Darn you Canada! Darn you and your insane good ability to have foods made better than in the Yay…read moreArea! Ha ha ha! You'll know why I'll type this in a bit. Cochon Dingue, The Crazy Pig in French, is a chain of Quebec Provence French restaurants that according to their site combines bistro refinement with the feel of a local laid back atmosphere. It just so happens that I'm typing a review for the original location on Quebec City's Champlain and Traversiers intersection. Of course, you'll see both English and French on the menus, and I felt bad that my French is horrible as I visited Quebec City and Montreal, but remember. San Jose and the Bay Area as a whole is a Spanish speaking city area given its history, not French, and while I'm at it, Tagalog and Spanish are way more similar than Tagalog and French. It is nice that the Toronto cousin driving us around can still speak it to a point though. Before I forget, do realize that though there are two entryways, only one of them is really walkable, as the other's closed off. As I insert the old "Yes guys, the ladies are cute" and "Yes ladies, the guys are cute" statements pair, I notice how the place has that simple old school French charm, and I get that hospitality that will always stick with me. I wish I can remember what drink I had as it is pretty, but I do remember ordering a Quebec City pork sandwich (I need to coordinate after all as Mr. John Witherspoon would have wanted) and a pavlova dessert along with the group ordering a deluxe poutine. Oh, remember the "Darn you and your insane good ability to have foods made better than in the Yay Area!" statement I typed up, the second statement of this review? This is in regards of the pavlova. So, the first time I had a pavlova was at an Oakland/Berkeley Japanese restaurant called Iyasare (which I actually reviewed). I told our server that I had a pavlova in/near Oakland, and she asked me to see if theirs is better. Normally, I don't like nuts of some sort with berries in desserts, but this place made me actually like the format because a pavolva isn't so much of a guilt dessert, and with this in mind, I developed now the fondness of nuts with fruits with low guilt/guilt free desserts. I still don't like nuts with fruits in desserts, but that now only applies to guilty desserts. Our server went back to our table and asked if she and everyone else at Cochon made a better pavlova than the one at Iyasare. Seeing that I couldn't lie because Canada, I told her yes, which had her giddy. Go be giddy young lady! Yay Canada getting another food victory! The flaw. Seeing that "They made a better pavlova than my fellow Yay Area residents!" isn't a legit flaw, though my one visit was and is memorable, the one flaw the various locations have in general if I should even call it one is that they add Swiss cheese to their Philly cheesesteak sandwiches. I get that it's to have a healthy cheese, and French is spoken in Switzerland, but adding Swiss to the sandwich is a Philadelphia no-no. Cochon Dingue is quite a fabulous place. If it weren't for the perfect score Toronto places I reviewed, Fran's and Makilala (as Tsujiri is shown all over Canada, which is why I didn't type it up), this would have been my favorite Canadian restaurant. To Canadian residents not in Toronto, I'm sorry that none of your beloved restaurants will ever be my top Canadian spot, but remember. Toronto has the most Filipinos of all of your cities, and of course, I'll have that attachment like they do. At least you can hang your hat on how you have a place that makes a better pavlova than my fellow Bay Area residents! So, for people not from Canada, go check the place out, as it's that good! +/Cochon Dingue is cleverly divine for having some of the best hospitality I experienced, the simple old French charm and really good food. -/"You can't put Swiss cheese in Philly's classic sandwich, everyone!"

Stopped here for lunch during our tour with about 50 minutes to eat before catching our St…read more Lawrence River cruise. After a long morning, I was starving and needed something substantial. I ordered the half rack of ribs, which was a mixed bag. The flavor was good, but several ribs were so burnt they were completely inedible--straight to the discard pile. They came with a well-dressed Caesar salad featuring seasoned croutons and delicious shaved bacon, plus sliced fried potatoes that were crispy and not greasy in the least. The thick layer of BBQ sauce wasn't quite my style--I'm a dry rub girl--but I was too hungry to care much. No photos because I devoured everything. My dining companion had a chicken sandwich she raved about. She ordered a Nordic spritz while I indulged in some Quebec cider. Honestly, I expected more pork options given the restaurant's name, but they fed us quickly and efficiently, which was exactly what we needed. No real complaints except for those burnt ribs. The interior has eclectic, cool-looking decor that's worth checking out. Our waitress provided quick and efficient service as well.

