Dragon´s Beard Candy

When strolling down Montreal’s Chinatown’s streets, one can’t help but be intrigued by a tiny, hole-in-the-wall (quite literally) counter on De la Gauchetière Street. Behind that counter, a man manipulates a strange white paste, stretching it in every direction. As he manipulates it, the paste starts looking like angel hair. He then splits it in small portions that he wraps around peanuts to create a sweet roll that melts in the mouth like cotton candy. Welcome to Dragon’s Beard Candy!

The man behind the counter is the owner, Johnny Chin. His passion for sweets is contagious and he always takes a few minutes to explain the candy’s fabrication process with a rare enthusiasm.

A Canadian of Chinese origins, Johnny has operated his counter since 1991. After graduating from Bishop University’s finance program, he moved to Hong Kong. That’s when his brother taught him everything about the art of dragon’s beard candies, sweets dating back to ancient China.