Parc Avenue has so many cafés and study spots for uni students eager to get out of their apartments, so despite the rainy weather one day, I decided to brave the elements to visit my friend working at the new Shanghainese snack bar Chillax.
Photo by Eleanor Wong
Chillax has a great secret hideout vibe, and it’s one of those places that you really need to look for as it’s situated a little further down Parc after Second Cup. Easy to miss but not at all uninviting.
Photo by Eleanor Wong
Intended to be a snack spot for late night study owls, Chillax is a place that encompasses the hipster Montreal vibe perfectly despite its Asian roots with the wood interior and soft lights.
You know those places where it’s okay to sit by yourself and do your thing, to have a comfortable space with the option to buy a few munchies for a few hours? Maybe on occasion get into conversation with some people? That’s what Chillax is.
Photo by Helena Lin
Now, the important part. These are the snacks that stood out to me that are perfect for a chill lunch or a late-night study session.
1. Shanghai Fried Rice Cake – $4.99
Photo by Eleanor Wong
I had the Shanghai Rice cake when I sat down, which was a perfect amount of food for a light meal. It was crispy on the outside while soft inside and lightly drizzled with a yummy sauce. Authentic, cozy, and delish.
2. Sweet Rice Pudding with Mango – $3.99
Photo by Eleanor Wong
The rice pudding came with cornflakes, red beans, mango chunks and had a more gooey texture compared to the famous Thai mango sticky rice.
3. Lychee Oolong Bubble Tea – R: $4.25, L: $4.75
Photo by Eleanor Wong
The bubble tea was really refreshing and not too too sweet so I enjoyed it. All of their teas are even made on the spot and organic. Nice.
Photo by Eleanor Wong
I’ll definitely be coming back to Chillax and I recommend this place to all my friends. It’s a really comfortable place to be and it’s spot-on with their Asian foods. They have a syphon coffee item that I definitely want to drag one of my friends to go try out sometime. They even have a dim sum brunch from 11 am-4 pm every Saturday!
Come chill and relax at Chillax! (see what I did there?)
Photo by Eleanor Wong