The discussion for a new Sichuan restaurant between Gu Nan and his business partners led to an immediate debate on location. Brossard, the West Island, Laval, or Downtown? Chinatown wasn’t really on the table.

“Most of my partners wanted to be in Brossard, since we all live there. The rent is less expensive and there are lots of Chinese restaurants already,” says Gu. “But I told them no: Downtown. It’s central, and everyone can get there.”

Gu got his way, and his corner of downtown—Bishop Street and Sainte-Catherine—is busier than ever. Hours-long lineups welcomed Flamme du Sichuan when it opened in October last year. The wait has settled since then, but enthusiasm is still going strong for La Flamme’s la zi ji–mounds of bite-sized deep fried chicken tossed with numbing Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilis—and their suan tang yu, a sour and hot fish soup served in a brightly painted enamel bowl.

The strip between Guy and Atwater on Ste-Catherine West features over 200 businesses. Officially part of Shaughnessy Village, over three-quarters are food-related, dominated by Chinese, Korean, and Japanese cuisines. The larger international student population attending Concordia, McGill, Dawson, and LaSalle College who live and study there have made the neighbourhood a destination for dining: dumplings, sushi, ramen, galbi, hotpot, and personalized malatang soup pots are all found here.

Whether people call it 'the new Chinatown’ or ‘Chinatown West', or simply view the area as a continuation of Saint-Laurent Boulevard and de la Gauchetière, Shaughnessy Village represents a new generation of arrivals. Students from Beijing in the north, Shanghai in the east, Chongqing in the west, and other Chinese cities and provinces dominate here, rather than the southern Chinese roots of Chinatown.

“We want to open more restaurants here,” says Gu, originally from the Chinese port city of Dalian, in the country's northeast. He and his partners also own Maison Bao, a street-level noodle and baozi shop located in a condo tower, as well as two sushi shops around the corner, K2 Bistro and Manga Bistro. Gu is a downtown booster, and wouldn’t have it any other way. “I think downtown is a good place,” he says. “Besides, a downtown with no people isn’t a downtown.” 

The discussion for a new Sichuan restaurant between Gu Nan and his business partners led to an immediate debate on location. Brossard, the West Island, Laval, or Downtown? Chinatown wasn’t really on the table.

“Most of my partners wanted to be in Brossard, since we all live there. The rent is less expensive and there are lots of Chinese restaurants already,” says Gu. “But I told them no: Downtown. It’s central, and everyone can get there.”

Gu got his way, and his corner of downtown—Bishop Street and Sainte-Catherine—is busier than ever. Hours-long lineups welcomed Flamme du Sichuan when it opened in October last year. The wait has settled since then, but enthusiasm is still going strong for La Flamme’s la zi ji–mounds of bite-sized deep fried chicken tossed with numbing Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilis—and their suan tang yu, a sour and hot fish soup served in a brightly painted enamel bowl.

The strip between Guy and Atwater on Ste-Catherine West features over 200 businesses. Officially part of Shaughnessy Village, over three-quarters are food-related, dominated by Chinese, Korean, and Japanese cuisines. The larger international student population attending Concordia, McGill, Dawson, and LaSalle College who live and study there have made the neighbourhood a destination for dining: dumplings, sushi, ramen, galbi, hotpot, and personalized malatang soup pots are all found here.

Whether people call it 'the new Chinatown’ or ‘Chinatown West', or simply view the area as a continuation of Saint-Laurent Boulevard and de la Gauchetière, Shaughnessy Village represents a new generation of arrivals. Students from Beijing in the north, Shanghai in the east, Chongqing in the west, and other Chinese cities and provinces dominate here, rather than the southern Chinese roots of Chinatown.

“We want to open more restaurants here,” says Gu, originally from the Chinese port city of Dalian, in the country's northeast. He and his partners also own Maison Bao, a street-level noodle and baozi shop located in a condo tower, as well as two sushi shops around the corner, K2 Bistro and Manga Bistro. Gu is a downtown booster, and wouldn’t have it any other way. “I think downtown is a good place,” he says. “Besides, a downtown with no people isn’t a downtown.” 

The discussion for a new Sichuan restaurant between Gu Nan and his business partners led to an immediate debate on location. Brossard, the West Island, Laval, or Downtown? Chinatown wasn’t really on the table.

“Most of my partners wanted to be in Brossard, since we all live there. The rent is less expensive and there are lots of Chinese restaurants already,” says Gu. “But I told them no: Downtown. It’s central, and everyone can get there.”

Gu got his way, and his corner of downtown—Bishop Street and Sainte-Catherine—is busier than ever. Hours-long lineups welcomed Flamme du Sichuan when it opened in October last year. The wait has settled since then, but enthusiasm is still going strong for La Flamme’s la zi ji–mounds of bite-sized deep fried chicken tossed with numbing Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilis—and their suan tang yu, a sour and hot fish soup served in a brightly painted enamel bowl.

The discussion for a new Sichuan restaurant between Gu Nan and his business partners led to an immediate debate on location. Brossard, the West Island, Laval, or Downtown? Chinatown wasn’t really on the table.

“Most of my partners wanted to be in Brossard, since we all live there. The rent is less expensive and there are lots of Chinese restaurants already,” says Gu. “But I told them no: Downtown. It’s central, and everyone can get there.”

Gu got his way, and his corner of downtown—Bishop Street and Sainte-Catherine—is busier than ever. Hours-long lineups welcomed Flamme du Sichuan when it opened in October last year. The wait has settled since then, but enthusiasm is still going strong for La Flamme’s la zi ji–mounds of bite-sized deep fried chicken tossed with numbing Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilis—and their suan tang yu, a sour and hot fish soup served in a brightly painted enamel bowl.