Québécoi restaurants in Québec
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A
La Banquise
A Montréal legend since 1968, La Banquise is probably the best place in town to sample poutine (if you’ve never heard of this dish, see the boxed text, opposite). More than two dozen varieties are available, including a veggie poutine (peppers, mushrooms, sautéed onions) and straight-up classic poutine. There’s an outdoor terrace, a full breakfast menu and a selection of microbrews, plus the kitchen never closes.
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B
Aux Anciens Canadiens
Housed in the historic Jacquet House, which dates from 1676, this place is all about robust country cooking and typical Québécois specialties. Here, waitstaff in historic garb serve dishes like caribou in blueberry wine sauce, duckling in maple-syrup sauce or Lac St-Jean meat pie served with pheasant and buffalo casserole. Lunch is served noon to 5:45pm and is by far the best deal (around $20 for three courses). The restaurant gets its name from the novel Les Anciens Canadiens by Philippe-Aubert de Gaspé, who lived in the house from 1815 to 1824. The original rooms have been left intact, resulting in several small, intimate dining areas.
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C
Panache
One of Québec’s most celebrated restaurants, Panache generally receives high marks for its delectable, imaginatively prepared Québécois cuisine and top-notch service. The feast, which can easily last three or four hours, might feature the likes of maple-glazed halibut, Appalachian red deer with wild berry sauce, spit-roasted duck or caramelized giant scallops. It’s set in a 19th-century maritime warehouse, with rustic wood beams nicely complementing the elegant place settings. The price tag for all this, not surprisingly, is high. Some foodies say it’s a memorable, worthwhile experience; others say Panache is overhyped.
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D
Laurie Raphaël
This highly respected restaurant features a blend of produits du terroir (local Québec produce), along with international accents. Delectable favorites include giant scallops with coconut milk and exotic fruits, and lamb with mint and anise. Chef Daniel Vézina keeps menu descriptions to the minimum, saying he wants to ‘leave room for imagination and discovery.’ There’s also a spontaneous chef’s menu ($60) ‘for those that like to be surprised.’
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E
Toast!
Inside Le Priori Hotel, Toast! is another contender for best restaurant in the city. The trim, attractive dining room with fireplace is the setting for an eclectic array of dishes, including poached lobster risotto, foie gras appetizers (one of the house specialties), seared black cod in an almond crust, and scallops with crispy pork belly. You’ll find excellent wine selections, and generally good service. In the summer, you can dine alfresco in the vine-covered courtyard out back.
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F
Le Patriarche
The nouvelle cuisine echoes the contemporary art hanging on the 180-year-old stone walls in this top-class restaurant. Imaginative culinary creations seem almost too lovely to eat, but the feeling soon passes when you read the restaurants’ roll call of local suppliers. Start off with coconut and lemongrass poached scallops before moving on to roasted rack of lamb, caribou steak or a garden-vegetable mushroom risotto.
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G
Le Pain Béni
Another great gourmet outing can be head at this small, unpretentious dining room inside the Auberge Place d’Armes. Le Pain Béni serves an excellent assortment of dishes with Québec highlights. Recent favorites include lamb-shank confit, lobster lasagna with sweetbread and morels, and beer-braised wild boar over parmesan risotto. Prices are reasonable compared with similar options. Delectable desserts are the coup de grâce.
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H
Le Saint-Amour
One of the top-end darlings of the capital, Le Saint-Amour has earned a loyal following over the years for its beautifully prepared grills and seafood. Perhaps more impressive than the food is the excellent wine selection, with over 10,000 bottles in the cellar. The setting is warm and inviting beneath the glass-domed ceiling trimmed with hanging plants. The service, however, doesn’t always come through.
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I
Joe Beef
In the heart of the Little Burgundy neighborhood, Joe Beef is the current darling of food critics for its unfussy, market-fresh fare. The rustic, country-kitsch setting is a great spot to linger over fresh oysters, tender Wagyu beef, fresh fish and a changing selection of hearty Québécois dishes – all served with a dollop of good humor and a welcome lack of pretension.
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J
L’Orignal
This cozy chalet-style restaurant specializes in exquisitely prepared game meat and fresh seafood. Start off with oysters before moving on to braised wild boar or poached turbot in a lobster bisque. The service is excellent here. On weekend nights, L’Orignal gets packed and attracts a festive crowd when the kitchen closes.
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K
Ma-Am-M Bolduc
This neighborhood eatery with piped-in punk and New Age music still serves mainstays of Québécois cuisine: meatball stew, tourtière, and more poutine than you can shake a trotter at. Long departed, Mme Bolduc’s friendly round face still graces the marquee above the terrace tables.
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L
Patati Patata
This matchbox-sized, bohemian-style eatery is known for its poutine, borscht and mini burgers. It’s a Montréal classic with rocking music and young efficient staff, and there’s almost always a line snaking out front. Grab a seat at the window and watch the city stroll past.
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M
Liverpool House
From the same anti-establishment chefs that launched Joe Beef next door, this charming little eatery with touches of farmhouse decor serves an ever-changing menu of fresh-from-the-market fare. If you can’t score a table, try next door at McKiernan’s, also part of the Joe Beef group.
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N
La Binerie Mont Royal
Authentic Québécois cuisine is served from this dinerlike counter. The menu is full of typical traditional comfort fare including tourtière (meat pie) and pudding chômeur (a bread pudding with brown sugar syrup), plus hearty egg-and-sausage breakfasts.
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Restaurant Le Bateau
A great view comes with the buffet of traditional Québec workers' fare at this friendly restaurant. Fill up on Lac St Jean meat pie, followed by blueberry, sugar or vinegar pie.
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