Resto closures and reopenings
Café Cherrier on St-Denis is reopening after months of closure but Entrecôte Saint-Jean on Peel is packing it in and closing this week.
A chef at Montreal Plaza on St-Hubert created a stir this week with a video mocking the notions of cultural and culinary appropriation, then deleted it after a lot of folks got mad. This item has a link where someone reposted the video.
A restaurant called Pho King Bon has opened in Rosemère and created a different kind of stir among language purists. Surely they remember Fukyu Sushi on Côte‑des‑Neiges, or the short‑lived Pho Sho in NDG? In any case, it’s well established that “fuck” is not a swear word in Quebec.
PatrickC 13:41 on 2020-09-05 Permalink
I certainly don’t think you’d see outside Quebec a whole series of books for tween girls titled “Ouate de phoque” (available on Kindle too)!
The cultural relativity of swear words is a fascinating topic. The other day I was watching an episode of the historical drama “Les Pays d’en haut” on TV5 here in the US. It comes with subtitles in “French” French, which means that “câlisse!” becomes “putain!”
Meezly 17:49 on 2020-09-05 Permalink
I’m in an QC Asian anti-racism FB group and this has been the top most commented on post. People are divided over Pho King Bon. Some find it offensive while others don’t see what the big deal is.
Mark Côté 20:57 on 2020-09-05 Permalink
This came up in my Twitter feed just now: https://twitter.com/miinhderien/status/1301933614540750848
david27 23:59 on 2020-09-05 Permalink
Entrecôte Saint-Jean closing conjures forth this (so far) suppressed feeling of something like rage envers this whole moment and experience.
At least you know where to find me the rest of this week.
Kate 09:10 on 2020-09-06 Permalink
Were you a devotee of Entrecôte Saint-Jean, david∞? I never ate there, but I liked the idea of a restaurant that offers one thing with the premise it does it perfectly.
At a glance, the original resto – on the street of the same name in Quebec City – hasn’t said it’s closing, so there’s that.
Meezly, Mark Côté, the Pho King Bon story brings together several threads. The owner does seem to be making a mockery of Vietnamese cuisine, but is he also making a mockery of French language laws?
jeather 10:56 on 2020-09-06 Permalink
I rather liked the quote that said that if this restaurant name is legal it’s time to change the laws. Wordplay in French! The language of Molière!
Meezly 12:14 on 2020-09-06 Permalink
To be clear, he is not just making a mockery of Vietnamese cuisine with these jokes, but of the Vietnamese language and history. There may be several threads, but this particular one is the most glaring and should not be discounted.
A couple of examples: using sexist wordplay on dish names (ie. tight knot) is not only gross but demeaning, and naming a cocktail ‘Viet Kong’. I mean, would a German-themed restaurant dare to name a cocktail like, I dunno, “The Waffen SS”?
The owner also seems to be doubling down on his supposedly fun and harmless wordplay, despite many complaints and attempts at having a conversation from the Vietnamese community. Typical gaslighting tactics on minorities by saying they have no sense of humour.
Kate 12:23 on 2020-09-06 Permalink
Meezly, jesus, I didn’t realize he’d gone so low as to have a drink called “Viet Kong”.
With any luck, his poor taste in general means he’ll have equally lousy food, and shortly be out of business.
Uatu 13:48 on 2020-09-06 Permalink
The Viet Kong is whiskey in Vietnamese coffee? I don’t get it? This is the Charlie Chan type bullshit racism where you’d expect the staff to put on make up with slanty eyes and buck teeth like Mickey Rooney did playing Mr. yunioshi in breakfast at Tiffany’s
david13 04:18 on 2020-09-07 Permalink
Entrecôte Saint-Jean is/was a longtime favorite, simple, classic, affordable, great service and ambiance. I’ve been there for so many meals marking various occasions and things that I’ve lost count. Will be sorely missed.