MONTREAL — Married couple, Élyse Garand and Hidenori Tsuda, have opened the 10-seat Japanese restaurant, Noren, in Montreal, serving up popular Japanese snacks, takoyaki and okonomiyaki.
Takoyaki is a ball made of wheat-flour batter and filled with minced or diced octopus, tempura, pickled ginger and green onion, cooked in a moulded pan. Okonomiyaki is a savoury pancake originating in Kansai and Hiroshima. Its toppings vary based on regional tastes and individual preferences.
Garand, who grew up in Canada, drew her inspiration from the seven years she spent in Kyoto with her husband. Noren’s early menu was more extensive in its offerings but the couple soon realized they would be more successful by focusing on just a couple offerings and doing them well. “We thought we might do yakisoba too, the stir fried Japanese noodles,” says Garand. “But it’s just the two of us. Takoyaki and okonomiyaki are enough. Already we have some customers asking if we do ramen.”
A few supplementary offerings on the Noren menu include a salad, a weekly special — such as a Japanese curry plate — and a coconut tapioca pudding for dessert. Beverage options include Japanese soft drinks and coffee. The couple hope to acquire a liquor permit in the near future.
The new eatery has also been a welcome new lunch option for workers in the neighbouring 4200 Saint-Laurent office tower. In an area predominantly filled with French, Portuguese and Spanish food choices, eclectic Japanese snack foods come as an exciting new alternative and present Noren with healthier-than-expected midday traffic. “When we decided on this place, we honestly didn’t know about the other lunch options,” says Garand. “We chose it because we liked the size and the area, but we didn’t think too much about the business. I think I’ll have to buy a couple more chairs. Maybe a bench.”
77 Rachel West, Montreal
