dishes more sophisticated and indulgent. 

I had the pleasure of meeting Boulud when he did a four-hands dinner with chef Richard Ekkebus in September 2013 at Amber. Back then Boulud already had ambitions of opening a restaurant in Hong Kong, but the location and timing weren't right.

But a few months ago he finally opened Terrace Boulud in the space formerly occupied by Sevva in Prince's Building. It's a very big space, but Boulud would probably be the only celebrity chef to be able to fill it. The kitchen is helmed by chef Aurelie Altemaire, who I interviewed several years ago when she worked in a French restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui, and she later moved to Felix in the Peninsula Hong Kong.

She is a Joel Robuchon apprentice, having worked under him for 10 years, so she has experience leading a brigade. I hope she succeeds.

Galliot meeting diners in Toronto

In the meantime she is helping Boulud fulfil his dream of opening in Hong Kong. He recalled working in Hong Kong in the early 1980s and watching the HSBC headquarters in Central being built, and now from his restaurant he can still gaze at it. A full circle moment? We'll see.