Chu Chai

What started as an adventure in eating vegan quickly ended in a love story - meaning me, falling in love, with Chu Chai. I cannot begin to describe how fabulous this restaurant is, and being an incredibly dedicated steak lover (though also a strong believer in responsible husbandry), it's really a reflection on the artistry that happens in Chu Chai's kitchen. And obviously I am not in the minority when it comes to this restaurant, as over the 10 years that I have been going, it has consistently been busy, and even expanded to their more low-key and less expensive neighbor, Chuch. I almost don't even want to get into a specific review of the dishes, because I just want to urge anyone who will listen to go! Their 'duck' (yes, I said Duck, and no, you read correctly before - VEGAN restaurant) is fantastic - succulent, rich, and entirely not made from meat. And their Beef curries? Same thing - everything is what it should be (though I would say the texture is slightly off but really, who cares? It tastes great, and looks JUST like the real thing). My favorite though? It's the crispy basil - an amazing technique I dream of mastering, in which they cook the basil in a sweet sauce and it comes out perfectly crisp but entirely green, and not covered in anything. Absolutely fabulous.

4088 Rue St. Denis, Montreal 514-843-4194 www.chuchai.com