They are ethnic Chinese from Vietnam I believe. The same people from Flushing's Nan Xian XLB, which they also own, are responsible for the XLB at this new annex in the shopping center. They transferred some of their staff for training purposes from what I understand. We stick to the same 5 or 6 items at Mekong and are almost always pleased.

The annex was a Chinese take out place and was then bought by Mekong a couple of years ago. It was boarded up and not used until renovations were completed a few weeks ago.

Went to the soft opening of Mekong's new NanXiang Xiao Long Bao- inspired place right here in the Duane Reade shopping center on Northern and 156th Street. Looks very promising. All our favorite Chinese cold dishes plus a great assortment of dim sum. Alas, no bahn mi as was the talk two years ago when the owner first got the spot and began renovations. So thrilled to have yet another yummy food spot from the " Danny Meyers" of the Flushing Chinese food world. This is the family that owns Corner 28, Nan Xiang, Canton Gourmet, Green Papaya, and Pho in downtown Flushing. Mekong, their NoFlo Viet spot in the shopping center has been a twice weekly quick lunch/ dinner spot for our family since it opened years ago. Thrilled the empire is growing. Great, people. Fresh, inexpensive food..

We've been getting those Boston pies from the get-go from all of my Asian clientele. They are definitely excellent. In fact when we closed on our newest home two years ago, the people we sold to brought us a Yeh's Boston pie.

In general, I prefer the confections at Sun Mary and Iris.

Bistro B and Bistro Boreale were recommended by almost all the locals we spoke to as well. Bistro B was on the Rue Cartier and the blackboard specials looked great. We had just enjoyed the Fairmont's awesome Easter Sunday Grande Brunch and were stuffed. Alas..

St. Amour, Toast, L' Affaire est Ketchup and Continental were heralded as Quebec's finest by all the foodies we consulted. Zero divergence. As well as the houskeeper, the concierge, and the large multi generational family from Quebec that sat next to us at the Easter Brunch. Continental in particular. People GUSHED about it. The Parisian who was visiting and our floor-mate said it was as good if not better than any of the meals he had enjoyed in his beloved Paris. All the food is cooked table side a flambe and meals take about 3 hours. That last part killed it for us because we had so many things we were trying to squeeze in.

Thought Les Cosmos SUCKED. Ugh. Reminded me of a chichi Cheesecake Factory. On the lovely Grande Allee though and perfect for an afterdinner stroll. We headed there after a long day of dogsledding, the cabane du sucre, Montmorency Falls and the Basilica Saint Anne de Beaupre. We were exhausted and needed a place to go for salads and pizza etc. The Thai salad was UGH. Fishy canned crab, boiled frozen shrimp, icy cold rice noodles that were too hard, and an overly oily dressing. Very uninspired. The place was jumping with all the Beautiful People and we welcomed the free wifi ;)

Favorite poutine was indeed at Ashton's. Dark rich gravy. The market in the Vieux Port was my favorite part of the trip apart from wandering the cobblestoned streets and dogsledding.

The Blouin Cabane du Sucre experience was a lot of fun. Hardly a tourist in sight. Hundreds of erable enthusiastic Canadians enjoying multi course basic almost commissary-style food ( ham, sausages, potatoes, pea soup) anointed with maple syrup whilst singing folk songs in French with an accordion playing master of ceremonies type. Definitely memorable. We did this after an awesome experience dog sledding at Mi-Loup.

In short, we had no extraordinary meals and this had much to do with us: tartare, foie gras, and sweetbreads were the most loved and recommended dishes at almost every establishment and we are not fans of any of these things. I also found vegetable and fresh salads to be sorely lacking.

Le Pain Beni was our fave meal. By far. Toast left me starving and annoyed. Aux Anciens Canadians ( I know, I know...tourist trap, but we had just landed and were desperate and basically walked into it after being told that Pain Beni was closed) was Meh although my son loved his escargots and meat pie. Le Cochon Dingue's poutine was not as good as Ashton's and the moules Provencal were flavorless. The sauce tasted raw. Le Hobbit and Le Billig would have been wonderful spots for bfast is we hadn't had our buffet included each day at the Fairmont. The markets and Epicerie J A Poisnan were fantastic. The macarons and sandwiches at Paillard were of the highest quality. Most things on the Ile D' Orleans were closed but we bought some fabulous cassis wine and some apple cidre at the local places there. I can imagine what a special place this is in the summer.

