For people looking for an “experience” when going to a restaurant, a visit to Maneki Castle is definitely one!
With its blue and pink turrets, worthy of a children’s story, the snack bar does not go unnoticed on rue Crémazie, in Villeray, on the southern edge of the Metropolitan motorway.
“We wanted to take inspiration from the Orange Julep. We eat out or in the car,” says co-owner Mandy Zeng.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The salmon and spicy mayonnaise oshizushi dish, the Korean tuna tartare dish and a mocktail served in a frog-shaped tiki mug
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Oshizushi are pressed and flambéed sushi.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The ice cream is reminiscent of the time when the single building of Château Maneki was the Chateaubriand creamery.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
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Château Maneki is the royal brother of Maneki Comptoir Asiat’ (more focused on classic Asian dishes), which opened in 2017 on rue Hochelaga.
Partners Kevin Lee, Michael Chan, Mandy Zeng and Michael Tran had wanted to open a second location well before 2024. When they acquired the building that was the former Chateaubriand Creamery more than three years ago, they were seduced by its kitsch charm, but after a long period of inactivity, it needed some love and a facelift. In addition to the renovations, they had to apply for permits that were more complicated and time-consuming than expected.
“We were finally able to open on July 26,” Mandy Zeng rejoices. And very quickly, people were lining up.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
There are a few tables for eating outside.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The team serves customers in snack mode.
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If the decor of Château Maneki is worth the detour, the Japanese-inspired menu is just as worth it. To please all members of the family, we shared the salmon tartare (with kebayaki sauce and tobiko), then two delectable oshizushi dishes, or pressed and flambéed sushi. One wasabi tuna and another shrimp with crispy garlic enhanced with chili and lime. Next time, we’ll try the eel domburi bowl.
Young and old alike loved the mocktail called P’tit cochon fizz, literally served in a pig-shaped tiki mug. It’s a happy pink concoction of hibiscus-infused grapefruit juice, ginger beer, lime juice, strawberry grenadine and bitters.
Limited, the kitchen of Château Maneki does not have a commercial hood and therefore remains in snack formula, underlines Mandy Zeng. You can also just drop by in the afternoon for an ice cream (the twist of the moment was vanilla-pineapple during our visit).
Good news: the Château Maneki team is waiting for a liquor license and is in the process of transforming the upstairs into a dining room for the cold season.