New, Ultra-Modern restaurants Replacing "atmosphere " Cafes to which Occidentals Once Resorted to Sample Succulent and Exotic Dishes
Montreal Gazette 1 January 1947
Montreal's Chinatown is really going modernistic and could serve as a good example to the city councillors who are allegedly considering a slum clearance program for 1947.
The formerly dull, draeb and dreary sector round the intersection of Clarke and Lagauchetiere streets occupied by the majority of Montreal's 1,800 Chinese has now taken on the appearance of one of the more proggressive businesslike and better lighted districts of the metropolis.
New modernistic buildings, renovated establishments have replaced some of the old, dated structures which formerly housed the various popular Chinese restaurants - the night haunts of occidentals with an appetite for something different - and many of the Chinese sores and homes. The contrast between the new and the old structures is still vivid in the glare of the many neon lights on the large signs of the new and reconstructed restaurants and other business place.s
The conversion of what was described as a "slum district" before the Chinese started renovating about a year ago has not been completed, but it is being continued. and it is expected that eventually Montreal's Chinatown will be able to cope with any Chinatown on the continent insofar as appearance goes, although perahaps not in size.
The Chinese community district here, which rates about fifth in size on this contnent, is not expected to grow much larger as long as the Chinese Immigration Act adopted about 20 year ago remains in force.
Under that act no more Chinese can enter Canada, and even the Chinese men who are here can not bring in wives or children. As a result there are only bout 50 Chinese families in the community, despite the fact the total Chines population is about 1,800.
The Chinese have adopted Canadian ways to such an extend that, wiht the exception of some of the oldest residents, that they now celebrate the occidental new Year's holiday instead of the beginning of the new year prescribed by the ancient Chinese calendar.
The Chinese New Year, according to the Chinese calendar, occurs on varying dates in the month of February. But the majority of the Chinese residents were ready to join with Canadians in celebrating the occidental New Year's feast at midnight last night. As a result there was much activity in Chinatown in homes, business places and the restaurant, which were prepared to remain open all night as usual to take care of the "white" residents of Montreal, who enjoy eating most of the same food they could get themselves, cooked in oriental style and in an oriental atmosphere.
For years Chinatown has been the haunt of local occidentals and visitors to the city looking for something...something different whether it was in the lat hours of the night after a celebration or in the daytime. Things have not changed and today the eating place in Chinatown are still pretty well crowded at almost all hours.
people still like to go , usually in parties, to eat bird's nest soup which was never close to a brids' nest, or chop suey, unheard of in China.
Others like to get Chinese lichee nuts, specially imported Chinese tea or other oriental specialites in the various stores along the street s that make up Chinatown.
Nearly every one of the new modernistic spots had special menus prepared for the New Year festival with intriguing names applied to the various dishes to attract attention. Some of the older, small places, which still prove the oriental atmosphere and afford the contrast with the new modernism, retain the series of dishes that have attracted occidentals for years. And they were not worried because many of the visitors to the Chinatown still prefer to go the unrenovated places and enjoy the real oriental atmosphere.
The foresmost of the new buildings erected during the past year is the Nanking restaurant operated by Tam Wong at the corner of Clarke and Laguachitierere streets. The old place was demolished a year go, an the new establishment was erected at a cost of $100,000 with all modern improvements.
The restaurant section of the building is on the second floor with open tables nd private booths to suit hte fancy of all customers. The place is done up in the most modrenistic style and the services is beyond reproach.
The Nanking Cafe, like the well-known Sun Kwo Min restaurant at 67 Laguachitiere street and the others, has a menu from which customer may select their choice, but there was a special menu for New Year's Eve. The Sun Kwo Min restaurant, usually called "67" was renovated recently for the fourth time in 14 year and today is still one of the most popular spots in Chinatown.
An indication of the "high falutin" names applied tot he various dishes may be had by a glance at the special New Year's menu for the Nanking, which is similar to most of the others.
The food in every one of these places is sold at moderate prices compared to the prices in other places around this town. The Chinese themselves, who are noted for living on a much more simple scale than the occidentals, have their own small restaurant around the corner on Clarke street where they get their meals at an average rate of about 35 cents a meal.
