I want to really love this place. First because I have an emotional tie to it and lastly because I want to see young people make a go of it.
We come yearly for the F1 and spend a week to enjoy all that Montreal has to offer. I've been coming to China Town since 1997 first for my love of Dim Sum and second for the clothing and shoes which I find eclectic to the western ways and for the inexpensive cost of it all (this not so much anymore in costs but I digress).
On one of my trips to a small, no tiny clothing/shoe shop That i frequented yearly, i was asked by the owner to walk with him to his new shop. It did seem like we were being taken astray but with my husband by my side I gave it a shot. We left the pedway streets and moved to st-Laurent street and I was pleasantly surprised by the great shop he had there and have been coming back every year since. Now you might ask how this relates...well while in the store one day/year I was asked to please try their new restaurant just next door and up the stairs. I took their card and we came back that weekend. We really did like it and try to go every year.
Out of habit we were there again this year and it was not great; just good but barely. Granted I keep ordering chicken wings as an appetizer if I see it. It should not matter that it's not their speciality; if they have it on the menu then it should be good.
i had to ask where the wings were since my husband's Goyza came and some minutes later nothing for me. They said they were making sure it was cooked thru. Cool but.... His main meal came and a few minutes later my wings. Ok they were not good. They were so heavily battered and obviously the oil was not clean. Before I finished one wing my main meal came. Ok not good. I asked for them to be put in a takeout container and they were very obliging even including the sauce (nice). Then the mains. He had the volcano ramen which was not too bad and I tried it and agreed; a bit blnd for volcano but not bad. Then mine; the midi ramen soup. So very very bland. I left more than half behind.
I'm sad to say that this is not the place I remember and I hope that this was a one off and that they return to what they first were about.