Oncle Lee's Kǎo puts modern Chinese-American on the menu in Old Montreal

For Andersen Lee, Oncle Lee Kǎo is the latest in the chef’s creative statements to the city, and a new dimension to his forté.

Located the heritage stone space that once housed the Greek-forward Ikanos and its brief off-shoot Garde-Côte in Old Montreal, it’s the latest venture from the team behind Oncle Lee: Lee is at the helm alongside Émile Collette in the kitchen, Marie-Alexandra Dahouet at the front of the house, and François Nadon and Mélanie Blanchette of Boullion Bilk, Cadet, and Place Carmin fame as partners.

But while Oncle Lee made waves on Laurier Ouest with its contemporary takes on Chinese cuisine, Kǎo carves its own path by pulling from street food traditions as much as they do high-end techniques.

Say uncle

Given the new digs, the differences between Kǎo and its Mile End counterpart are clear. The restaurant occupies a larger space, seating around 80 guests compared to Oncle Lee’s 45. High ceilings and an open layout lend it a more polished feel, but also built for a lively atmosphere with communal dining and shared plates at its heart.

"We wanted to keep the energy that we love about Oncle Lee," says Dahouet, who oversees front-of-house operations. "But the space itself called for something slightly different—less casual, a little more refined, but still warm and welcoming."

One major addition is a semi-private dining section, which can accommodate groups of 12 to 35. It’s separated from the main room by wooden panels—creating intimacy while still keeping guests connected to the action in the restaurant.

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire 

At its core, Kǎo is all about the grill. The restaurant takes its name from the Mandarin word for “roast,” and the menu reflects that philosophy, with grilled meats and seafood at the forefront.

That said, Kǎo’s menu is a balance between grilled meats, seafood, and vegetable dishes. The seafood offerings range from steamed oysters to hiramasa, salmon, and albacore crudo, while a grand plateau de fruits de mer delivers a spread of raw and cooked shellfish. Then there’s the whole crispy sea bream, a nod to Sichuan water-boiled fish, but reinterpreted with a deep-fried crunch and a fiery sauce.

Meanwhile, meat dishes highlight the restaurant’s mastery of fire: Cumin-spiced lamb skewers, duck tartare with truffle, and Hong Kong-style Cornish hen, alongside pairings like pork côte with a mussel and clam curry or a grilled octopus dish that swaps out the usual chorizo for Cantonese lap cheong sausage.

On the green side of the menu, wok-fried greens, mapo tofu, and crispy chow mein with seafood and bacon provide a counterbalance. As for desserts, they mirror the restaurant’s broader culinary philosophy, honouring tradition while infusing fresh perspectives—think tartelettes that blend yuzu and green tea alongside coconut, passionfruit, and mango with tapioca.

"We wanted to take inspiration from shaokao—Chinese street-style barbecue—but we’re not branding it that way outright," explains Collette. "It’s a reference point rather than a rigid framework. We take those flavours, those techniques, and apply them in ways that make sense to us." 

That ethos extends beyond the grill. The kitchen has set up a wok station, a critical element for many dishes, from smoky stir-fries to bright, layered noodle dishes. "We weren’t sure at first if we’d be able to make it work in this space," admits Lee. "But after cooking with it for so long, we knew we couldn’t do without it."

The familiar and the unexpected 

Beyond its food, Kǎo builds on what Lee and his team have learned about hospitality. The restaurant strikes a balance: refined but never stiff, energetic without being overwhelming.

"We want it to feel like a place where you can come for a drink and a snack, or settle in for a full meal," says Dahouet.

The wine list has expanded compared to Oncle Lee, reflecting a broader range of selections that cater to Old Montreal’s diverse clientele. "We’re letting the guest shape where the list goes," Dahouet notes. "We’re starting with a mix of classic and unexpected picks, and we’ll see what people gravitate toward."

The cocktail menu remains rooted in Chinese and East Asian influences. One standout is a drink featuring Baijiu—a notoriously intense Chinese spirit—balanced with other elements to make it more approachable. "It’s not a two-ounce pour of Baijiu," Lee laughs. "Just enough to bring in the aromatics and complexity."

Deeper roots

For Lee, Kǎo is deeply personal. His own culinary influences are woven throughout the menu, blending the food of his childhood in Brossard with the techniques and flavours he’s encountered in kitchens around the world.

"Every time I go back to Taiwan, I feel like I reconnect with something," Lee says. "It reminds me why I love cooking, why I love these flavours. Kǎo is a reflection of that—it’s not about authenticity in the traditional sense. It’s about making something that feels authentic to me."

That philosophy has resonated before, and there’s no reason to think it won’t again.