Chicken battles it out for General Tao supremacy

While the exact history of the dish is unclear, the deep-fried chicken and sauce meal is a favourite item for people looking to get their Chinese food fix – something that couldn’t be truer in The Chronicle’s office. Hopeful taste-testers lined up outside the lunchroom looking to take part in tallying up the Tao’s qualities (free lunch may have also had something to do with it).

Finalist La Porte Orientale in Dorval (990 Herron Rd.) came in fifth with a total of 269 points out of 450. While its General Tao raked up quite a few points in the overall taste category, the team took off a few because of La Porte Orientale’s thicker sauce.

In fourth was Zyng Asian Grill in Dollard des Ormeaux (3343 Sources Blvd.), with 282 out of 450 points. Served with rice and vegetables as a meal, Zyng’s General Tao had a tasty sauce. However, the Best of the West team was disappointed you had to pour it over the chicken nuggets yourself in its take-out form.

“The sauce was the boss, but the overall taste left something to be desired,” said editorial intern and creative writing graduate Jennifer Shenouda.

Imperial Palace in Kirkland (120 du Barry) placed third with 317 out of 450 points. While the chicken wasn’t as crispy as some were expecting, the sauce on this one impressed the majority of our taste testers. It was deep red, tangy, and spicy enough to give it that little kick.

“It had a citrusy taste, but a good sauce,” said The Chronicle news director Marc Lalonde. “It had a distinct taste.”

Publisher Denis Therrien picked Imperial Palace as his favourite: “It was a close call, but it had the best taste and sauce, by far. What I expect from General Tao,” he said.

Second place was Kam Shing in Dollard (3811 St. John’s Blvd.), scoring 329 out of 450 points. Although not directly affecting the scoring, the classic Chinese take-out boxes were a big hit with our team. So was the crispiness of the chicken, something which the four other finalists lost points on.

“Definitely the crispiest chicken of the group,” said Cités Nouvelles (The Chronicle’s sister newspaper) reporter Philippe Boisvert, adding however, he would have liked a spicier sauce.

And in first place was La Perle in Dollard (4230 St. John’s Blvd.). Scoring 333.5 points out of a possible 450, La Perle’s General Tao chicken impressed all of our taste testers, except for one who found it a tad too spicy.

“The sauce has just the right amount of spice, the chicken is tender yet crispy, and the (chilli) peppers are a nice touch,” recapped The Chronicle reporter Raffy Boudjikanian.

Today is the deadline to get your nominations in for the West Island’s best family destination. In the coming weeks, we’ll also be rating the best hot dog, the best French fries, and the best place to catch the game, and we need you to help us determine our Best of the West list. So, send your nominations to marc.lalonde@transcontinental.ca, editor@transcontinental.ca, and info.citésnouvelles@transcontinental.ca., or give us a call at 514-685-4690, ext. 243. Make sure to let us know what exactly makes your favourite the Best of the West. If your submission stands out, it may be up for a prize, including a pair of tickets to a Hudson Village Theatre show. We look forward to hearing from you.