There is a special charm about eating out on a slow evening in Montreal. More often you end up chatting with the owners. This was one of those evenings. Sunday afternoon drinks led to late night dinner. As we stumble into Ruby Burma we were greeted by a pleasant Burmese lady, who also happens to be the owner.
Despite my friends unintentional efforts to insult the owner, she kept a calm demeanor and explained that my friend could replace chicken with tofu if requested (Good News Vegetarians!)
This was my second visit, the last time I can confirm they know how to pack heat in the food. This time I was intrigued by "Dan Pauk" or as the owner explained to me, a "Burmese Biryani". Now the Biryani is a very complicated dish to make, everybody has their unique twist to it. Some people can go simple or some people can complicate the dish with lots of flavour and saturated fat. Here I was pleasantly surprised it wasn't the standard "lets bombard it with heat so you cannot taste the flavor" Biryani that Montreal is cursed with. The sweetness came from fried onions (which are caramelised at this point) and a helping of assorted nuts (Bad news Allergetic people!). Also the accompanying cucumber "salad" mixed with the Dan Pauk is an excellent dash of complexity to the experience.
If you ever get a chance to talk with the owner for a longer period, ask her about her life, travelling the world with her husband. Sometimes restaurant raconteurs will surprise you!