I haven't had Peking Duck in well over 10 years. It had completely slipped my mind as a dish I very much enjoy.
Can anybody recommend a good place to have Peking Duck in Montreal? Please? I don't think I'll last much longer...
Tao
374 Victoria Ave. , Westmount
Métro: Vendôme
Phone: 514.369.1122
Hours: Mon-Fri 11am-10pm; Sat & Sun noon-10pm
Credit cards: V, MC, Interac; Alcohol: all
Wheelchair access: no
Average table d'hôte : $13.95
Tao serves wonderful Chinese food in a lovely Westmount resto.
The menu is varied but the kitchen shines with Cantonese. The table d'hôte has 12 selections that include appetizers, main dish, rice, and dessert. The General Tao chicken is a particular pleasure and very popular. Other good bets include hot and sour soup with shiitake mushrooms, mu-shu chicken with hoisin sauce, scallops with ginger and garlic, orange ginger beef, eggplant with red chilli bean paste, and vegetarian tofu pot. They have Peking duck with mandarin pancakes if you want a special indulgence. Grilled salmon with black bean sauce is also terrific. Don't miss the King Tao chicken or the squid in salt and pepper. In fact, the only problem is too many good things! Portions are generous and presentation is aesthetically pleasing, with carved vegetables decorating the plates. Food is cooked fresh to order, and spiciness can be adjusted to taste. They serve Szechuan and Thai too, but go for the Cantonese. Complimentary almond cookies and honey-roasted almonds make a fine ending.
Tony Yung opened Tao in 1999. He grew up in the restaur-ant business; his family owns the Nanpic in Chinatown. He does some of the cooking, with three other chefs. Tony is very hands-on and it really makes a difference. He attends to all the little details that make dining a pleasure. Tao is nicely decorated and elegant, with white tablecloths and cloth napkins, but they still manage to keep the prices reasonable. This is a good kitchen and they are very accommodating so don't be shy. At Tao the food is great, prices are very reasonable, and it's charming too!
