Best Chinese in NDG

[williej]

We have a family coming to visit and we want to take them to a not too expensive Chinese restaurant in NDG. Any ideas?

[porker]

Although I haven't been in many many many years, Tchang Kiang readily comes to mind and seems to be an NDG institution.

[kpzoo]

Oh well, my post from yesterday got deleted for some reason. I would avoid Tchang Kiang and try Asean Garden - they have an all-you-can eat menu if your gang is into that: http://www.aseangarden.ca/ I know some here aren't crazy about it, but I've never had anything bad there. It's not spectacular Chinese food, but it's the best I've had in NDG. I particularlly like their black-bean chicken, Szechuan pan fried noodles and sticky rice in lotus leaf.

Mediocre: Caveau Szechuan (Monkland & Hampton) & Village Szechuan (Decarie & Monkland)

[Mr F]

I had a couple of memorably bad dishes at Asean:

The beef (or chicken, can't remember) with Szechuan peppercorn -- a bland, bland, bland affair without perceptible a trace of the star ingredient;

And the peanut-sauce dumplings (but then again I've come to expect these to be abysmal everywhere and have finally given up).

Most everything else was pretty boring. OK in a traditional Canadianized Chinese way.

Also found the all-you-can eat deal to be a very bad deal. Unless you really pig out, there's little chance of getting your money's worth. For most average appetites, it would make more sense to order the same or lower $ value à la carte and have the option of taking away any leftovers.

[Mr F]

I confess I've yet to try the place discussed in the following thread, but it sounds head and shoulders above anything else in NDG:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/586934

The address isn't mentioned in the thread, but if I'm not mistaken it's Le Pavillon Ming @ 5255 Queen Mary

Another option would be to hop on the metro and head to Chinatown or Chinatown 2 (vicinity of Guy-Concordia metro).

[kpzoo]

Oh yes, I'm so glad you mentioned that place - I've been meaning to try it too, completely forgot about it! Not quite NDG, but super close. If anyone's been more recently, have they translated the "good" menu into English yet?

[eshultzy]

Maison Cheung Mei is on queen mary and delivers to NDG, they have great dinners, good prices and the food in my opinon is some of the best cantonese chinese ive had in MTL, unless u want a more gourmet szchewan experience, if that is the case village de szchewan on decarie might appeal to you more

[kpzoo]

"unless u want a more gourmet szchewan experience, if that is the case village de szchewan on decarie might appeal to you more"

I must say Village Szechuan is some of the blandest, most Westernized Szechuan cuisine I've ever had - I can't eat it any more... I'd hardly call it gourmet!

[eat2much]

Village Szechuan is indeed pretty mediocre. If you "want a more gourmet szechuan experience", Hot & Spicy delivers to much of NDG and just a little further north on Decarie is Mahjong which is somewhat uneven.

[eshultzy]

I personally dont care for Village de Szechuan but it isfact a tad higher end than the more junkier chinese genre hotspots like kam shing and VIP (just saying). But in all honesty I cannot stand hot n spicy, the service, the food, the price, i dont like anything about it and i have not tried Mahjong but i here it wont last because it too is overpriced for what it is serving, most reviews have been awful if not simply mediocre...

[moh]

I recently ate at Chung Mei because I have tracked down Ming, he has been working there for the last month. Some of you may recall my love of his food, he is a master fryer and a master of heat. He fries food perfectly, and is able to produce delectable wok hai.

We had lunch, and he is still a fabulous cook. The egg rolls are really nothing special, the filling is typically cabbage heavy. But I could tell he had fried them, as they were perfectly fried, and his fine touch made these egg rolls something really special. Crispy, not at all greasy, they got wolfed down in seconds, and I could have eaten many more. His chow mein had lovely wok hai, and it was a pleasure eating this dish again. But I feel he is being held down by some of the recipes at this place. The eggplant Yu Hsing was gloppy and disappointing, the sauce is heavy handed and lacks complexity. Similarly, the spare ribs in szechuan sauce was gloopy and heavy-handed. The spare ribs were beautifully crispy and fried, but they were overwhelmed by the szechuan sauce. I tried to scrape off the sauce and appreciate the beautiful fry job.

I will be returning again, and picking my dishes carefully. I suspect the Cantonese dishes are the way to go, as I think there is less chance of overly gloppy sauces. Also, a dish called crispy fried duck sounds very promising, as this is likely a dish that will highlight his remarkable skills. I think it is worth returning for the egg rolls and chow mein alone. I remain hopeful. I would really love to ask him to cook whatever he wants for my dinner, as I have always enjoyed the meals he has presented.

[yeggy]

I've heard good things about Chez Liang (5397 Cote st-Luc rd). I personally like Faye Wong (7016 Cote st-Luc Rd (across from the shopping centre). Also Peking Garden on Queen Mary but it's not cheap. Good luck!!

[InterFoodie]

I have been several times to the restaurant mentioned above at Cote St Luc Rd near Decarie.
The food is very good and reasonable and they will spice it up if requested.

I have been three times to Mahjong, never my choice.
The best thing I can say about the food is its terrible and the service matches the food.
The type of place that makes you feel like you wasted your time, appetite and money!

[BLM]

What have you tried at Mahjong? Eaten there 3 times. I found their prices very expensive, & didn't like most of the dishes I've tried. But I've tasted much worse Chinese food in Montreal(I've focused at Mahjong, the Ruby Foo's dishes & other traditional Canadian-Chinese dishes). Their menu is not strictly Canadian-Chinese food. Where's is it better for Canadian-Chinese food in Montreal than Mahjong?

[causeimhungry]

Craving some Chinese for dinner tonight but I'm not very familiar with the Chinese restaurants in my area. I live near Sherbrooke and Decarie and I was looking for a place that isn't overly expensive and delivers. We usually get from Tao on Victoria but I was hoping for something better. Does anyone have more recent recommendations?
Thanks!

[BarackHObama]

peking gardens on queen mary is reliable

[jarschef]

try fay wong. they deliver and its really good. its my go to place when i don't feel like driving to pick up kam shing.

[J1836]

Bumping up this thread...

Any new (or improved) spots in the NDG/CSL area?

[Arktik]

Nope.

NDG is the black hole of good restaurants (and coffee)...odd since there is so much money + yuppies in the neighbourhood....

[TheSnowpea]

Speaking of coffee, I have yet to try the Italian Pantry's (on Monkland) new coffee & pastries section, but they kept the Wild Beans coffee roasting machine when they took over that space, so I'm assuming they are selling coffee beans. Has someone given them a try?

[kpzoo]

I had a cappuccino that was very good and my companion had an espresso that he said was also quite good, but we had just been to Olive & Gourmando the day before and he preferred the O&G. Haven't tried the beans.