I’m back to talk about a great restaurant with gluten-free options that I had the chance to try in Ste-Foy: “Chanhda: Asian cuisine”. Chandha is the surname of the owner’s grandfather. They are of Thai origin and arrived here in the 80s as a family. Restauration is a family talent and this restaurant shows it well. The menu focuses on Thai classics, with a little stop in Vietnam (with my confessed love of Pho soup and spring rolls, yeah!) adding even a General Tao Chicken dish (a dish invented in America by a Chinese chef).
We were 3 guests to taste the dishes and we all liked our choices. We took spring rolls as a starter. The roll was filled with marvelous scents, shrimps, herbs: wow. Both side sauces were delicious: one made with fish sauce (clear) and another with peanut butter, topped with homemade roasted peanuts. A very good start (or, for a light lunch, two rolls would even be an option).
I chose a Thai soup as the main course (it is naturally gluten free). I took the “meal” version (soupe-repas), but only the half portion. The soup was visually very pleasing, with its contrasts of colour and textures. The fried onions, raw red onion, fresh coriander and bean sprouts were perfect in quantity and texture. I took the shrimp version but you have the choice to garnish it with chicken or tofu. It was not very spicy by Thai standards, but quite enough for the average Quebecers’ tolerance levels. If you are used to Thai food, you can indulge by asking for more “fire” when ordering. For lunchtime, the half portion was more than enough.
My favorite companion had set his sights on a Pad Thai (available in gluten-free version by asking, for a small fee) and he was not disappointed. Many flavours were present in this dish, thanks to the herb toppings and the perfectly fired tofu. His portion was so huge that he brought almost half of the dish home. Actually, it is possible to order a single dish and share it for an additional 4$.
The restaurant has just moved to a larger space with big windows and I was happy to see that it is very popular. The customers came in and out throughout our meal on Saturday at lunch time. Many came for the take-out, as you can order dishes to bring home (or eat in a park…). There is also a counter filled with food you can bring home to reheat and desserts (including coconut milk tapioca that I cannot wait to taste). A counter filled with candies and Asian treats made our teenage Pocky fan very happy. You can come with your family without any problem (a General Tao chicken plate could easily fill the stomach of two children). There is a wine list and they even have gluten-free Glutenberg beer on the menu! We must try a romantic evening dinner next time!
Chanhda is also an Asian grocery store with a nice selection of dry goods. I am very happy to have this beautiful Asian restaurant in our corner of Quebec City.
Chanhda: cuisine asiatique
2900 Chemin St-Louis
In the mini-mall “Place St-Louis-de-France” at the corner of rue de l’Église and Chemin St-Louis in the Ste-Foy neighbourhood (which is close to the two bridges and many hotels).
*They are closed on Sunday and monday