In all we loved the gorgeous city of Quebec. Just spectacular. Everyone was warm and accommodating and the architecture was stunning. I look forward to an encore in the not too distant future!

I am here and loving it! Real quick: all of the local foodies with whom I have spoken (young and old and quite a few) GUSH about a few places: Continental is their clear favorite for traditional French brasserie food. Many dishes prepared table side. Also Conti Cafe for upscale Italian, Toast's more casual sister, SSS, Bistro B, and Bistro Boreale. Cafe Le Hobbit is everyone's pick for breakfast/brunch. So far we have loved Pain beni best. toast was perfect in every way, for sure, but just didn't resonate with us. Not sure why. More when I return. Wifi is tough here ;)

Thank you all so much. We looked over a bunch of menus and apart from our cabane du sucre meal, the bistros that look most appealing are Toast, L' Affaire est Ketchup, and Le Pain Beni. Also some jaunts for Poutine, crepes at Billig, the markets, chocolates and nougat and chocolate dipped ice cream. Patriarche and Panache will have to wait for another time. Their menus looked lovely though. Easter Sunday we will do the Grand Buffet at the Fairmont. They tend to do a nice job. Something tells me I will not be short on good meals. Looking forward to exploring your beautiful city! Merci beaucoup.

Thank you for the feedback :) I will let you know how it goes. Will def skip the deli meats.

Pourvoirie du Lac Beauport : www.pourvoiriedulacbeauport.com
Sucrerie Blouin (Ile d'Orleans) : www.sucrerieblouin.com
L'Entailleur (Ile d'Orleans) : www.entailleur.com

The lovely concierge at our hotel sent me a link to these three when she realized that the ones I had been looking at were more than three hours away, closer to Montreal.

We will be in Quebec City over the Easter weekend with our nine year old son and though this would be an interesting thing to do.

Many Thanks in advance,
lisa

Thank you both so much. You are both the reason why Chowhound remains one of my favorite websites ever!

Diane, the excellent concierge at the Fairmont, heartily recommended the Ill D'Orleans and when I researched it a bit, I realized it would probably become my favorite part if the trip: the Gourmet Route. Oh My! I can not wait to check it out. She will recommend some sugar shacks there as well. I am thinking it is in all its glory in Spring and Summer, however I will take what I can get :)

Which markets are your favorites?

We will be in Quebec City over the Easter weekend. As we will be staying at the Fairmont and a full buffet breakfast is included, I am thinking that we would not want to eat again until about 4pm or so....is there anywhere that you would recommend for an excellent Easter early dinner?

Many Thanks in Advance,
lisa

Greetings, Canadian 'Hounds!

My husband, nine year old son, and I will be heading from NYC to your lovely city from Holy Thursday through Easter Monday. We will be staying at the Fairmont and are extremely excited about a long weekend of exploring the city and eating at what, after a bit of research on these very boards, seem to be some excellent bistros, bakeries, and restaurants.

We are thinking of renting a car for one day and checking out a Sugar Shack (even if the food is not spectacular, we think it would be an interesting experience). My son is on a mission to find the best poutine
(he loved it in Montreal a few years ago!) and deli meats.

We are interested most in experiences that are uniquely Quebecois or Canadian. Something we don't encounter in NYC where we eat ethnic foods- everything from Uzbekistani to Vietnamese- all the time. We are not particularly interested in very formal places, although at least one of our meals will probably be at a "fine" dining establishment. We would much prefer warm, cozy bistros.

I am told that most people will be happy to speak English with us. I speak fluent in Italian and Spanish, and even know a bit of Mandarin and Korean, but my French is awful. REALLY awful. I am hoping this will not be a problem. We are polite and friendly and hope this will earn us hospitality points ;)

We are mostly interested in lunches, dinners, and snacks as we were able to get the Fairmont's buffet breakfast worked into our room rate.

Merci in advance,
lisa

Places that are on on radar after a bit of research are:

Sugar Shack:

APDC or sucrerie Gallant, in Rigaud

Le Cafe de Clocher Penche

Bistro du Cap

Le Billig for crepes

Le Concorde on the top floor of the Lowes Hotel, just outside of the old city for cockails

L'Echaude

Boulangerie Paillard

Au Palet d'Or for pastries

Ashton for Poutine

panache or le patriacrhe ....too formal? Favor seems to be with Patriarche

Le Pain Beni

Aux Anciens Canadiens Tourist Trap?

