PLATEAU / ROSEMONT
Pasthyme / An Choi Plaza
This is the unexpected story of Michelle Vo, a West Island dentistry administrator turned ambassador for Vietnamese home cooking, turned first-time restaurateur — all in the middle of the pandemic, no less. Her potent (read tonguesingeing, sweat-inducing) chili oil became a cult product of the first wave and was the point of introduction for many, myself included, to her weekly noodle specials that ran as a ghost kitchen out of La Bêtise in Rosemont. Rarely seen dishes like Bún m m (a type of Vietnamese gumbo made with fermented fish) and Bo Kho (a homely braised beef
stew) are regular fixtures. Stay tuned for Vo’s upcoming brick and mortar restaurant An Choi Plaza, which is slated to open sometime in 2022. For now, her weekly offering can be ordered in advance at anchoiplaza.com. (CS)
(6553 St-Hubert)
Le Super Qualité
An Indian snack bar courtesy of Guillaume Lozeau, Étienne Clément and Jennifer Zachanawich. The tongue-in-cheek name (a jab at the often bombastic marketing style pervasive in India) is all about Indian street food. While there’s no shortage of great North Indian restaurants
(and a slowly developing South Indian scene, too) only a tiny fraction of the subcontinent’s culinary offerings are available in town. Le Super Qualité makes some of the most popular dishes in India accessible to Montrealers. Perhaps best known for their tiffin specials (a stacking set of metal dishware akin to a lunch box), you really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. An excellent choice for vegetarians and one of the best cups of chai in town. (CS)
(1211 Bélanger)
Pichai
After much speculation and a lot of waiting, Pumpui principals Jesse Massumi and Jesse Mulder were able to open their long-awaited second restaurant, Pumpui, in
2021. Adding two new partners (including a third Jesse, Jesse Grasso) Pichai is all about communal eating, regional dishes and expanding the scope of Thai cooking in Montreal. Its colourful dining room is joyful and festive and the food is utterly delicious. There aren’t many old standbys on the menu, but don’t fret — you’re in for one of the best meals in the country. (CS)
(5985 St-Hubert)
Barranco
The food (by former Tiradito executive chef Daniel Silva), murals (by tattoo artist Gabriel Urban) and music at this Peruvian fusion restaurant are meant to evoke the lively, colourful seaside establishments of the Lima neighbourhood that the restaurant borrowed its name from. Founded by three Peruvian Montrealers, Barranco specializes in mahi-mahi ceviche and chicharrón tacos and sandwiches, with loads of burgers and sides of the fried or featherweight variety. And they’ve just added a very promising arroz con mariscos (seafood rice) to their menu. The exotic cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks are also fantastic. Drinkers would be advised to try the Mariachi en Lima, while the chicha morada is a good bet for your kids or AA/dry February buds. (LC)
(4552 St-Denis)