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PLATEAU — After opening in Brossard in 2019, Toronto noodle soup purveyor Ramen Isshin has debuted a second Quebec location — this one on the Plateau. Located on Mont-Royal, by De la Roche Street, the ramen chain calls its spicy red miso ramen, made with sake and tonkotsu broth, its signature item. Otherwise, it also offers tsukemen ramen, where noodles are served dry, with a bowl of broth to dip them in, and tan tan noodles, darkened with black sesame. Founded in 2013, Ramen Isshin is the handiwork of Japanese-born chef Koji Zenimaru.
Ramen Isshin’s new location, at 1217 Mont-Royal Avenue East, is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
SHAUGHNESSY VILLAGE — Concordia students get yet another nearby food option this month. Wonton Express, located under Indian restaurant Bhandari on De Maisonneuve, serves (as per Uber Eats) wontons in soup or red chili oil and shumai, pork-filled, open-top dumplings.
Wonton Express is located at 1668A Boulevard de Maisonneuve West.
LITTLE ITALY — As of February 25, there’s a new arrival on Beaubien Street East. Vino Rama is primarily a wine shop — backed by the owner of private import agency Glou — but Tastet reports that snacks, including scones and gougères (a cheesy, savoury choux pastry), are for sale and that customers can uncork a bottle on the spot and enjoy it at one of a dozen seats. Vino Rama takes over the space previously belonging to wine bar Cul-Sec, which closed in October 2021.
Vino Rama is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday at 29 Beaubien Street East.
VILLAGE — The folks behind Quartier des Spectacles cocktail bar Taverne Midway debuted a new drink spot this month. Read about Taverne Marion here.
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LA PETITE-PATRIE — After debuting a casual neighbourhood wine bar on Beaubien Street in summer 2020, the team behind Bar Mamie is now taking over an adjacent space with a hybrid wine shop and snacking spot called La Cave de Mamie. According to Tastet, the new business opened on February 2, and unlike Bar Mamie, which prioritizes affordability, it is aiming for breadth in selection. Bottles can be purchased to go, along with charcuterie and cheese, or uncorked and consumed on-site at one of its reclaimed wine barrel tables, along with some tapas, including marinated mussels and chimichurri potatoes. La Cave de Mamie replaces Vietnamese counter Dat Aliis, which opened in November 2020 and closed roughly one year later.
La Cave de Mamie is open Monday to Friday, from 12 to 10 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., at 322 Beaubien Street East.
PLATEAU — Family-run grocery store and food counter Teochew Foodie opened a second location, on St-Denis Street, between Roy and Duluth, on February 11. The outfit sells frozen and ready-to-eat dishes, including wontons, rice noodle rolls, braised duck, and several dim sum specialties (via a collaboration with Chinatown restaurant Kim Fung). Owners Zhezhen (Chanel) Dai, Alexandre Rougerie-Durocher, and Dai’s parents, Qiu Sheng and Ying, opened Teochew Foodie, spotlighting southern Chinese cooking, in St-Henri, in November 2020, after running the venture online for six months.
Teochew Foodie’s new location is open Tuesday to Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday to Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at 3964A St-Denis Street.
VILLAGE — An avocado-everything pop-up has landed on Ste-Catherine Street. Read about Avo Montreal here.
ST-HENRI — The storefront that once belonged to Polish restaurant Cafe Baba Yaga has been taken over by a new food spot leaning into fusion territory. La Toile opened on February 5 and seems to interweave Italian and Mexican influences. There’s an al pastor pizza with salsa verde and pineapple and an enchilada one with chicken, cilantro, and sour cream. Otherwise, there are some standard pies, plus appetizers ranging from grouper ceviche to a trio of Italian-style meatballs.
La Toile is open Monday to Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday to Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., at 3279 St-Jacques.
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DOWNTOWN — Montreal’s Eaton Centre food hall Time Out Market has welcomed yet another new concessioner: Mezzmiz, a Lebanese counter serving muhammara dip, fattoush salad, falafels, lentil pomegranate stew, filet mignon shawarma, and more. Montrealers may recognize the outfit’s name as a ghost kitchen operating out of Ville St-Laurent’s Q-ZN. According to Time Out, owners Rony Zibara and Nadim Hammoud were in the process of establishing a brick-and-mortar inspired by the Beirut dining scene when the pandemic hit, forcing them to rethink those plans.
Mezzmiz is open Monday to Wednesday, from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday and Friday, from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, from 12 to 8 p.m., and Sunday, from 12 to 6 p.m., at Time Out Market Montreal (705 Ste-Catherine Street West).
MILE EX — Owners of St-Henri Vietnamese restaurant Tran Cantine have opened a new takeout counter and small grocery store in Mile-Ex. Read more about Tran L’Épicerie here.
OLD MONTREAL — A new wine and oyster bar slinging Roman al taglio pizza has touched down on Marguerite-D’Youville Street. Read more about Pubjelly here.
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