Chewsy Crawls: Ethnic Eats

04/04/2022

Ramadan Mubarak to those celebrating!

If you're looking to try some Middle-Eastern vegetarian dishes, check out Sham! I tried out this place with my mom a couple of weeks ago. It's a fast-casual spot, and boy, are the dishes so fresh!

My mom and I enjoyed (starting from the bottom-right and going clockwise) the couscous, kibbeh, ""shish taouk,"" and fatayer.

I also tried out their elephant burger the previous day, and it was so fresh and delightful!

Give this place a try if you're ever shopping at the Jean-Talon Market or are in Little Italy!

• Type: Budget
• Payment methods: Credit for sure
• Dietary options: Vegetarian and Vegan
• Wheelchair-accessible: Yes
• Nearest metro: De Castelnau

17/03/2022

Happy St Paddy's Day to those celebrating!

If you're looking for a spot to celebrate, check out Bar MajesThé near McGill!

Located right under MajesThé, it's owned by the same owner Vincent. He invited the LOCAL 88 team to try his bubble tea-inspired cocktails and bar food. Vincent was so friendly, passionate, and ran back and forth to make sure everything was running smoothly.

We tried many of the drinks, including the Matcha Diadem. My favorite was the Princess Peach (not pictured)-so fruity and sweet and didn't taste like there was too much alcohol. Not to mention the lychee jelly at the bottom 😋

The Moon Shrimp Cake was definitely my favorite bar food. Vincent told us that it's a Taiwanese dish inspired by Thai cuisine. I also enjoyed the Plum Spiced Sweet Potato Fries (not pictured) and MajesThé Salad. It's also worth trying out the

👑 Taiwanese Basil Fried Chicken
👑 Kimchi Spaghetti with pork belly (on the secret menu)
👑 MajesThé Milk Cake (has Irish Cream poured over with a kick of alcohol and sweetness and boba pearls)

Until March 26, 2022, there's a promo where there's a free fried chicken appetizer if you order one of the cocktails. The bar is only open Thursday — Saturday for now.

Let's celebrate MajesThé-cally! 👑

• Type: Splurge
• Payment methods: Credit for sure
• Dietary options: Alcohol (Can be made non-alcoholic), Meat, and Vegetarian
• Wheelchair-accessible: No
• Nearest metro: McGill

18/02/2022

Thank you to Lin Sok Services Financiers for organizing and inviting me to her networking event last night! I enjoyed myself immensely meeting people again after a while.

Speaking of which, the ambiance, food, and service Mythos Ouzeri were legendary. My water was filled every time it was empty, and the speed of the plates (dis)appearing one after another was phenomenal.

I tried the $60 group menu (before taxes + tip) which included

🇬🇷 Greek salad (not pictured)
🇬🇷 Grandma's bread with Kopanisti (tastes like Pizza Hut's crust with feta cheese and roasted red pepper dip)
🇬🇷 Fried zucchini and eggplant with tzatziki
🇬🇷 Fried calamari
🇬🇷 Grilled octopus
🇬🇷 Charcoal-grilled chicken, loukaniko (sausage), and lamb (they made me like lamb!)
🇬🇷 Loukoumades (I scarfed these down like nobody's business)

Definitely come to Mythos to celebrate your special occasions and upcoming midterm/spring break!

11/02/2022

Looking for that place to impress your date (or yourself)? Then check out Mia Thai Cuisine!

Mia was so friendly and provided us with stellar service.

Pictured here are the

💜 Bang Bang Tornado Shrimp
💜 Curry Pork Cake
💜 Green Curry
💜 Deep Fried Banana with Ice Cream

My fave was the Tornado Shrimp-I loved the fried egg noodles and the aesthetic!

Try it out and let me know how you loved it 😉

• Type: Splurge
• Payment methods: Credit for sure
• Dietary options: Meat, Seafood, and Vegetarian
• Wheelchair-accessible: No
• Nearest metro: Berri-UQAM

01/02/2022

Chúc mừng năm mới!
Gung Hay Fat Choy!
새해 복 많이 받으세요
Happy new year!
Bonne année!

to those celebrating!

I decided to celebrate this Lunar New Year (LNY) by supporting Vietnamese Concordia Association - VCA's fundraiser to help build schools and housing for Vietnamese ethnic children in rural areas.

I received these items pictured from left clockwise

🧧 Chè thái (Viet dessert soup similar to Thailand's Tub Tim Krop)
🧧 Bánh bông lan trứng muối (salted egg sponge cupcakes-had these for the first time)
🧧 Bánh chưng (sticky rice cake with mung beans and pork traditionally eaten during Tết, or Viet LNY)

What are you looking forward to eating or doing for LNY?

