Quebec City Restaurants Recommendations

[nakji]

John's Lunch in Dartmouth is actually the best for fried clams and scallops etc.

When I was home in 2004, it had decreased in quality. I think the old owner had retired and the kids took over, and replaced the hand-cut fries with frozen ones. Travesty! Is this still the case? Anyone looking to give their cholesterol numbers a hit and try it out?

How's this for debate: What's the best Chinese food around? When I was there, my parents and I practically lived at the place next to the bridge - Fran's, I think it was called. Is it still there? My Dad grew up in Hong Kong, and he had pretty high standards for Chinese food. I remember him lamenting when I was young that we didn't have any real Sichuan restaurants in Halifax.

[Brasco66]

I am from Toronto but I worked in Montreal for about 5 years before I came here to Fredericton. I worked in several places, alot of restaurants and I was the opening pastry chef for the W hotel in Montreal.

Fantastic....welcome to the maritimes. I look forward to my next visit to Fredericton!

When I was home in 2004, it had decreased in quality. I think the old owner had retired and the kids took over, and replaced the hand-cut fries with frozen ones. Travesty! Is this still the case? Anyone looking to give their cholesterol numbers a hit and try it out?

I have not been to John's in a number of years...but I'll try to get by in the next few weeks and report back.

How's this for debate: What's the best Chinese food around? When I was there, my parents and I practically lived at the place next to the bridge - Fran's, I think it was called. Is it still there? My Dad grew up in Hong Kong, and he had pretty high standards for Chinese food. I remember him lamenting when I was young that we didn't have any real Sichuan restaurants in Halifax.

I have eaten at Fran's and it is pretty good, however I don't eat Chinese out very often because I would rather make it at home. Perhaps others have comments?

[Markian]

[Also..The acclaimed Dayboat in PEI, also featured on Opening Soon will be losing Chef Gordon Baily....yikes!

Where's he going?

[reverendtmac]

Has anyone tried the desserts at the Crowne Plaza Fredericton? I am the pastry chef and I have been there for about 6 months now. Everyone tells me I am the only pastry chef in Fredericton and I have been getting alot of great response to my desserts so far.

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One of my clients is right across the street from the CP - next time I'm up for a meeting, I'll have to haul Nessa across the street. If there's chocolate involved, I don't think I'll get much of a fight...

The Inn at Bay Fortune gave me the best meal I've had in two years; the five course tasting menu was out of this world. Pearl barley risotto with wild mushrooms, two perfect Malpeque oysters, some sort of sake-poached haddock, beef tenderloin and cappucino pannacotta for dessert...fabulous. Although my favorite part was wandering through the monstrous herb garden with a perfect gin and tonic in my hand before dinner...they know how to make you feel welcome and spoiled all at once there.

As for Fran's, I don't know if it's still there or not - haven't been by in about five years, I guess - but my Dad was convinced that it was the one decent chinese spot in the Maritimes. That was probably because it was the only place you could find ginger beef done "Calgary" style - deepfried, then stir-fried in the spicy ginger sauce. I remember their cashew gai ding being exactly like this amazing dive near our old house. Next time I'm through Halifax, I'll find out.

As far as Saint John goes, I'm actually quite impressed with what's gone on since I left five years ago. This town was always a culinary wasteland, with the exception of Suwanna (upscale Thai, and very, very good). I've heard good things about Opera but haven't gotten there yet; also heard good things about Lemongrass, but wasn't overly impressed when I went. My go-to around here has been the Saint John Ale House, which does pub food very, very well (another innovation to the culinary map down here). The kettle chips are fantastic, the calamari's very nice, and I'm a big fan of the pulled pork sandwich (needs a healthy kick of Tabasco when it hits the table, but it's damn good) - and they've got St. Ambrose Oatmeal Stout on tap, which I used to have to go to the Lunar Rogue in Fredericton for. My girlfriend put me onto a little convenience store with a lunch counter in the back that does great cheap thai food, too...and the lunches at The Infusion (top of the City Market) are simple and excellent. Last time we were in, my girlfriend had a beautiful squash & ginger soup that made me sorry I ordered the (also quite good) beef stew. They also have a ton of non-caffinated tea, which has been great for me since the doc's got me off the caffeine...

And Reggie's still makes the ultimate hungover breakfast. Corned beef hash, a couple eggs, a cup of chili and a good cup of coffee...bliss.

[Brasco66]

[Also..The acclaimed Dayboat in PEI, also featured on Opening Soon will be losing Chef Gordon Baily....yikes!

