PRET A MANGER (PM) - CHINESE FOOD

PRET A MANGER (PM):

CHINESE RESTAURANT, FRENCH NAME; ALL TASTY

 

Their website: http://www.just-eat.ca/restaurants-restaurant-pm/menu
1809 Rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest, Montreal, QC   
Telephone: (514) 931-8889
Price Range:  $15 or less per person including one drink, meal, tax, and tip 
 
*This restaurant is a Mouthwatering Favorite!
 

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I first sauntered into this Chinese restaurant years ago and was immediately intrigued by its menu. They served snake soup. That's right:  soup, with serpent in it. Holy HELL, I had to try this! And I was duly rewarded. Don't know how or why, but it turns out that putting snake meat in your soup was an AWESOME idea. Who knew (well, apparently, and obviously, Chinese people)? For a while there, I couldn't stop going to this restaurant, because I loved that snake soup just that much. And because I have a tendency to overdo or overeat something when I first discover it.

Yeah, I'm a wee mild touch obsessive at times.

Anyhow, it's summer and crazy hot now, and snake soup is a winter dish, so I'll post a picture of that when I order it in winter. And besides, they do have other things on their menu, and little by little, I worked my way through their menu. The stuff was always good - never ever disappointed. However, being the full-blooded hardcore carnivore that I was (and am), I never touched the vegetarian side of their menu.  Why would I? I'm a full-blooded hardcore carnivore. 

One day, at the wheedling of a close friend, I was convinced to give at least one item on the veggie side a try. Lordy, I doubted and then some. But, it was a very good friend who knew me well and was always full of good ideas, so I ordered it (I also ordered an all-meat dish to offset the veggie dish, but that's neither here nor there). And I have to say, I was very happily surprised. It was tofu and somehow it was good.

Oof. I feel as dirty typing that as I did the first time I admitted to it. Gah!

So, here's a picture of the magical tofu dish that I'm sure must be laced with some kind of magic:
 

Yellow stuff=tofu; white stuff=giant mushroom; green stuff=vegetable.

 ... Why am I eating this stuff again?

I honestly don't get it. The tofu has a wonderful aroma to it that makes your mouth water the moment the scent wafts your way. It's creamy and flavorful, and it slides ever so delightfully across your tongue as you carefully savor every last morsel. Have a look at the tofu, cut up - it's nice and silky smooth on the inside:

The tofu, CLEAVED (I tend toward the dramatic, don't I?).

The tofu, whole.

Yeah, I still feel dirty owning up to my joy at eating this. Tofu isn't supposed to taste this good, damn it! Tofu isn't supposed to taste good at all! It's like, a law of nature or something. And yet, this is awesome!

...My inner carnivore is mortified...

Ahem. Yeah, do yourselves a favor and try it.

Besides the tofu, this restaurant does a damn fine job with everything else I've tried (which is basically a giant portion of the menu). Of particular note is anything made with XO sauce (no, not alcoholic - just named that way). Those dishes are mildly spicy and tangy and always worthwhile, and I will update this post with photos the next time I'm back. There's also Thai food - not sure it's authentic, but still tasty. Still though, their bread and butter (er, figuratively - I don't think they actually will serve or stock actual bread and butter) is Cantonese-style stuff like the following:

Chow mein:

Beef makes me smile.

Beef with fried flat noodles:

Flavor hint:  Add some black pepper to this; it makes it SING.

Peanut butter dumplings:

Mouth is watering... mouth is watering...

Lunch specials (this was sesame beef):

Mouth still watering...

And it has always been good! So do yourselves a favour, and check this place out!

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