Dim sum are, in my opinion, some of the most perfect foods there are. They are bite-size, they come in a wide variety of incredible flavors, each more delicate than the last, and they’re all beautifully as well as intricately folded in a wide variety of styles. I mean, they simply are the best! They look amazing and taste even better! There are quite a few restaurants in Montreal that prepare them but none of them were able to measure up to Kim Fung. I don’t know how long that restaurant’s been established in Montreal but I feel like it’s been there all my life. A lot of memories are linked to Kim Fung, and all of them are great because the food is amazing. Over time, it became a family tradition to go there to celebrate birthdays; not because the decor is beautiful or anything, but because we know with certainty that we will not be disappointed by our meal.
Kim Fung
1111, Rue Saint-Urbain, #M05, Montreal, QC, H2Z 1Y6
(514) 878 2888
If you don’t know the restaurant, you might find it a bit hard to find. It’s inside a small shopping mall, right next to the Place d’Armes metro station. Go up the stairs, walk towards the back and there it is. The restaurant is quite big, so you can’t miss it.
It must be pointed out that dim sum is traditionally served for breakfast so don’t expect them on the supper menu. Kim Fung serves them every day between 7 am and 3 pm, but in order to have a table for you, make sure you go there early enough, or else you’ll have to wait a while. It also helps, if you can, to go on weekday mornings to avoid having to wait.
Also, don’t go there if you’re in a hurry. Make sure you have some time ahead so that you can fully enjoy the experience. There is no menu you can choose from. The waiters push carts around the restaurant, displaying the food. If something looks interesting to you, let the waiters know and they’ll take a plate from their cart to hand it to you. That is why you have to make sure you have some time ahead. Sometimes, you have to wait awhile for your favorite dim sum cart to show up!
For example, it is inconceivable for me to go for dim sum and not eat Har Gow (shrimp dumpling) and Siu Mai (pork and shrimp), which I consider pillars to the whole experience! And I will stay in the restaurant until they bring out their carts!
Left: siu mai. Middle: har gow. Right: fun guo
There are so many varieties, steamed and fried, that it is impossible to try everything. That is why we always end up ordering more than we should have… There is always something we want to try, and another, and another…
That being said, my personal favorites are the following:
Har gow
Siu mai
Fun guo (similar to har gow)
Steamed buns
Sticky rice in lotus leaf
Stuffed crab claw
Rice noodle rolls
Deep-fried taro puffs
The rice noodle rolls are the only ones that have been captured in a photo because I was too much of a glutton to take the time to photograph everything we ordered. But trust me when I say that everything looked amazing and tasted otherworldly!
The restaurant also serves a variety of desserts like little custard tartlets, jelly-like squares and sesame balls, but I would recommend the tofu in ginger sauce. After such a hefty meal, it’s the perfect palate cleanser.
It doesn’t look like much but believe me, it is delightfully light and refreshing! This is the only time I actually enjoy eating tofu! I think the sweet ginger sauce helps a lot.
In order to fully experience dim sum, it’s better to go as a group. This will allow you to order more meals and have more choices to taste from. If you go alone or as a couple, choose strategically; your stomach can only handle so much.
If you ever happen to be in Montreal’s Chinatown and looking for a good and affordable breakfast or brunch place, try to stop by Kim Fung for some dim sum! You will not be disappointed!