In the fall, Krapow moved to the old Tampopo, rue de Mentana, which has undergone quite a revamp. The short menu of Thai, Malaysian and Indonesian dishes has changed little, but it is now possible to accompany your meal with a beer, in a bright and comfortable room.
The very small premises on Avenue du Mont-Royal moved from Krapow to Kari. Nay Arends, who grew up eating her grandmother’s Indonesian cuisine and then worked at Little Sister’s Dutch Indo food bar in Toronto, prepares delicious curries and hearty soups.
Semur ayam is one of those dishes that his grandmother prepared. “It’s a bit like coq au vin, but the chicken is marinated in sweet soy sauce (kecap manis),” explains Nay, who worked at Satu Lagi, the other restaurant of the small Asian cuisine empire. Southeast by Kevin Larken.
Sayur lodeh is a vegetable soup made with coconut milk and the vegan version of Kari is delicious. This warm, affordable cuisine is the perfect antidote to January austerity.
Krapow: 4449, rue de Mentana, Montreal
Kari: 1139A, avenue du Mont-Royal Est, Montreal