Montreal Gazette

NEW VIBE FEELS RIGHT

Late chef’s recipes live on at Hà

- LESLEY CHESTERMAN You can hear Lesley Chesterman on ICI Radio-Canada Première’s Médium Large (95.1 FM) Tuesdays at 10 a.m. and on CHOM (97.7 FM) Wednesdays at 7:10 a.m. criticsnot­ebook@gmail.com Twitter: LesleyChes­trman

There is an added dimension to the restaurant experience that rarely makes it into a restaurant review. And that’s because it rarely happens. What I’m referring to is a sensation where a restaurant feels just right, from the moment you take your seat to the second you leave it. Call it deep welcome. I’ve felt it at maybe a handful of restaurant­s over the years, and the one that comes to mind first is one I’ve never even reviewed: Hà.

Located on Mont-Royal Ave. in the former Souvenirs d’Indochine space on the corner of Jeanne Mance St., this hip Vietnamese restaurant was reviewed in the casual column here by Sarah Musgrave, who praised the kitchen for “reworking street food concepts for a modern Montreal crowd.” Musgrave also chose Hà as one of the top tables of 2014, lauding Chef Hong Hà Nguyen’s food, the decor, the cocktails and the “eatclub” ambience.

I like her idea of “eat-club,” which is like the casual version of the popular ’90s supper club. But despite the branché setting and cool cast of customers, Hà never felt in any way pretentiou­s. I take my parents, I take my kids, I take friends, and everyone loves it. In the end, the true test of a restaurant is not only food, but how comfortabl­e you feel in the setting.

Sad news concerning the restaurant hit hard in 2015 when beloved Chef Nguyen passed away at the age of 62. Born in Vietnam, Nguyen immigrated to Quebec in the 1980s. Before opening Hà with partners chef Ross Louangsign­otha as well as Nicolas Urli, Flore-Anne Ducharme and Francisco Randez, Nguyen worked at Pho Viêt, Escale à Saigon and Les Bridés. His fans were many, and as is always the case with any such occurrence, many feared for the future of the restaurant. Yet Hà carries on strong with Nguyen’s recipes and a solicitous staff made up of a cast of bright young servers.

I can only imagine how happy Mr. Hà would be to see his restaurant open a second location, which is exactly what happened when the partners launched a new Hà in Old Montreal in June. Situated in the former space of restaurant l’Appartemen­t near the restaurant-heavy strip of McGill St., the new Hà is larger and swankier than the first, with a multi-level room, a 40-seat terrasse and a cool nouveau Indochine look by designerdu-moment Amlyne Philips. I booked a table for five on a steamy Saturday night and made my way to Old Montreal, eager to partake in Hà II.

Philips has created a beautiful space with the bar as a focal point (another bar, Nhâu Bar, is slated to open in the basement) as well as a series of bamboo panels near the entrancewa­y, delicate light fixtures, murals of rice paddies, wicker chairs and black banquettes. There are details, such as the exposed brick walls, reminiscen­t of the original space, but accents, including the many potted plants — Philips’s signature — give this Hà its own vibe. Whereas I always get the impression the Mont-Royal Hà is filled with regulars, the cast at this Hà felt younger and more tourist-based, but of course, that’s Old Montreal.

Beginning with drinks, the cocktail lineup is hard to pass up, so we tried a few, my favourite being the bourbon-laced Saigon Sour, sipped alongside a bowl of spicy edamame beans. As for the wine list, it’s short and Vietnamese-food friendly, with beer, sake and bubble options as well. I wish the prices weren’t so steep, though. Our $59 Tawse Riesling retails for $20 at the SAQ and there isn’t a single red under $50, but budget diners could always opt for beer, a favourite with southeast Asian cuisine.

As for the menu, there are classic Hà dishes as well as new creations. I’m going to start straight out by stating that I have an absolute weakness for both Thai and Vietnamese food and would happily eat either any night of the week, so I’m a bit of an easy sell. But what I like best about Hà’s food is the presentati­on, the quality of ingredient­s, and the vibrancy of flavour. No, it’s not always perfect, as in plates marked spicy could often be spicier, some dishes lack finesse, and there’s a sweetness that overwhelms at times instead of taking part in a balance of flavours. But be it on a first date or with a group of friends, a night at Hà’s table is a treat.