Where's he going?

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I don't know....but If I hear I'll let you know.

[Brasco66]

As for Fran's, I don't know if it's still there or not - haven't been by in about five years, I guess - but my Dad was convinced that it was the one decent chinese spot in the Maritimes. That was probably because it was the only place you could find ginger beef done "Calgary" style - deepfried, then stir-fried in the spicy ginger sauce. I remember their cashew gai ding being exactly like this amazing dive near our old house. Next time I'm through Halifax, I'll find out.

Fran's is still there....if I get there I'll have to try the ginger beef.

[Markian]

"You guys are definitely filling a void in Fredericton's scene"

Curious....have you ever eaten at Brewbakers restaurant? What did you think if have?

[chromedome]

Has anyone tried the desserts at the Crowne Plaza Fredericton? I am the pastry chef and I have been there for about 6 months now. Everyone tells me I am the only pastry chef in Fredericton and I have been getting alot of great response to my desserts so far.

←

One of my clients is right across the street from the CP - next time I'm up for a meeting, I'll have to haul Nessa across the street. If there's chocolate involved, I don't think I'll get much of a fight...

The Inn at Bay Fortune gave me the best meal I've had in two years; the five course tasting menu was out of this world. Pearl barley risotto with wild mushrooms, two perfect Malpeque oysters, some sort of sake-poached haddock, beef tenderloin and cappucino pannacotta for dessert...fabulous. Although my favorite part was wandering through the monstrous herb garden with a perfect gin and tonic in my hand before dinner...they know how to make you feel welcome and spoiled all at once there.

As for Fran's, I don't know if it's still there or not - haven't been by in about five years, I guess - but my Dad was convinced that it was the one decent chinese spot in the Maritimes. That was probably because it was the only place you could find ginger beef done "Calgary" style - deepfried, then stir-fried in the spicy ginger sauce. I remember their cashew gai ding being exactly like this amazing dive near our old house. Next time I'm through Halifax, I'll find out.

As far as Saint John goes, I'm actually quite impressed with what's gone on since I left five years ago. This town was always a culinary wasteland, with the exception of Suwanna (upscale Thai, and very, very good). I've heard good things about Opera but haven't gotten there yet; also heard good things about Lemongrass, but wasn't overly impressed when I went. My go-to around here has been the Saint John Ale House, which does pub food very, very well (another innovation to the culinary map down here). The kettle chips are fantastic, the calamari's very nice, and I'm a big fan of the pulled pork sandwich (needs a healthy kick of Tabasco when it hits the table, but it's damn good) - and they've got St. Ambrose Oatmeal Stout on tap, which I used to have to go to the Lunar Rogue in Fredericton for. My girlfriend put me onto a little convenience store with a lunch counter in the back that does great cheap thai food, too...and the lunches at The Infusion (top of the City Market) are simple and excellent. Last time we were in, my girlfriend had a beautiful squash & ginger soup that made me sorry I ordered the (also quite good) beef stew. They also have a ton of non-caffinated tea, which has been great for me since the doc's got me off the caffeine...

And Reggie's still makes the ultimate hungover breakfast. Corned beef hash, a couple eggs, a cup of chili and a good cup of coffee...bliss.

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Glad to get the input on local stuff, Tmac...I'll be moving down there in mid-April, opening my place (just outside SJ) in May. Few things in this world I like better than corned beef hash for breakfast.

[Mallet]

Has anybody been to Gio in Halifax yet? Seems like a really interesting place, and the chef certainly has an impressive CV. My parents said they had a fantastic meal there recently, but I haven't been to Halifax in a while so I can't comment personally.

[reverendtmac]

Glad to get the input on local stuff, Tmac...I'll be moving down there in mid-April, opening my place (just outside SJ) in May.  Few things in this world I like better than corned beef hash for breakfast.

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Hey, nice one! What side of the city are you going to be opening on? Any ideas on the style and the menu?

[eSkillet.com]

[Also..The acclaimed Dayboat in PEI, also featured on Opening Soon will be losing Chef Gordon Baily....yikes!

Where's he going?

←

Gordon will be opening a restaurant at the newly renovated Confederation Court Mall.

He claims it will be a new concept called "Urban Fine Dining".

[Peter the eater]

the "Shoeshop"?!?!?

That place has a lots of bustle and personality, but probably the WORST food in the city.

Every 6 months or so I get dragged along hoping it will be different this time. Not so, in fact it keeps getting worse. Last fall I went for lunch and there was an insect frozen into my ice cube. The server said "oh" and 10 minutes later brought me a new drink, for the same price. Not a friend of yours I am sure.

