654370 Wed Sep 23 07:38:19 -0700 2009 15 22 Quebec (including Montreal) 0 5051730 What do you recommend for the best Chinese mooncakes available in Montreal? Wed Sep 23 07:38:19 -0700 2009 11610 BLM 1 5053442 The best "boxed" mooncake would be Wing Wah, shipped from Hong Kong -- but be ready to pay $35-$40 per box of 4. I find 1 egg yolk is sufficient. If you want to try local mooncakes, Harmonie in Chinatown (de la gauchetiere, corner St-Urbain) is also my first choice. Only $4 for one .. very affordable I find. Wed Sep 23 16:03:43 -0700 2009 5051730 281227 Yummylicious 2 5053553 I got the Harmonie mooncake, but I haven't tried it yet. Wed Sep 23 16:49:55 -0700 2009 5053442 11610 BLM 2 5061978 Wing Wah is *the* moon cake brand in Hong Kong - I used to live there, and those were the ones that were always sold out. Very traditional. Marche Hawaii probably has a whole selection now too because October's around the Mid Autumn moon festival for us Chinese :) Sun Sep 27 11:44:32 -0700 2009 5053442 1109690 caramielle 3 5063336 Since starting the thread, I've been told the best mooncake available is the Mei-Xin mooncakes(this is the Maxim mooncake from Hong Kong). They're expensive. Mon Sep 28 05:38:32 -0700 2009 5061978 11610 BLM 1 5054224 Anyone know how the Costco ones' compare? Wed Sep 23 22:24:12 -0700 2009 5051730 225116 MikeyMadness 2 5055651 Costco ones, has been discussed on the Toronto section of this board. Thu Sep 24 12:14:28 -0700 2009 5054224 11610 BLM 1 5054580 Thank you so much for this thread. I had been craving them and didn't know where to go. Now I get to introduce my husband to these little gems. :) Thu Sep 24 06:32:57 -0700 2009 5051730 212568 amelie1980 1 5075325 This may be in an entirely different league, but someone was selling mooncakes at the Chinese Lantern display in the Botanical Garden. Perhaps just because of the ideal opportunity and setting and hot green tea amidest chilly surrounds, but those were just the most delicious mooncakes I've ever had (not that my experience is vast) ... I loved them! I don't know whether the cart vendor is there always or, say, on weekend nights only? We were there a couple Saturdays ago. Still, even if they're not primo the setting might make it all OK for you too? Fri Oct 02 14:54:44 -0700 2009 5051730 67879 aliris 2 5076591 I went on a historical tour of chinatown and the guest tourguide an expert from the community took us at end of tour at my request to a grocery store on clark (right side) just below la gauchetiere, tins of mooncakes were stacked up in front of store with gift bags all going for $10 for 4 cakes in each tin and they were selling like hotcakes didnt even have to line up inside at cashier as someone outside was taking cash. I cannot vouch for quality as I havent opened the tin. He also recommended for dim sum the restaurant just next to this grocery store so will give that a try another time. Never really tried out the places on this lower sidestreet but they were busy Sat Oct 03 11:30:13 -0700 2009 5075325 39407 wilmagrace 3 5078045 too bad it is late too edit, opened up the mooncakes and they looked delicious and attractively arranged in tray, expiry date in november but they went into the garbage when i saw in each plastic wrapped cake was a preservative envelope marked : preservative, do not eat. It was not in outer portion of wrappings. So chucked it all....these ones were beautifully presented in decorative red tin from hong kong Sun Oct 04 09:03:48 -0700 2009 5076591 39407 wilmagrace 4 5078103 Silica gel is not toxic. That's why it's used in food packaging. Those packets are found in all kinds of packaged foods from Asia. Especially in things that need to stay crispy like chips and crackers. It can be an irritant, but only if you actually ate the stuff which is why there's a warning on the packet. There's no reason not to eat something that's been in contact with the packet. Sun Oct 04 09:38:12 -0700 2009 5078045 18488 SnackHappy 5 5083514 i believe the reason why it's package like that is to absorb the humidity inside of the package. As long as it doesn't touch the food, it's safe to eat. Furthermore, the silica package is put under the PLASTIC container, so there is no direct contact with it. I'm sorry you had to chuck 4 perfectly eatable mooncakes Tue Oct 06 13:51:27 -0700 2009 5078103 180262 mak2k 6 5083964 it was inside the plastic wrapping of each individual mooncake which was the part that bothered me and yes one can say it is silica gel but who knows if it is pure, I would rather chuck and be safe but appreciate your comments - never having seen those packages in food items Tue Oct 06 16:47:48 -0700 2009 5083514 39407 wilmagrace 3 5083478 that brand of mooncakes is the only thing left ! you see it sold in unboxed versions in the grocery store on St-Laurent, next to the burned one. I call it the "blue neon grocery store". Tue Oct 06 13:21:40 -0700 2009 5076591 30876 marblebag 2 5105267 They have them every year - I ate them there for the last three years. These are the "cheap" moon cakes, they come from Ontaria (Mississauga) - they used to not be available in MTL, but now you can get them in Chinatown and at Kim Phat for example - 3 for 1.50 to 2.00 $. Thu Oct 15 09:27:09 -0700 2009 5075325 1088519 FortyMan