Rizière: An Excellent Little Asian Restaurant on the Plateau

For a few years now, opening a restaurant in Montreal has been an act of courage. A Chinese restaurant outside Chinatown is an act of courage on top of it. That’s what Chao Li chose to do in 2021 by opening Rizière at the corner of the Main and Avenue du Mont-Royal on the Plateau.

To passersby, Rizière can go unnoticed, so discreet is this little restaurant (26 seats); no big signs, no loud banners, nothing flashy to catch the eye. What really matters is that the food here is very good. Chef Chao Li prepares flavourful dishes from across Asia at Rizière, notably specialties from Dalian, his hometown; he calls it a “traditional family-style Chinese restaurant,” and that’s pretty much exactly what it is.

Once through the door, even before sitting down at Rizière, you sense the meal should be quite flavourful. The decor holds several interesting aesthetic touches: a few pretty Chinese lanterns in a window, a large canvas on the main wall and two or three others just as picturesque. A warm atmosphere settles in, and the conversations at the tables reflect the good mood.

The chef recommends the coconut seafood laksa, the braised lamb, the dumpling starter and the Northwest-style beef noodle soup. At Tastet, we suggest trying a few dishes that stand out; for example, among those we tasted, the assorted dumplings, the Dan Dan noodles and the plate of fresh salmon torched with a culinary blowtorch, teriyaki sauce and house-made mayonnaise stands out on the menu and will win over your table and the ones next to it. Two soups are also worth recommending: sapid broth, al dente bok choy, a generous portion of noodles and filling pieces of beef. Be mindful if your palate is sensitive, as one of the two soups is especially spicy with Sichuan pepper-infused oil, which makes it rich in flavour; if you like heat, you will be well served.

As we were publishing this article, the chef told us the menu would be expanding with new dishes, including exclusive dumplings: sea urchin, spiny lobster and Spanish mackerel.

Note: When the chef speaks of “Asian cuisine” and not only Chinese cuisine, it is likely because of his Kra Prao with ground pork, a Thai street food dish, and his laksa, that flavourful soup particularly popular in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

One last detail that matters, for Tastet but also for you, we assume: the service at Rizière is warm, attentive and thoughtful in both official languages of the bestest-country-in-the-world. If you speak Mandarin or even Sichuanese, you can chat with the chef and his brigade, all just as friendly.

Bon appétit

Written by Jean-Philippe Tastet
Photography by Alison Slattery

Updated on August 26, 2026

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