L'Affaire Est Ketchup

Cafe Le Hobbit.

Cafe Le St Malo (cassoulet)

Lapin Saute

Fabrique du smoked meat in Levis

chocolate dipped ice cream at Les Chocolats Favoris

cookies at Choco Erico

old port market

JA Moisan and Farmers' Market

Cochon Dingue for duck poutine

At pricier places, in which the establishment is making more money on the food, oftentimes (but not always) more money is able to be paid to the workers. When the workers are paid more, they tend to stay longer. Win, win situation for everyone. I have a lot of students whose parents are in the restaurant business....the front AND the back of the house. The cooks at the pricier places definitely do much better.

So great to know that you are alive and well, lwong! I always love to read your posts. I am a tenacious girl, like so many of my beloved Chinese clients, and even with the Nor'easter managed to go out and treat a bunch of friends and family to a large spread at "the buffet" ( such a boring name, huh?) in College Point a few blocks down from BJ's.

Billy, one of the owners, put out quite a great assortment of foods on Lunar New Year's Eve. It was really enjoyed by all. Very fresh and great variety. In a brand spanking new venue with a very modern, swanky feel and a lovely view of the sunset over the NYC skyline in the distance. Have you been there yet?

Each Lunar New Year we bring quite a few of my son's classmates' families to Flushing for a large dim sum and a bit of an introduction to the Chinese culture that is about 12 minutes from their houses but largely and sadly unnoticed and unexplored. In years past we have gone to Jade, Perfect Team, Ocean Jewels, Gala Manor etc. I distinctly recall that Ocean Jewels has a private room but can't recall any other places with them.

Any ideas? Does the newish Lake Pavillion have a private room?

Planning to go the morning of Lunar New Year eve when most people will be at home preparing for family dinners. Thinking it will be less festive but also less crowded.

Thanks in Advance and Happy Year of the Snake~~~~
lisa

You know... the fancy shmancy wanna be Versailles-style place just off of Northern on Linden that has hosted almost every one of my Chinese students' Sweet Sixteens... Someone told me it is now a buffet. Anyone been?

What with Harvest, East, Mizumi, and the recently opened and oft-heralded The Buffet in College Point by BJ's, it's not big on my radar, but I am curious.

Anyone know where Lwong is? Haven't seen him on these Chinese threads in awhile...

Best,
lisa

Hey 'Hounds~~

We'll be on Sanibel/Captiva for a few nights mid February and then continuing on to Pompano for the second half of the trip. Any awesome, local gems tucked away that we should know about for the drive down? Nothing too far from the highway. Thanks in advance.

All Things Delish,
lisa

Sad to report I was at Tawa tonight and they are no longer making the chicken kathi. The Pakistani man who speaks English very well told me that they had to make payroll cuts because business has been slow, and the person who would make the kathi at the griddle was let go. Just momos and parathas and thalis.

The Fountainhead, I believe, is still owned by the same people who operate Glen Island.

Been to all of them multiple times that side of the bridge. Have you tried Glen Island Harbor Club? It's a notch above. Actually quite a few notches above. Second to Glen Island would be VIP Country Club if you can get over that cheesy name being engraved onto your invitations :) And then I'd place Fountainhead third. Surf Club next and then Marina right after. I was married at Glen Island in 2001 and people still mention that it was the "best wedding" they'd ever attended. The food was off the charts.

We'd been going to SdI since it opened, had many a memorable meal there, however there was one very patronizing, arrogant waiter who really and truly changed the vibe of the place for us. We stopped going because we always seemed to get him and he cast an uncomfortable pall over the last few evenings we spent there. Quite a few friends have felt the same way for some time. I will miss the budino di carciofi and the robiola pizza and the fettucine al' Antonio....alas...

Just wanted to thank you all for your suggestions. Our long weekend in Chicago was, as always, phenomenal. We ate at Xoco, the Purple Pig, Portillo's, the Publican, Gino"s East, and Big Star. We also munched on my beloved Garrett's Chicago Mix incessantly. Checked out Wow Bao in Food Life too (I'm from Flushing, Queens so I liked this concept...) Our 8 year old got to run the bases after the game at Wrigley and can not wait to return. Next trip will include Belly Shack, Urban Belly, Bongo Room, Freddy's Pizza on Cicero, Dougnut Vault, Girl and the Goat, and the neighborhood of Pilsen, Franks and Dawgs, and Longman and Eagle. My fave, hands down, was the Purple Pig. Such an inspired menu! Absolutley loved it!