If you’re up to it, start with a soup, especially the dinnertime large bowl of coconut shrimp soup, enhanced with napa cabbage and vermicelli, which has the most wonderful sour lime/ Thai basil/rich coconut milk flavour.

I think it’s next to impossible to eat here without trying Mr. Ha’s imperial rolls. Available in pork or vegetarian versions and designed to be wrapped in lettuce and dipped in the accompanyi­ng sauce, the rolls are densely filled, super crisp and in no way greasy. Love.

Chef Ross’s spicy glazed chicken wings are another must, not only because they are succulent, but the sweet/spicy/sour/fruity flavour play works like a charm. Of the appetizers sampled, only the rice chip-topped spicy papaya salad fell flat, not because the compositio­n didn’t work but because the flavours were played too subtle.

Though most of the starters were a hit, the next round of larger dishes came up a tad short, starting with two classic Hà favourites: the pad Thaï and the coconut salmon. The pad Thaï included a generous portion of crisp shrimp and cubes of braised pork with noodles, bean sprouts, red pepper, cilantro and peanuts resulting in a tangle of fun textures. But the overall taste was quite subdued, making it the last dish to be finished on the table. The classic coconut salmon was good but cloying, as the fish was just this side of undercooke­d. I like salmon a bit on the rare side, but this filet was closer to raw, and raw salmon is mushy.

The grilled beef with satay sauce was a better choice, as the strips of meat were cooked rare, served with a spicy peanut sauce and topped with the most delicious fried broccoli. Intertwine­d with radish slices and cucumber ribbons, the crispy broccoli was also the vegetable dish of the night, and when it’s available, jump — because those slightly sweet, battered broccoli florets are addictive.

As for dessert, the coconut tapioca gets my vote over the dessert of the day, which was dominated by this odd dry chocolate cake. But that tapioca is divine, with different ice cream toppings (I’ve seen green tea, but mine was black sesame), as well as diced strawberry or mango and caramelize­d peanuts. Yum!

So much of what I love about eating at either Hà restaurant is the opportunit­y to enjoy this vibrant cuisine in such a cool setting. But as always, with cool settings come a few drawbacks, like a dark room and a lot of noise. If the Mont-Royal Hà has an “eat-club” vibe, the Old Montreal Hà has more of a supper-club vibe. So it’s up to you to choose your location because although the atmosphere is quite different at each, you’ll end up with more or less the same culinary experience at both. If I had it my way, there would be even more Hàs to choose from.

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 ?? PHOTOS: DAVE SIDAWAY ?? The second location of Restaurant Hà features a multi-level room, 40-seat terrasse and a cool nouveau Indochine look by designer Amlyne Philips.
PHOTOS: DAVE SIDAWAY The second location of Restaurant Hà features a multi-level room, 40-seat terrasse and a cool nouveau Indochine look by designer Amlyne Philips.
 ??  ?? Chef Ross’s succulent spicy glazed chicken wings feature a sweet/spicy/ sour/fruity flavour play that works like a charm.
Chef Ross’s succulent spicy glazed chicken wings feature a sweet/spicy/ sour/fruity flavour play that works like a charm.
 ??  ?? Restaurant Hà’s pad Thaï includes a generous portion of crisp shrimp and cubes of braised pork shoulder in a tangle of fun textures.
Restaurant Hà’s pad Thaï includes a generous portion of crisp shrimp and cubes of braised pork shoulder in a tangle of fun textures.
 ??  ?? Restaurant Hà’s imperial rolls are a must-try: fried rice-paper pork (or vegetarian) rolls, fresh lettuce and mint, and pickled vegetables.
Restaurant Hà’s imperial rolls are a must-try: fried rice-paper pork (or vegetarian) rolls, fresh lettuce and mint, and pickled vegetables.
 ??  ?? Tapioca pearls, coconut milk, fresh fruits and caramelize­d peanuts are served with a scoop of black sesame ice cream.
Tapioca pearls, coconut milk, fresh fruits and caramelize­d peanuts are served with a scoop of black sesame ice cream.

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