Everyone has a favourite sushi bar, Italian pizzeria or French bistro. But what about those ethnic cuisines less represented in our city’s culinary landscape? Where to go to satisfy that craving for Burkina Faso BBQ or Uyghur eats? Sadly, the world’s less- known ethnic groups can tend to be pushed to the margins, even in an open and democratic society such as ours. Here’s our tour of the world’s most obscure culinary cultures, Montreal-style.
Uyghur: The Uyghur people, Muslims living in the mountains of China’s Xinjiang province, enjoy a cuisine that’s a rich and hearty mixture of Turkish, Indian and Chinese. At the restaurant also called Uyghur, try the laghman: sliced mutton, fried veggies and rice noodles. Uyghur? You bet! 1017 St-Laurent Blvd., (514) 393-8808.
Burkina Faso: Top Tropical, a West African hole in the wall, serves tasty grilled meats on paper plates with lots of homemade hot sauce. The classic: BBQ chicken with a side of grilled plantains. 133 Jean-Talon St. W., (514) 807-6958.
Hungarian: For delicious goulash, stewed sausage and salmon pancakes, try Café Rococo, a small unassuming spot in what looks like a Soviet-era housing block. One bite of the creamy chicken paprikas, and you’ll feel like you’re right back in Hajdú-Bihar. 1650 Lincoln Avenue, (514) 938-2121.
Tibet: Tibet’s Indian and Chinese-influenced cuisine finds its home at Sonam, which specializes in momos, crescent-shaped dumplings filled with beef, veggies or cheese. Curries and chow meins are also on the menu. 454 Jean-Talon St. W., (514) 270-4117.
