With three hundred square feet for 1.2 million visitors a year, the smallest room in the café brand's network signals a lot for where the industry's at.
Roaming pop-ups to brick-and-mortar shops alike are pairing global techniques with Quebec ingredients to keep the city’s most democratic food within reach.
With three hundred square feet for 1.2 million visitors a year, the smallest room in the café brand's network signals a lot for where the industry's at.
Roaming pop-ups to brick-and-mortar shops alike are pairing global techniques with Quebec ingredients to keep the city’s most democratic food within reach.
Set inside a former Mile End bakery, two Bouillon Bilk alumni are pairing French-influenced cooking with private import wines and a handcrafted dining room.
Carlos Ferreira built his Peel Street restaurant to represent a larger vision of Portugal. Three decades later, his daughters are helping carry that ambition into its next era.
Omar Zabuair lost everything when Le Coq de l'Est closed in 2022. Three years later, he ran a pop-up to find out if the food still works—and whether that's reason enough to try again.
Inside the kitchen at 9 Tail Fox, where Hanhak Kim’s team works beyond Montreal’s familiar Korean restaurant playbook. | Photography by Alison Slattery / @twofoodphotographers
Set inside a former Mile End bakery, two Bouillon Bilk alumni are pairing French-influenced cooking with private import wines and a handcrafted dining room.
Carlos Ferreira built his Peel Street restaurant to represent a larger vision of Portugal. Three decades later, his daughters are helping carry that ambition into its next era.
Omar Zabuair lost everything when Le Coq de l'Est closed in 2022. Three years later, he ran a pop-up to find out if the food still works—and whether that's reason enough to try again.
Inside the kitchen at 9 Tail Fox, where Hanhak Kim’s team works beyond Montreal’s familiar Korean restaurant playbook. | Photography by Alison Slattery / @twofoodphotographers
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Whenever non-Koreans ask a Korean where to find the best Korean restaurants in Montreal, a handful of names come up. But the conversation almost always leads to one of two answers: come to my mom’s house, or go to Toronto.
Why is that? Montreal has good Korean restaurants, but its scene still lives in the shadow of Toronto’s.
Korean restaurateurs Hanhak Kim, Joon Pyo Lee and Jin Pyo Lee have played a significant role in the growth of Montreal’s Korean restaurant scene. Joon Pyo and his brother Jin Pyo owned Ganadara Bar and are now behind their latest project at Royalmount, Ile Jeju. Hanhak is behind restaurants like Pony BBQ, 9 Tail Fox, and Hana Steakhouse.
All three watched Korean culture and cuisine grow in popularity in Montreal. Now, they are helping determine where the city’s Korean food scene goes next.
Different pastures
Language is a tricky subject in Quebec. Conversations can quickly veer into either an attack on French or a demonization of English. For minorities, the tension created by language politics is part of daily life.
“French is a big thing here. If you’re a talented entrepreneur but you don’t speak French, you can’t open a business here—but you can go to Toronto and start one,” Joon Pyo says.
Koreans often arrive in Montreal with some English proficiency, but learning a third language can be daunting. Many come as university students, only to move to another Canadian city after finishing their degrees.
“Back then, during the Ganadara Bar days, there were so many Koreans. But when they finished school, they left,” Hanhak recalls.
“Look at all of our friends, they moved to Toronto,” Joon Pyo adds.
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The Main is reader-supported. Subscriptions are what keep us independent. Five dollars a month — the restaurants, the guides, the weekly bulletin, and what to do each weekend. Support us today.
Whenever non-Koreans ask a Korean where to find the best Korean restaurants in Montreal, a handful of names come up. But the conversation almost always leads to one of two answers: come to my mom’s house, or go to Toronto.
Why is that? Montreal has good Korean restaurants, but its scene still lives in the shadow of Toronto’s.
Korean restaurateurs Hanhak Kim, Joon Pyo Lee and Jin Pyo Lee have played a significant role in the growth of Montreal’s Korean restaurant scene. Joon Pyo and his brother Jin Pyo owned Ganadara Bar and are now behind their latest project at Royalmount, Ile Jeju. Hanhak is behind restaurants like Pony BBQ, 9 Tail Fox, and Hana Steakhouse.
All three watched Korean culture and cuisine grow in popularity in Montreal. Now, they are helping determine where the city’s Korean food scene goes next.
Different pastures
Language is a tricky subject in Quebec. Conversations can quickly veer into either an attack on French or a demonization of English. For minorities, the tension created by language politics is part of daily life.
“French is a big thing here. If you’re a talented entrepreneur but you don’t speak French, you can’t open a business here—but you can go to Toronto and start one,” Joon Pyo says.
Koreans often arrive in Montreal with some English proficiency, but learning a third language can be daunting. Many come as university students, only to move to another Canadian city after finishing their degrees.
“Back then, during the Ganadara Bar days, there were so many Koreans. But when they finished school, they left,” Hanhak recalls.
“Look at all of our friends, they moved to Toronto,” Joon Pyo adds.
Comments
Welcome to The Main's comments section!
Share your thoughts and join the conversation. Please be respectful and constructive.
Whenever non-Koreans ask a Korean where to find the best Korean restaurants in Montreal, a handful of names come up. But the conversation almost always leads to one of two answers: come to my mom’s house, or go to Toronto.
Why is that? Montreal has good Korean restaurants, but its scene still lives in the shadow of Toronto’s.
Korean restaurateurs Hanhak Kim, Joon Pyo Lee and Jin Pyo Lee have played a significant role in the growth of Montreal’s Korean restaurant scene. Joon Pyo and his brother Jin Pyo owned Ganadara Bar and are now behind their latest project at Royalmount, Ile Jeju. Hanhak is behind restaurants like Pony BBQ, 9 Tail Fox, and Hana Steakhouse.
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Whenever non-Koreans ask a Korean where to find the best Korean restaurants in Montreal, a handful of names come up. But the conversation almost always leads to one of two answers: come to my mom’s house, or go to Toronto.
Why is that? Montreal has good Korean restaurants, but its scene still lives in the shadow of Toronto’s.
Korean restaurateurs Hanhak Kim, Joon Pyo Lee and Jin Pyo Lee have played a significant role in the growth of Montreal’s Korean restaurant scene. Joon Pyo and his brother Jin Pyo owned Ganadara Bar and are now behind their latest project at Royalmount, Ile Jeju. Hanhak is behind restaurants like Pony BBQ, 9 Tail Fox, and Hana Steakhouse.
Free account required
For readers who care about Montreal
Create a free account to read this story and access 3 articles per month, plus our weekly Bulletin.
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