08/12/2021

It's that time of the year again: potluck season! If you need an idea, I present to you my bánh mì tôm chiên or fried shrimp sandwich balls recipe.

They take a while to prep and cook alone, so I would recommend this recipe if you have 4-6 hours to spare.

Make these and they're guaranteed to fly off the table and into people's mouths!

1) For the filling, mix ground meat or a vegetarian substitute, pounded or blended shrimp, diced onions, salt, pepper, fish sauce to your liking.

2) For the ""dough,"" cut up bread slices into three pieces.

3) Steam the pieces.

4) Overlap two pieces to form a cross-shape.

5) Put some filling onto the middle of the cross.

6) Use a pastry brush to brush some beaten egg onto the sides of the cross.

7) Fold up the sides into a ball, pinching along the sandwich to seam the edges.

8 ) Steam the balls for 15-20 min.

9) Take out the balls, and let them cool down for a bit.

10) Fry the balls until golden brown.

11) Put onto paper towels to drain excess oil and cool down.

And voilà! You have bánh mì tôm chiên! Enjoy!

02/12/2021

To those celebrating, happy Hanukkah!

Montreal has a plethora of Jewish food options, and I wanted to pay homage to one of my favorite Jewish delis, Snowdon Deli.

Clockwise from the top left are the blueberry bun, potato knish, prune hamantashen, and kasha knish (made from buckwheat). Always tasty and not stale when I've ordered. 🙌

Also recommended is their smoked meat sandwich (not pictured)! My fave I've tried so far 😋

• Type: Budget
• Payment methods: Cash, Debit, and Credit
• Dietary options: Meat and Vegetarian
• Wheelchair-accessible: No
• Nearest metro: Snowdon

11/11/2021

Presenting Montreal's OG kogo (Korean + pogo or corndog) shop: Picks!

An older Korean couple runs this small Korean street food establishment that I've known about since 2014. They offer kogos, Korean tacos, burgers, dogs, and sides, all customizable and cooked on the spot!

Pick-tured here is their original kogo, spicy chicken k-taco, and tomato basil aioli. This combo always hits the spot for me-the perfect amount of spicy and leaving my belly satisfied.

What would you pick?

• Type: Budget
• Price: $12.89 after taxes
• Payment methods: DEBIT and cash
• Wheelchair-accessible: Yes
• Dietary options: Meat and Vegetarian
• Nearest metro: Guy-Concordia (St Mathieu side)

04/11/2021

Happy Dhanteras and Diwali to those who celebrate!

I covered Punjab Canteen on my Instagram, and they reshared my post from Instagram quickly!

Check them out if you're looking for a new spot to try in Montreal!

21/10/2021

Hey Loyola students and NDG dwellers/visitors, are you craving pumpkin treats like me? Then I got a sweet suggestion for you.

Here's the pumpkin mini cake from my favorite dessert shop in NDG, Sandrini Confections. A delightful blend of pumpkin spice flavor and cream!

If you're ever on the way to the Loyola campus on the 105 bus or in NDG, Sandrini is a great stop for a quick treat. Also recommended are the gelato, brownies, and brookies (when available).

Get your pumpkin cravings satisfied before it's too late!

• Type: Budget
• Price: $4.88 after taxes
• Payment methods: Credit for sure
• Wheelchair-accessible: Yes
• Dietary options: Dairy and Vegan
• Nearest metro: Vendôme

14/10/2021

I get such huge cravings for noods and soups during this season.

Reminds me of the last bowl of seafood ramen I had from Haru Hana, a small Korean/Asian fusion hole-in-the-wall in the UQAM area.

I appreciated the thoughtfulness of separating the soup in one container and the noodles in another. The noods, broth, and seafood were flavorful-perfect for a breezy but not too cold day in the summer.

I would definitely recommend and come back to Haru Hana a future time I'm in the UQAM area.

Sit at nearby Place Jardins Gamelin for a spectacular view!

As of June 22, 2021

• Type: Budget
• Price: $13.8 after taxes
• Payment methods: Credit for sure
• Dietary options: Vegan and Meat
• Wheelchair-accessible: Yes
• Nearest metro: Berri-UQAM/Beaudry

21/09/2021

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

If you celebrate, have you gotten your fill of mooncakes yet?

I'm looking at these photos of bánh pía I got in February from Pâtisserie Liên Phát.

Around this time, some Viets eat bánh pía, one of our versions of mooncake based on Teochew cuisine.

What have you been eating for the Mid-Autumn Festival or lately?

