Colourful spring harvest
Supermarché Kien Vinh, 1062 Boulevard Saint-Laurent ($20) in the heart of Chinatown.
Eating low to no carb becomes expensive, but not when you make a trip to Chinatown. All produce shown here and more is about $20: Chinese brocoli ($3.04 a bundle), Jumbo carrots (6 for $1.83), Zucchini (2 for $1.82), Eggplant (3 for $1.46), Long bean ($1.73 a bundle); discounted ripened fruit ie. nectarines (3 for $1), fuji apples (3 for $1). They have the freshest faux filet (approx. 5 small steaks for $10-12), generous portions of ground pork and pork ribs (weight dependent, $2-6), chicken leg and back (pkg of 2 for $3). If you are in the downtown core, it's worth a drive or metro ride to Place d'Armes to stock up on groceries for the week.
The art of the bento -
Kuo Feng Hong, 1057 Boul St-Laurent, ($14 each box - *note: meal not included)
Love our bento boxes to enjoy our dinner for two. Dinner becomes creative as I think about what I want to put in each compartment to make this box complete. The beauty of the red box makes any meal look beautiful. The advantage is keeping portions to a minimum without compromising on variety and flavours. The sample box above has a homemade cucumber & Japanese apple pear salad; multiple spiced, paprika rubbed, chicken leg and back; sauteed asparagus & portobello mushroom;red pepper & yogourt dressing.