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939 Decarie Blvd, Ville St-Laurent
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Tel. 748-7014
Every restaurant makes a promise with every customer. It happens as soon as you walk through the door. The promise is that "this is the kind of place I am and you will be treated a certain way." This is why a great steamé joint with character and greasy frites can be as enjoyable and as good value as dinner at Toqué. Or why Schwartz’s is as great to eat in as Globe. When the promise is broken, when we the diners feel, bluntly, screwed, we get upset; as we should if the fries are cold or the waiter is surly at some place where we're dropping a C-note before we get through the first course.
Great small places, in particular, are finds. Anyone should be able to offer a fine meal for a 3-digit facture; not everyone can serve up bounty for $10 or less.
Vinh Hing delivers the goods. I knew this. I have been there for coffee before: thick slow Vietnamese style drip, an abstract sculpture in black and white with condensed milk layered at the bottom and coffee thicker than espresso edging drop by drop on top and the two not melding an iota until I plunge in my spoon and stir. For $2.50, Vietnamese drip is the most sensuous caffeine in town.
But until today, I had never eaten here. To my surprise, although it is almost 2 p.m. on a weekday, the place is packed and I have to wait about 10 minutes for one of the eight tables. However, I am the only occidental, always a good sign. Bowls of soup are coming out of the kitchen, snacks of egg rolls, chicken rolls, and steamed buns are dished alongside. A few tables ask for crusty baguettes since Vinh Hing is a bakery specializing in breads and rolls. Many of the Vietnamese sub sandwich places in town use their bread; however Vinh Hing doesn't make sandwiches. There are a half dozen soups, served Vietnamese style with beef or shrimp in a good (although not great broth—it is a little watery compared to other places). Bean sprouts, lime wedges and vinegary chilis are served on the side along with bottles of soy and oyster sauces. All soups are either $4.95 for a litre sized portion, plenty for one; or a dollar more for a huge bowl which would be enough for two.
You want the small bowl—which is a decent size by any standards—because you want to try a steamed bun appetizer or an egg roll first and then maybe a durian cake or egg tart oror a coconut bun or even a slice of black forest cake for dessert with the Vietnamese coffee.
Total bill (for iced jasmine tea served as I sat down, a huge steamed pork bun, soup, a very good egg custard tart and coffee) was $9.90. I was happy I had a half hour walk to get back to the office.
— Reviewed by Barry Lazar
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