Kampai to summer! For those of you who don’t know, Kampai means cheers in Japanese, and also happens to be the name of a phenomenal beer garden in the heart of downtown Montreal! Kampai Garden, situated near Guy-Concordia metro, is a great place to go for a night out with friends. Usually blasting the likes of Drake and Kanye and overflowing with pitchers of beer and sangria, it makes for a great party.
What many people do not know is that Kampai Garden has an amazing menu full of Asian-inspired dishes too! There are options to snack on, like Montreal steak-spice edamame, or heartier dishes like barbecue pork brochettes. The menu items all range from $4 to $18. The overlapping theme is that all their food is great for sharing, and we would love to share our great experience with you!
We started the night with some simple cold dishes from the sea, and were already salivating at the options. We were immediately drawn toward the tuna tataki. This albacore tuna was brought to life with an orange zest puree and wasabi caviar, and an avocado sauce to cool the palate.
From here we made our way to the tasty shrimp tacos. We loved how the shrimp were served in a curry crepe, a great way to add bold flavour with an airy freshness. The shrimp were also coated in a fresh gin aioli.
Our favorite fish dish was Kampai‘s famous Poke bowl: a mix of salmon and tuna tartares with kimchi, baby potatoes, and coriander sauce. The Poke Bowl had an amazing blend of textures that we’ve never experienced in this trendy dish!
After we finished the first round of food, we ordered some warmer, meatier options. We knew right away that we had to try the Kampai Pogo! It was a lively Japanese twist on a childhood classic, with a pork sausage fried in a Japanese tempura batter. They were even served with a honey mustard sauce for dipping.
Another dish that was exploding with flavour was the beef ramen. Far from the quick ramen you eat at home on your lunch break, this one was served with the most tender braised beef in a garlic chili sauce. It doesn’t stop there….we also indulged in the juiciest fried chicken with a sweet maple chili sauce.
Of course, we couldn’t enjoy all this amazing food without a pitcher of one of Kampai‘s famous sangrias. Our choice of the night was the Dragonfly. This pretty pink drink was sweet, sour, and reminiscent of your favourite candy in all the right ways. The pitchers come in small, medium, and large sizes that can make four to eight drinks, and are priced from $20 to $35 accordingly.
To wind down a great food experience, we were treated to three lovely dessert pots. These sweets were designed by the incredible pastry chefs at Cafe Bazin in Montreal. The first was a potted twist on the lemon pie, with a tart lemon curd, thick white cake, and a sweet whipped topping. The next was a chocolate-lover’s dream, a decadent brownie in a pot. Finally, we had a crunchy yet silky dulce de leche in a pot! With all desserts at only $4 a piece, there’s no excuse not to indulge!
If there’s one thing for sure, we’ll be “cheers-ing” our way through summer at Kampai Garden. Grab your chopsticks and meet us there!
1616 Saint-Catherine St W, Montreal, QC H3H 1L9
(514) 379-6161
Photos by Victor Yu (@randomcuisine) and Julia D’Adamo (@montr.eat.all).