13/07/2021

In honor of National French Fry Day, I present to you my fave honey chilli potatoes in Mtl so far.

Honey chilli potatoes are an Indian take on a Chinese recipe. I tried these at Pizza Momo, a Halal greasy spoon.

The potatoes are sooo crispy with just the right amount of spice and seasoning. The sesame seeds and onions make excellent garnishes.

This place is really a hole in the wall-nothing fancy and the fries were frozen. But dang, I had these honey chili potatoes twice already since April and am still drooling over them 🤤

McGill students or McGill ghetto residents/visitors, get your fry fix at Pizza Momo.

As of April 25, 2021,

• Type: Budget
• Price: $8.04 after taxes
• Payment methods: Credit for sure
• Dietary options: Halal, Meat, and Vegetarian
• Wheelchair-accessible: Yes
• Nearest metro(s): Place-des-Arts

03/07/2021

The Old Port location of One Babo (formerly One More Thé) has finally reopened!

All day on Saturday, July 3, six special drinks are only $2!

I was one of the lucky 50 first people in line and got my drink free. I got the Honey Pouchong-great for a summer drink!

Next time you're in the Old Port, get your bubble tea fix at One Babo!

• Type: Budget
• Payment methods: Credit for sure
• Wheelchair-accessible: Yes
• Nearest metro(s): Place d'Armes

01/07/2021

Loyola students/NDG residents and visitors, have you ever tried bingsoo? If not, I strongly recommend the bingsoo at Velorang, my fave bingsoo spot in NDG (if not Montreal).

Velorang is also a bike shop. The owner was a professional mountain bike athlete and national level coach who dreamed about opening a bike shop and café in Canada (from The NDG Echo's article).

If you've never had bingsoo, it is a shaved milk ice and can be topped with syrup, fruit, cereal, mochi (Japanese rice cake), you name it!

This one is the chocolate bingsoo with brownies and chocolate syrup. It was so light and refreshing when I had it in the spring and should be even more so in this summer heat!

If you ever need your bike fixed or are looking for a new one and/or are craving bingsoo, definitely check out Velorang!

As of March 23, 2021

• Type: Budget
• Price: $7.46
• Payment methods: Credit for sure
• Dietary options: Dairy and Meat
• Wheelchair-accessible: Yes, there's a ramp!
• Nearest metro(s): Vendôme

19/06/2021

Have you tried out this little gem in Chinatown? Cristal No.41 is tucked away on Saint Laurent Street and sells Viet cuisine.

Now what makes this resto different from the other Viet places around Mtl? Its namesake and menu item #41: Viet-style egg rolls fried with rice paper, which come with grilled pork, vermicelli noodles, and fish sauce. For those who can't eat pork, there are also shrimp, beef, and chicken substitutes.

I last had #41 for takeout in March. It wasn't as great as when I tried it sitting in summer 2019, though I can't evenly compare takeout and sitting in food. Though it was an excellent portion for the price.

What other gems do you recommend in Chinatown?

As of March 21, 2021

• Type: Budget
• Price: $11.50
• Payment methods: CASH ONLY
• Dietary options: Meat and Seafood
• Wheelchair-accessible: Yes (if you get somebody to help you up/down the one step)
• Nearest metro(s): Place d'Armes/Place-des-Arts

13/05/2021

Eid Mubarak to those celebrating! Thank you to Restaurant Nilufar's latest story for reminding me.

Speaking of Nilufar, I visited them back in March.

If you've never checked out Nilufar, boy, are you missing out! Healthy and inexpensive Middle-Eastern vegan food! Their falafel pita pictured here is sooo good. Add on pototoes and toum (garlic sauce) and you're still under $10!

Special shoutouts to Nilufar (owner and namesake) for introducing to me the best baklava from Pâtisserie Safa and David for his amazing and friendly service! One of the best service experiences I've had!

As of March 4, 2021

• Type: Budget
• Price: $7.11 after taxes (with toum + potatoes)
• Payment methods: Credit for sure
• Dietary options: Vegan and Vegetarian
• Wheelchair-accessible: Yes
• Service: David!!! 😍 Need I say more?
• Nearest metro: Atwater/Guy-Concordia

09/05/2021

Happy Mother's Day! I hope you get to spend quality time with your mothers, whether it be in person or virtually like I will be.

My mom influenced my love for Vietnamese culture while growing up in North America by surrounding me with Viet culture as much as possible (language, music, shows, clothes, etc.). Of course, my love of Vietnamese food comes from her, and I wouldn't know how to cook any Viet food without her countless hours of instruction over video calls.