A friend has been raving about this place. RAVING. I'm a Luger's/Del Frisco's girl....Anyone been to this place? Is it solid? The menu is reasonable and varied. But there seems to be no mention of it on these boards...

http://www.ambersteak.com/

Thanks for the Palomar recc. Never heard of it, but I'm pretty sure I'm switching it up. Half the price of Fairmont and it seems like there are a ton of places that will be right there, a real neghborhood vibe....I wish the reservationist who answered had been to NYC because then I could have asked if River North were more like Grammercy/Union Square/ Upper East Side midtown/bay ridge yada yada....but she assured me that it was a hotbed of great places to eat....and so I am happy! My husband thinks that giving up the gFairmont's gold floor/free parking/full breakfast/and a 100 daily gift card to macy's is ridiculous....but I say I'd rather be closer to good restaurants!

No idea. They are open though.

Hot damn. Compared to my NYC, Chi-town is huge.

Lots of spread out enclaves of not to-be-missed yumminess.

I haven't been in 10 years and frankly I am a bit overwhelmed.

Having said that, what area would you choose to be in the best "food neigborhood"....?
Currently we are booked for the Fairmont Millenium. So far the places I've been interested in checking out are in the West Loop. The concierge said it would be a 10-15 minute taxi ride based on traffic.

Is there anything awsome NTBM (Not to be missed) in the Loop, near Grant Park? Should I base myselfin a more food-centric area? Seems Fulton Market is a hotbed of culinary oferings.

Basically which area has the highest concentration of place I will want to check out?

I have a pretty extensive history with Chicago and have done all the big name stuff. This time I want to focus on Big Star, Urban Belly, Publican, avec, franks and dawgs, xoco etc....no Blackbird, Alinea, Spiaggia etc....

Sorry for the all over the place prose. So excited to get it all going!

Thanks,
lisa

Publican is indeed open on Easter Sunday. So is AVEC. Apples and oranges based on the menus. Is AVEC well regarded?

We'll be in town for 4 nights and we'll be staying near Grant Park....as for my chowpup, he was raised on ma la and the spiciest of Szechuan foods...we live in Flushing, Queens!

Soooooo Chi-Town Hounds~~~~

I am VERY excited.

Haven't been to the windy city in a decade and am returning with my husband and chowpup in tow. It's our little guy's first time, and he is really excited. He knows how much we love Chicago. We have a Cubs game on Easter Sunday which will be a far cry from our traditional Italian-American celebrations in Queens/Lawn Guyland NY. I'm wondering where we should eat after this game. I am down for something offbeat and casual, but open to anything that could be memorable even if it means having to dress up a bit. I'd rather not though....

On the last few trips we've eaten at Charlie Trotter's, Spiaggia, Gene and Georgetti's, Carson's, Lou Malnatti's, Lou Mitchell's, Ann Sather's, Uno's, Portillo's, Gino's East, Frontera, Topolobampo, the Berghoff, the Pump Room, Garrett's popcorn etc. We always timed our visits to coincide with the Taste of Chicago in Grant Park. This year there will be no "Taste" but I will get over it consdering there's so much other fantastic stuff to explore.

I am thinking Blackbird should be on our short list? I wish we had time for Alinea,but with our 8 year old it would be tortuous. He loves and appreciates food as much as either of us, but the tasting would take too long for his limited attention span.... Would Blackbird be nice for an Easter meal? Should I just go totally casual somewhere near Wrigley after our 1:30pm game? Any thoughts?

I have a random file in my Blackberry entitled "Chicago" and everytime I read/see something that looks good, I write it in for futher research when a trip becomes imminent. I have Crisp/BigStar/Urabn Belly/Franks and Dawgs written down. I will look into them, but on the fly, are any Not To Be Missed (NTBM)?

I'd like to check out Xoco largely because I spent a bunch of time in Mexico City as a kid and love street food type offerings. Im not the hugest fan of Rick's restaurants, but this menu seems nice. Any thoughts?

That's all for now. I think you in advance for any and all suggestions.

All Things Delish~
lisa

Yikes. Seems a bit heavy handed. Major sense of humor failure these days on CH. :(

I predict it is Momofuko Ko. i was told 1,2, and 4 when I called.