Montreal Gazette 1 January 1947
Montreal's Chinatown is really going modernistic and could serve as a good example to the city councillors who are allegedly considering a slum clearance program for 1947.
The formerly dull, draeb and dreary sector round the intersection of Clarke and Lagauchetiere streets occupied by the majority of Montreal's 1,800 Chinese has now taken on the appearance of one of the more proggressive businesslike and better lighted districts of the metropolis.
New modernistic buildings, renovated establishments have replaced some of the old, dated structures which formerly housed the various popular Chinese restaurants - the night haunts of occidentals with an appetite for something different - and many of the Chinese sores and homes. The contrast between the new and the old structures is still vivid in the glare of the many neon lights on the large signs of the new and reconstructed restaurants and other business place.s
The conversion of what was described as a "slum district" before the Chinese started renovating about a year ago has not been completed, but it is being continued. and it is expected that eventually Montreal's Chinatown will be able to cope with any Chinatown on the continent insofar as appearance goes, although perahaps not in size.
The Chinese community district here, which rates about fifth in size on this contnent, is not expected to grow much larger as long as the Chinese Immigration Act adopted about 20 year ago remains in force.
Under that act no more Chinese can enter Canada, and even the Chinese men who are here can not bring in wives or children. As a result there are only bout 50 Chinese families in the community, despite the fact the total Chines population is about 1,800.
The Chinese have adopted Canadian ways to such an extend that, wiht the exception of some of the oldest residents, that they now celebrate the occidental new Year's holiday instead of the beginning of the new year prescribed by the ancient Chinese calendar.
The Chinese New Year, according to the Chinese calendar, occurs on varying dates in the month of February. But the majority of the Chinese residents were ready to join with Canadians in celebrating the occidental New Year's feast at midnight last night. As a result there was much activity in Chinatown in homes, business places and the restaurant, which were prepared to remain open all night as usual to take care of the "white" residents of Montreal, who enjoy eating most of the same food they could get themselves, cooked in oriental style and in an oriental atmosphere.
For years Chinatown has been the haunt of local occidentals and visitors to the city looking for something...something different whether it was in the lat hours of the night after a celebration or in the daytime. Things have not changed and today the eating place in Chinatown are still pretty well crowded at almost all hours.
people still like to go , usually in parties, to eat bird's nest soup which was never close to a brids' nest, or chop suey, unheard of in China.
Others like to get Chinese lichee nuts, specially imported Chinese tea or other oriental specialites in the various stores along the street s that make up Chinatown.
Nearly every one of the new modernistic spots had special menus prepared for the New Year festival with intriguing names applied to the various dishes to attract attention. Some of the older, small places, which still prove the oriental atmosphere and afford the contrast with the new modernism, retain the series of dishes that have attracted occidentals for years. And they were not worried because many of the visitors to the Chinatown still prefer to go the unrenovated places and enjoy the real oriental atmosphere.
The foresmost of the new buildings erected during the past year is the Nanking restaurant operated by Tam Wong at the corner of Clarke and Laguachitierere streets. The old place was demolished a year go, an the new establishment was erected at a cost of $100,000 with all modern improvements.
The restaurant section of the building is on the second floor with open tables nd private booths to suit hte fancy of all customers. The place is done up in the most modrenistic style and the services is beyond reproach.
The Nanking Cafe, like the well-known Sun Kwo Min restaurant at 67 Laguachitiere street and the others, has a menu from which customer may select their choice, but there was a special menu for New Year's Eve. The Sun Kwo Min restaurant, usually called "67" was renovated recently for the fourth time in 14 year and today is still one of the most popular spots in Chinatown.
An indication of the "high falutin" names applied tot he various dishes may be had by a glance at the special New Year's menu for the Nanking, which is similar to most of the others.
The food in every one of these places is sold at moderate prices compared to the prices in other places around this town. The Chinese themselves, who are noted for living on a much more simple scale than the occidentals, have their own small restaurant around the corner on Clarke street where they get their meals at an average rate of about 35 cents a meal.