Montreal and Toronto Well Represented in the Chinese Restaurant Awards’ Canadian Top 30

On September 23, at the Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver, the Chinese Restaurant Awards unveiled the Elite 30 Canada ranking for their 17th edition. Mott 32, whose Toronto and Vancouver dining rooms were assessed together, takes first place. Oncle Lee Kăo slips in at 23rd and remains the only Quebec restaurant on the list.

Quebec Lobster in the Spotlight

Led by the Bouillon Bilk team and chef Andersen Lee, the Montreal restaurant competed in the modern Chinese cuisine category. It comes home with a second honour: its wok-fried Quebec lobster with garlic and Sichuan chili is among the 12 Signature Dish Awards handed out this year, a category opened up to the whole country for the first time. The jury’s advisors singled out the high-heat wok work, which perfumes the meat without masking it, and the pleasure of gnawing on shells and legs coated in seasoning.

Four of Our Top Toronto Picks in the Top 30

Four spots from our list of the best Chinese restaurants in Toronto also made the ranking. Jumbo Lobster Restaurant, in Richmond Hill, leads the group at 4th, ahead of Fishman Lobster Clubhouse, in Scarborough, at 13th. MIMI Chinese follows at 14th, and SUNNYs Chinese, a first-time finalist this year, ranks 19th. Wonton Hut Noodle Bar is among the 20 other establishments named Top 50 Honourees.

These same kitchens swept both individual awards given to working chefs. Braden Chong, at the stoves of MIMI Chinese and SUNNYs Chinese, was named Rising Star Chef of the Year. The title of Master Chef of the Year went to Franky Yeung, who oversees Jumbo Lobster Restaurant and Fishman Lobster Clubhouse. The two restaurants also share a Signature Dish Award for their lobster mountain, built with oversized lobsters the group keeps in its own tanks on the East Coast.

The rest of the top 30 confirms British Columbia’s weight: 17 of the 30 winners are in Greater Vancouver, including Dynasty Seafood Restaurant at 3rd and Landmark Hotpot House at 5th. The Toronto area follows with Flavourful House at 2nd, aKin at 8th and Lai Wah Heen at 11th. Calgary places two, Master Beef Hot Pot and Kingwell Roasted BBQ.

Created in Canada in 2008, the Chinese Restaurant Awards are the world’s oldest awards program devoted exclusively to Chinese cuisine. Voting falls to the Canada Taste Advisors Panel, expanded to 21 members this year, which assesses first and foremost the quality and execution of the food. The organization also unveiled its very first Elite 12 ranking in the United States, ahead of its Asian rankings in October.

For more suggestions, check out our list of the best Chinese restaurants in Montreal.