Chouchou: refined Chinese cuisine on Beaubien

Montreal has a new table that deserves attention. Chouchou, a small 35-seat restaurant, offers a type of cuisine that remains rare in the city: refined dishes with Chinese flavours, executed using French techniques and Québec ingredients. Behind the project is a young chef with an unconventional background and a clear vision.

Chouchou Jia — yes, the restaurant bears her first name — initially studied business administration in Arizona before turning to cooking. She trained in Toronto at Auberge du Pommier, then moved to Montreal to join Île Flottante, where she worked her way up to the role of head chef. But after several years cooking for others, the desire to branch out on her own became undeniable.

Montreal is where she chose to open her first address. “Since moving here, I feel like I could stay forever.” A love for the city that comes with a clear observation: Chinese fusion cuisine remains very rare here, and no one is doing exactly what she does. “My cuisine is Québec ingredients, French techniques, but the flavours are Chinese.” Fine dining techniques in service of Chinese flavours is not something you come across often in Montreal. Chouchou is filling a space that had yet to be claimed.

The à la carte menu at Chouchou focuses on delicate, carefully plated dishes designed to remain approachable. The fusion is evident in every dish description: from a black tea devilled egg served with dace fish and fermented black beans to a pressed Peking duck sandwich with brie; from an Urumqi-style chicken salad with Sichuan pepper to scallops with Thai chili and smoked coconut. Zhong-style dumplings filled with pork and coated in sesame sauce sit alongside barbecue char siu pork served with bok choy and a burnt onion hollandaise — a dish that perfectly encapsulates the chef’s vision. While prices lean toward the higher side, they remain reasonable given the level of quality.

At the bar, five house cocktails round out the offering. Highlights include the Honey Miso — made with honey-miso syrup, vodka, and a piece of candied kumquat — as well as a daily martini that changes depending on what’s available. “It really depends on what I pick up that day.” A daily sour completes the list, recently offered in a passion fruit version topped with Champagne foam.

The décor sets the tone from the moment you walk in. Mauve lime-washed walls bring a touch of understated luxury, brown leather banquettes reinforce the effect, and wooden furnishings add just the right amount of warmth. The atmosphere is soft and calm — this is a place to take your time. An ideal spot for a tête-à-tête dinner.

As for the name, it carries a playful double meaning. Chouchou is the chef’s name in Chinese, but in French, the word evokes something cute and precious. “French people hear ‘chouchou’ and think it’s cute. Chinese people read the characters and understand something else. I like that interplay.”

In a Montreal dining scene rich with French and Italian restaurants, Chouchou offers a distinct and confident voice — the kind of place that reminds us the most exciting cuisines are born at the crossroads of cultures.

Written by Jean-Philippe Tastet
Photography by Alison Slattery

Updated on April 06, 2026

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