[Spiro]

"You guys are definitely filling a void in Fredericton's scene"

Curious....have you ever eaten at Brewbakers restaurant?  What did you think if have?

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(Sorry, been a while since i've been online...)

I've eaten at Brewbakers quite a few times, and think they're great. I consider them on par with the Palate, both of which are just slightly below the Maverick room, IMHO. In the summer, though, it's hard to beat Brewbaker's rooftop patio!

They've got a great wine list and interesting menu choices. Their duck and demiglace pizza is a great lunch.

[Ben Hong]

I'll pipe in and add a couple of suggestions. With my job I have traveled, and eaten, extensively in 19 other countries over the last 36 years and watched the evolution of the dining experience here in the Maritimes from a participant's and a diner's point of view. Sadly, I will be retiring the end of this week to a lake south of Fredericton and I won't have the opportunities to sample any more. (In some cases, this would be a great thing).

I agree with many of the choices and observations on this thread and I'll add two:

For authentic Hong Kong style Cantonese food, the "Silvery Moon" in Riverview is beyond compare. To me, it's the only place that serves "Chinese" food in the maritimes. Given enough notice, they can produce items that will transport you back to Old Kowloon, where the owners were very successful restauranteurs in a very tough market. If you go there to order s&s chicken balls, or garlic spare ribs, or combo slop, stay away and go to the nearest take out.

For good old Maritime fried seafoods, go to "Comeau's Seafoods" on the Pennfield strip, 35 miles west of SJ. Makes Ossie's look like stingy, miserly amateurs.

[Jake]

I will be in Halifax over the Easter weekend. Although I used to spend a lot of time there on business, I haven't been back for about 5 years. Are there any "Not to be missed" meals? Any old standards that aren't so good, or have changed for the better? Rec's for fine dining for one night, maybe as there is a 7 year old involved?

[Jake]

will be in Halifax over the Easter weekend. Although I used to spend a lot of time there on business, I haven't been back for about 5 years. Are there any "Not to be missed" meals? Any old standards that aren't so good, or have changed for the better? Rec's for fine dining for one night, maybe as there is a 7 year old involved?

[riboflavinjoe]

will be in Halifax over the Easter weekend. Although I used to spend a lot of time there on business, I haven't been back for about 5 years. Are there any "Not to be missed" meals? Any old standards that aren't so good, or have changed for the better? Rec's for fine dining for one night, maybe as there is a 7 year old involved?

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We had a nice meal at Fid. we had a VERY nice meal at Fleur de Sel, in Lunenberg. We had a nice meal at Gio, in the Prince George hotel.

[Jake]

Wow, is Gio still there? cool. I used to stay at the Prince George all the time. Not sure that'll work with my nephew, but we'll see.

[shrek]

I just spent a week in Moncton and had a couple of good food experiences.

Had dinner at Little Louis' Oyster Bar, it was a really nice restaurant. After two days of Board meetings I started the evening off with a Grey goose martini - it definitely took the edge off. The service was pleasant, the food was tasty and the wine list was a pleasure. Dessert was delicious too.

Also spent a couple of evenings at the Pump House Brewery watching the hockey games. Go Sens Go! They make their own beer which was definitely drinkable and they have a wood burning pizza oven, and they were worth the trip - nice thin crust and fresh ingredients. Had the bison burger on focaccia another night and it was good too.

We found two nice coffee spots - Joe Moka and Café Cognito - both served up some nice full bodied fresh coffee. They were located very close to the Delta Beausejour.

[chromedome]

Wow, is Gio still there?  cool.  I used to stay at the Prince George all the time.  Not sure that'll work with my nephew, but we'll see.

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A bit late, but apparently Gio's been recently renovated as a showcase for executive chef Ray Bear. I hear very good things...

Also worth visiting, by all accounts, is Tempest in Wolfville.

[mkayahara]

My partner and I had dinner at fid last Thursday night, and it was certainly the best meal we've ever eaten east of Quebec City. For whatever reason, we were the only ones in the dining room for most of the meal, so we got a lot of personal attention from chef Dennis Johnston: he took us into the kitchen to show us around, encouraged us to order off-menu and spent a lot of time just chatting with us, telling us lots of stories of other restaurants he's cooked at and other people in the business.

