Restaurant review | Krapow: Asian heat

Restaurant criticism takes a new turn at Press. As always, our critics tell you about their experience, highlighting the good and, sometimes, the bad ones. But we now explain the choice of one restaurant or another. We also present the team in the dining room and in the kitchen. This week: Krapow, a tribute to Southeast Asian cuisine.

Eve Dumas
Press

Why talk about it?

Before officially opening its doors, in October 2020, Krapow had proven its worth in a tent in the middle of Mont-Royal Avenue, closed to automobile traffic, during the summer of 2020. It took immediately, and the regulars were are quickly accumulated. There are only five dishes on the menu, including a vegetarian option, even often vegan. Limited offer equals proven recipes and flawless execution! The tastes are so controlled that they remain imprinted in the taste memory and occasionally give rise to uncontrollable cravings. Fortunately, these cravings are easy to satisfy, eat in or take out, at very reasonable prices, what’s more.

Who are they ?

Kimberley Bridle was born in Thailand. Kevin Larken is Montrealer. His parents owned several Szechuan restaurants in Montreal and Ottawa. He lived and worked in advertising in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, eventually ending up in Bangkok, where he met his better half. Kevin saw himself opening a restaurant specializing in Montreal in Asia. But ultimately, the couple’s stay in Montreal in December 2019 turned into a somewhat hectic move, for the reasons we know. Kimberley quickly grew nostalgic for her original kitchen. Less than a year later, in October 2020, the couple opened a small take-out counter in the heart of the Plateau. A turnaround for the tandem who would therefore rather prepare their favorite Asian dishes for Montrealers, with their terrific team (including a former member of the Joe Beef group, Jérôme Villarasa).

Our experience

We have “tested” the Krapow on several occasions, always with great satisfaction: in the spring, on a picnic table in front of the restaurant which could not yet accommodate inside; this summer, take out; a few weeks ago, at one of the few high tables in the small dining room.

The signature dish is a street food classic found throughout Thailand. Kim and Kevin wanted to reproduce the taste of their favorite krapow, coming from a boui-boui at the end of an alley in Bangkok. The aromatic preparation of ground beef, basil (“krapow” in Thai), garlic, chili and sauces (all gluten-free, like the entire menu, by the way) is served with a runny fried egg. . Like all the other dishes of the house, it is accompanied by a delicate rice with coconut and lemongrass. Each bite calls for another, and another, and another… There is a meatless version of the dish (but not vegetarian since it contains fish sauce and oyster sauce), made with Beyond Meat.

If you prefer to travel to Indonesia, the beef rendang fortifier is the place to order. This coconut milk-based stew is full of hot spices (cinnamon, cloves, cardamom), galangal, garlic, etc. A taste stopover in Malaysia is also possible, thanks to sambal belacan chicken. As if they weren’t umami enough already, these sweet, salty, spicy and incredibly tasty chicken strips are dusted with toasted coconut and fried shallots.

For the coming winter months, Tom Kha Gai soup enriched with coconut milk will warm us from the inside. There are chicken, oyster mushrooms, galangal, lemongrass and of course chilli. Here, we practice the “royal” style, richer than that of the streets of Bangkok.

Our tolerance for chilli is good, without being that of a native of Thailand or Mexico. However, she was never put to the test at Krapow. If you like it to sting, you can ask the kitchen to increase the dose!

In our glass (or our cup!)

The Krapow does not have a liquor license. You can drink coconut water and other drinks typical of the regions where the dishes come from. Kimberley also makes a delicious red ginger and lemongrass infusion that is doing a lot of good these days.

How much ?

The price of the dishes is between $ 8.95 and $ 14.95. It is possible to order “sides” of sautéed vegetables or coconut rice for a lower amount.

Good to know

Everything is gluten free here. There is also always a new vegetarian, even vegan, dish every two weeks. The kitchen even makes its own vegan imitation of “fish sauce”. Soon it will be the turn of the “Christmas curry”, an attempt at tradition started last year. This is a Thai-style red curry made with roasted chestnuts, vegetables, longan (a fruit that looks like lychee) and cinnamon, among others.

Information

The Krapow is open 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, but will be closed for the holiday break, December 24 through January 4.

1139a, avenue du Mont-Royal Est, Montreal

Visit the Krapow website