She would drive me to any food location back in my home state of Minnesota and try the food with me (she still prefers Viet food overall-who can blame her? 😆)

The last vacation I got to spend with my mom was in Van City in fall 2019. We got to visit La Casa Gelato, aka heaven.

One day soon, my mom and I will be reunited. Until then, Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers, mothers-to-be, and motherly figures!

03/05/2021

Blast from the past!

Seven years ago, I was part of Concordia's Canadian Asian Society (CCAS) and wanted to write food blogs like McGill's Asian associations were doing.

Here are the low-resolution pics from our sponsored restaurant at the time, Restaurant Sai Gwan, which I planned on blogging about first. They just recently re-opened! Whoo hoo.

I ordered shallots lo mein, Sai Gwan milk pudding, and my fellow association member ordered Cantonese style dumplings lo Mein. I don't remember all the details, but I do remember the noods and pudding were bomb!

CCAS was the only Asian student association that had a sponsorship with them at the time, which I took great pride in (as you can see me kissing my CCAS sponsorship card).

Now that they've finally reopened, why not try out Saigwan the next time you're in Chinatown? Cash only. Some things never change. 🤗

10/04/2021

It's my favorite season: ice cream season!

Monday, I finally tried Dalla Rose, which is known for their vegan ice cream. I was actually looking for lunch but ended up having ice cream first (sh, don't tell my mom!).

I ended up deciding on Cookie Cookie Biscuit and Coconut Matcha (vegan).

I haven't had that much vegan ice cream before, and I'm glad I tried Dalla Rose's! The Coconut Matcha was so creamy.

Maybe I'll choose both scoops (I usually get two scoops) as vegan next time at 💵🌹.

As of April 5, 2021:

• Type: Budget
• Price: $6.79 after taxes
• Payment methods: Credit for sure
• Diet: Dairy and vegan
• Wheelchair-accessible: Yes
• Nearest metro: Saint-Henri

14/03/2021

Happy Pi Day everyone! Hope you don't pie from the cold weather still!

In January, I had the pleasure of trying out these adorable mini pies from Rustique. They were all delicious!

From top center going clockwise to the middle, the flavors were

🍏 apple
🍒 cherry
🥧 pumpkin
🟤 pecan
🔴 cranberry
🫐 blueberry

What are your favorite pie flavors?

• Type: Budget
• Price: $18.34 after taxes
• Payment methods: Credit for sure
• Diet: Dairy
• Wheelchair-accessible: Yes!
• Service: They only allowed a few people in at a time. Phew.
• Nearest metro: Saint-Henri

12/03/2021

I feel so honored to be included in With Meraki's latest blog with other boss babes from Minnesota, my home state!

When I was out of a job in September, I started microblogging about my #1 passion: food. It helped me stay sane and connect with other foodies.

There's so much more I'd like to work on and accomplish with my foodie-ing (including organizing the Facebook and website more), but I'm happy with what I've accomplished so far.

Check out and like/follow

Facebook: With Meraki and chewsychanadienne
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/withxmeraki
https://www.instagram.com/chewsychanadienne

and the other boss babes in the blog!

real women support women Who run da world?? Girls. 💅✨ In honor of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, With Meraki would like to celebrate and recognize the baddie boss babes out there – especially those based locally here in Minnesota! This lengthy list of ladies are thos...

27/02/2021

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of stopping by at Piklìz • Comptoir Caribéen. It's owned by two Haitian-Quebec brothers and named after a pickled Haitian condiment Piklìz. Support local businesses, yo!

I got a free Piklìz poutine (not pictured) thanks to Yelp Montréal and ordered Plantains & Guac pictured here.

My order was ready (I called ahead) when I arrived there. The music and vibe were so nice-I wish I could sit and eat there. And the co-owner was so nice and asked me if I needed anything else. I said I was gonna film a bit and he asked if I wanted him in the video. You can see Akim in my recent stories/Highlights on Instagram!

I rushed home before curfew (made it) and treated myself to this extraordinary dish. What a genius idea to combine guac and plantains!

There were six plantains in total and almost enough guac for all (I scooped big portions for each). And still crunchy after the trek home.

Check out Piklìz if you're ever around the Saint-Henri area! I'm definitely gonna come back soon. 😉

• Type: Budget
• Price: $9.20 after taxes
• Payment methods: Credit for sure
• Diet: Meat and Vegetarian
• Wheelchair-accessible: Yessir!
• Service: Friendly and prepared on time! Yaaas.
• Nearest metro: Saint-Henri

09/02/2021

Now that Poutine Week is over, I'd like to introduce my fave poutine that I discovered from 2017's Poutine Week: Poulet Bronzé's fried chicken poutine.

