Pamela MacNaughtanLast Updated on October 21, 2024 by Pamela MacNaughtan
Oysters Wongefeller, Quebec Wagyu Beef-Curry dumplings, edamame and miso hummus; Restaurant Wong in Old Quebec City has stepped outside the typical Canadian-Chinese restaurant mould – where almost every dish has a beef, pork, chicken, and shrimp variation. It’s a bold move, three generations of Wongs have commanded the kitchen here, serving thousands of Canadian-Chinese dishes since its opening in 1960.
“My motto in life has always been: You will never stand out if you try to fit in. Doing what every Chinese restaurant is doing, [I am] never going to stand out. When I changed the menu, I started getting attention from all these different sources. The critics gave me a bit more self-confidence to continue evolving and trying new things. I started seeing all these chefs around the city coming in, and they encouraged me to think outside the box” says Stephen Wong, chef and co-owner of Restaurant Wong.
Stephen’s determination to lean into the foods and flavours that feed his passions is paying off, and today it is almost impossible to dine at Restaurant Wong without a reservation.
Acknowledging Canadian-Chinese Restaurant Culture
The same dishes are found on Canadian-Chinese restaurant menus across the country, from small towns to capital cities. Always large, most of the dishes are noodles, rice or vegetables with beef, pork, chicken, and shrimp variations. There are soups and comforting fried foods like egg rolls, wontons, spring rolls, and chicken balls.
Many of us have go-to orders. As I write this I’m thinking about the fried wontons with a sweet red sauce (maybe cherry or plum?), and black bean beef from the Chinese restaurant I grew up with in Orangeville, Ontario. Memories of family meals and snowy holidays are wrapped snugly around these dishes, and I’m hesitant to try Chinese restaurants in other towns or cities.
Will they be as good as the one I grew up with, where my family still laughs about happily waiting 5 hours for our food because we were stupid enough to order on New Year’s Eve?
The expectation of cheap food and big portions is deeply ingrained into our culture. At the end of the 18th century, Chinese immigrants were brought to Canada to build trading posts and forts. In the 19th century, 17,000 were brought over to build the railroad.
They worked in laundries or as cooks in Chinatowns because they were not allowed to work outside their neighbourhood. We have treated Chinese immigrants horribly, less than humans. It was 1943 before Chinese immigrants were allowed to become Canadian citizens. That’s insane.
We used Chinese immigrants as cheap labour (slave labour), and the “cheap” moniker still lingers. It’s been the underlying expectation of Canadian-Chinese restaurants since their inception. Along with the expectation of service when others are closed.
I’m guilty. I’ve equated Canadian-Chinese food as cheap and always accessible, which is why I’m excited to see chefs like Stephen Wong challenge my prejudices.
Chinese-Fusion at Restaurant Wong
I’ve walked past Restaurant Wong’s iconic neon sign on rue de Buade a hundred times, but it wasn’t until I saw the menu changing during the pandemic that I decided to go. Oysters “Wongefeller”? Lobster and chanterelle dumplings? Yes, please!
I walked into the restaurant on a Wednesday night, soaking up the décor, which remains true to when Fred Wong first opened. Sitting at a corner table in a small room beside the main dining area, an Old Fashion Szechuan cocktail billowed white smoke as I looked at the menu. I’m dining alone, which is a challenge because it means less food to sample.
As I contemplate between the lobster and chanterelle dumplings vs Quebec wagyu curry dumplings, I think about my interview with Stephen Wong the week before.
“I’m supposed to be Chinese, but I’m not totally Chinese, neither am I 100% Quebec, so what am I? This menu that I put out is me showing everybody who I am. It’s like coming out of the closet. So it was really heartwarming and just how people embrace and talk about it”, says Stephen, beaming with joy.
I order the lobster and chanterelle dumplings and oysters to start, and Stephen sends out an order of edamame and miso hummus as well. Sitting at the table beside me are two delightfully charming local women – one of them (Joanne) the mom of one of Stephen’s childhood friends.
We hit it off, and as dishes arrive, we share bites and I regret not ordering the wagyu curry dumplings and the bison and pork spring rolls. Something I will rectify on my next visit to Restaurant Wong.
The Asian-inspired mignonette, and scallion ginger sauce served with the oysters “Wongefeller” are good, but it’s the house-made spicy crispy chilli oil that has me swooning. If Stephen ever decides to sell his crispy chilli oil, I want some (goodbye, Momofuku).
Stephen makes every sauce, dumpling, roll, and broth in-house, including most of the noodles – the others are made fresh in Montreal.
The lobster and chanterelle dumplings arrive in a white bowl, bathing in a spicy Asian-inspired lobster bisque. The lobster is from Gaspesie, and the mushrooms are from a local forager. Quebec ingredients are found throughout the menu at Restaurant Wong, along with the Asian ingredients that are essential to the dishes Stephen creates.
The edamame and miso hummus with fried wonton strips is a fast favourite, and I took a long time to finish it, resisting the urge to ask for an extra order to go. The Curry Kid cocktail, made with Bombay gin, curry syrup, ginger syrup, lime juice and club soda, is another new favourite. I think about it a lot (Ha ha).
By the time my order of Nagano pork belly soup arrived, I was running out of momentum. It’s a large soup with whiskey braised pork belly, tons of greens, fine wheat-based noodles and a Pho-like broth. I consumed half before asking to take the rest home, saving what little room I had left for dessert.
Would you try soy sauce crème brûlée? I did, and friends, it is sweet and a little salty and quite delicious.
Make a reservation at Restaurant Wong
The menu will continue to change, and there will always be a couple of classic Canadian-Chinese dishes. Personally, I’m looking forward to following Stephen’s culinary ventures, which now include Poulet Frit Wong – gluten-free fried chicken run from Restaurant Wong’s kitchen, and delivery only.
The pandemic provided Stephen Wong the opportunity to play with new flavour combinations and ideas, curating a new clientele in the process. This willingness to adapt and evolve has kept Restaurant Wong in business for 64 years, and will hopefully keep it in business for many more. That, and Stephen’s charming personality and hands-on approach. How many chefs and co-owners answer reservation requests personally? In Quebec City, I know of two.
Make a reservation here, arrive hungry and enjoy every minute. You won’t be rushed out the door, the staff are super friendly, and the food is great.