For the food, we started with some local oysters with cacao oil and black pepper, followed by appetizers of yellowfin tuna two ways (seared with Japanese seven-spice powder, and tartare) and caramelized sea scallops with mango-yuzu and olive purées. Main courses were ocean perch with jacob's cattle beans and Asian greens, and duo of beef (olive oil-poached striploin and espresso-braised short ribs) with spinach, roasted carrots, and garlic mashed potatoes. And, for dessert, we had a raspberry chiboust and tarte tatin with vanilla bean ice cream and a parmesan tuile.

All in all, a fantastic meal and a tremendously enjoyable evening, and at a very reasonable price for high-end dining. Next time I'm in Halifax, I'm planning to call ahead to order a tasting menu.

[terra]

I will be spending a bit over a week in Montreal, Quebec City, and the Eastern Townships. I have three requests:

I've seen lots of recommendations for dining in Montreal, and plenty of recommendations for "fine" dining in and around Quebec City. I would love your suggestions for more casual restaurants in Quebec City. We will be staying at Le Chateau Bonne Entente, which I understand is at the outskirts of Quebec City.

While in Quebec, should we visit Isle D'Orleans and if so, where should we go and dine?

Also, I've heard about some "country dining" or "table champetre" options in the Eastern Townships. Are these good? I already have plans to dine at Manoir Hovey and at La Table Tourigny and would like something different when I am there.

I appreciate your suggestions.

[CharityCase]

1. La Patriarche (17, rue Saint-Stanislas): A lovely highish-end meal (Table D'hote and a mid-priced Canadian red was $200) that focused on local game. What did I have? I had:

Kir Royale with Cerises de Terre (Stone Cherry) liqeur in place of Cassis

Venison Terrine stuffed with saddle of rabbit and a type of squash puree and a small salad of microgreens with fleur de sel

Deer three ways: Larded Medallion seared and served rare, Deer liver with a very nice blue potato galette type of thing, and a Parmentier with braised deer, mashed potato and salsify pan sauce. Although all 3 were good the liver was extraordinary.

Strawberry "tagada" which featured: strawberry soup, strawberry and basil mousse, and a strawberry and red pepper sorbet.

The service was friendly though in English a bit silly and over the top. What French I do have I used well and that changed the tone from doting french waiter to "man in the background" which was nice.

2. Café du Clocher Penche (203, rue Saint-Joseph Est )

Thanks to eGulleters who have referenced this place in a number of threads. We arrived sans reservation and fortunately scored a table just before several groups made their way in.

Having had a heavy lunch I chose something lighter from the menu - "Pavé au Saumon avec hareng fumé vinaigrette". Interestingly this was served atop a bed of what I think were carrot greens but didn't confirm with the waiter. My partner had a seared duck breast with brown rice so delicious you would never have thought it was brown rice. Service was exactly what you'd want in a bistro - friendly, helpful with an extensive wine list, and then out of your hair.

I'd support the argument made by other eGulleters regarding restaurants in the old part of town vs. up and coming areas such as St.Roch where Café was located. It seemed hard to distinguish between menus in the touristed areas, and by their very nature the touristy areas had lots of options with not much to offer that was unique or different....lots of tortiere, lots of salmon tartare, etc.

[AlexForbes]

I'm writing a piece for a Brazilian magazine/travel guide about eating out in Québec City. I will mention all my favourites - Panache, l'Utopie, etc - but came here looking to find something new, a good recommendation. That's when I realized that this forum has very little info on Qc. city - it's almost all Montreal! How come?

My QC city piece will mention all the other usual "suspects": L'Initiale, Laurie Raphael, Café du Monde as my recommendation for a simple lunch and even Aux Anciens Canadiens (kitschy but cozy and fun, I find), but... is there something great that I haven't heard of? Apart from Le Moine Échanson, which made it onto the list of En Route's best new restaurants?

[AlexForbes]

I should post here my QC city findings, which, I have to say, are not original at all.

So I will recommend Panache, at the St. Antoine hotel, because the food is great and also

because the place is incredibly cozy and good-looking. It's my favourite in QC.

Also recommending l'Utopie, because it's the most innovative, and the food is always exciting. Great food-wine pairings, too.

Laurie Raphael is on the list also, because it's a classic, and it's funky and walking distance from the best hotels. But I do find their food outdated, and not consistent.

Cafe du Monde, that giant riverside brasserie, for a fun and inexpensive lunch.

and that's it! I also recommend the readers go for a picnic, and pack

a baguette and delicious local cheeses like the Etoile Bleu, and

nice maple treats for dessert (piece will run in late spring).

L'Initiale didn't make the list because I find the atmosphere a bit cold.