I had it again this past Saturday. It's never disappointed before, and this time it definitely didn't.

The fried chicken is solid with the flavor, the curds are squeaky, and the fries are bomb. And they give toum (garlic sauce) along with it. What else could you ask for in a poutine?

Best of all, it's Halal and located near downtown Concordia. So downtown students/residents/visitors, make sure to try this place if you're ever craving poutine. Best place hands down downtown for poutine. 😋

Where were some of your fave poutine discoveries during any Poutine Week?

• Type: Budget
• Price: $11.50
• Payment methods: Credit for sure
• Diet: Halal
• Wheelchair-accessible: No, unfortunately.
• Service: Pretty rapid.
• Nearest metro: Guy-Concordia

06/02/2021

When I was younger, I wanted to become a writer. I also realized early on that I had a passion for food.

After I graduated, I met some foodies and considered pursuing food writing. I finally started food blogging after my time out of work a few months back.

One of the foodies saw my writing and contacted me to be a part of an Asian food magazine.

Now I'm so excited to present to everyone our work for the second edition of Bon Bao Magazine, focused on the upcoming Lunar New Year food and traditions and other stories.

I wrote the second article "Lunar New Year Around Asia" and put my proofreading/editing skills to use.

Presales start now, with the digital edition available on February 11 and the physical in mid-February. Pick up is also available from White Heron Coffee's Plateau location.

Thank you everyone for reading about/supporting my childhood dreams of writing and my food passion.

Happy early Lunar New Year!

https://www.whiteheroncoffee.ca/product/pre-vente-pre-sale-bon-bao-mag-issue-ii-lunar-new-year

[ENGLISH FOLLOWS] Le deuxième volume du magazine Bon Bao est en pré-vente! Achetez votre copie physique ou digitale dès aujourd'hui. Bon Bao...

31/01/2021

Props to Montreal’s ‘Food Pirate’ 👏

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/food-pirate-montreal-free-food-1.5894488

Raïs Zaidi calls himself “Le Pirate Vert” and dedicates his time to feeding those in need, working not just with non-profit organizations, but also on his own — setting up a food distribution station in front of his place on Dézéry Street in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve.

28/01/2021

Looks like I'm in this food thing for the long haul, because I finally got my customized bamboo phone case with my logo all the way from the UK's BOSSU!

I'm happy so I can take my new phone outside now and take pics with my new Google Pixel.

It also means I can take better-quality food pics and videos outside like I've been wanting to for a while.

If you see me in food places or the streets, please don't hesitate to say hi! I would love to (re)meet all my friends and followers. 🤗

27/01/2021

Treat yourself whenever you fail or succeed! Yesterday, I started a new job and decided to treat myself to some sushi from one of my fave places.

Migoto Sushi on Queen-Mary has some unique and flavors I haven't seen anywhere else. Pictured left to right are the quebec maki, queen mary futo, and montréal maki. The quebec is similar to a Philadelphia roll (with the cream cheese), and the queen mary was great with the tempura and pineapple. The montréal one with mint, tuna, and mango was great the last time I ordered it. However, the mango was a little too hard this time for my tastes.

Overall, I definitely recommend Migoto. And don't forget to go treat yourselves after you finish your assignments/work!

• Type: Splurge
• Price: $30.80 after taxes and tip
• Payment methods: Credit for sure
• Diet: Seafood and vegetarian
• Wheelchair-accessible: No, unfortunately.
• Service: Free delivery in Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce. Or order online one hour in advance and pick it up there.
• Nearest metro: Snowdon

27/01/2021

Treat yourself whenever you fail or succeed? Yesterday, I started a new job and decided to treat myself to some sushi from one of my fave places.

Migoto Sushi on Queen-Mary has some unique and flavors I haven't seen anywhere else. Pictured left to right are the quebec maki, queen mary futo, and montréal maki. The quebec is similar to a Philadelphia roll (with the cream cheese), and the queen mary was great with the tempura and pineapple. The montréal one with mint, tuna, and mango was great the last time I ordered it. However, the mango was a little too hard this time for my tastes.

Overall, I definitely recommend Migoto. And don't forget to go treat yourselves after you finish your assignments/work!

• Type: Splurge
• Price: $30.80 after taxes and tip
• Payment methods: Credit for sure
• Diet: Seafood and vegetarian
• Wheelchair-accessible: No, unfortunately.
• Service: Free delivery in Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce. Or order online one hour in advance and pick it up there.
• Nearest metro: Snowdon