Fantastic meal! My…read moreChez Boulay experience was one of the highlights of my visit to Quebec. Quite frankly I had many excellent meals in Quebec but this was one I'll remember for a while. The "36 Hour Beef Cheeks" w/miso celeriac purée and roasted celeriac did not disappoint. The beef cheeks were incredibly tender, fork tender to be exact, beefy flavorful and filling. The miso celeriac pure was very rich dressed up with the au jus. The flat iron steak with the roasted beets, fries and veal au jus might have been better in my opinion. The flat iron was a perfect medium rare and super tender. The Salmon Carpaccio was a great starter too. I also needed refills of the sough dough bread, it was easily addictive. All the dishes did not lack in letting the key ingredient taking a lead role. The staff was outstanding. I arrived slightly early and was happily greeted and seated quickly. Service during my meal was extremely professional. The restaurant was spotless and modern. I'd come back for sure.

On our very first night in Québec City, we wandered into Chez Boulay Bistro Boréal looking for…read moredinner. We didn't have a reservation, but were fortunate enough to find seats at the bar--and honestly, it was perfect. For me, it was even preferable to the dining room, allowing us to watch the team at work while enjoying the warm and inviting atmosphere. We began with the Duck Foie Gras Terrine with pine forest spikenard, brioche tartine with larch and buckwheat praline, and a garnish of apples and aronia. We also added the sautéed foie gras, which elevated an already exceptional appetizer into something truly memorable. For our main courses, I chose the Québec Braised Beef Cheek with miso celeriac purée, roasted celeriac, wintergreen herb relish, and wild caraway veal jus. The beef was meltingly tender and deeply flavorful. My dining partner selected the Elzéar Venison Pâté en Croûte with balm poplar, Isle-aux-Grues plum mustard, hawthorn relish, and pimpina gel. Beautifully executed and rich with distinctly boreal flavors, it was both refined and comforting. We also shared a side of the duck breast lacquered with cranberries and schisandra, served with polenta flavored with dune pepper and braised winter lettuce. The standout for my dining partner was the polenta, formed into a crisp log with a beautifully crunchy exterior and soft center. He declared it his favorite preparation of polenta ever. From the attentive service to the inviting ambiance, everything was outstanding. Located in the heart of Old Québec on Rue Saint-Jean, Chez Boulay provided a delicious and memorable welcome to our holiday week. It was the perfect introduction to the cuisine, ingredients, and hospitality of Québec. Great food, great service, great atmosphere--simply perfection. Highly recommended. We would happily return on our next visit to Québec City.

EdiBle :)) ++…read more Ambiance is charming, authentic, old and touristy. Old wooden snow shoes on the ceiling, sharpie written signatures on the old walls, window sills etc. with shutter style windows that open to rue St. Louie. It was full and had a line out the door. +++. Food is Canadian. I had their version of shepherds pie and it was the best one I've had in 3 decades including those I've tried in England, Scotland and Ireland!! Well balanced combination and smooth mash potatoes. Their homemade ketchup is amazeBallS! It does NOT look like Heinz by the way. I tried to buy some at their store next door but were out of it :/. Idk about their other dishes but I would eat their shepherds pie every week! +++ Service is friendly prompt and well informed staff. +++. Price was very fair for the best shepherds pie eVa! - Forget about parking. This is a pedestrian friendly old Quebec. All the oddities add character bc their food is good. I'll be BaaaaacK :)) MY RATINGS - - - Inhumane - - Disgusted - Don't bother = Missed the Mark + Good ++ Better +++ EDIBLE...WHERE have you been all my LiFe!

3,5 stars The food…read moreis ok. The vibe is lively and quirky. But the price is touristy. The ham plats I was recommended was way overpriced @$70. To put that in perspective, you can get a 14 oz steak for $70 at the fancy steak joint nearby. Come here for the vibe, the $5 hand made taffy roll (that you can get for $3 in the corner store) but watch out for the waiter's upsell recommendations. If you bring the kids, may be the kids plats is the way to go as you get the Taffy included.

Yesterday morning, before our flight back to Phoenix, we walked from the Hilton Quebec to Le Hobbit…read morefor breakfast. It was absolutely amazing. My wife ordered the Eggs Benedict (with ingredients I did not know), and I had the Big (2 egg) breakfast. My wife also ordered a side of breakfast potatoes (my breakfast came with the potatoes). Again, it was absolutely amazing. If you want breakfast, and are nearby, I cannot say just how much we enjoyed it. It could not have been better.

I went here with my sweetheart the other night on the recommendation of a friend and the Michelin…read moreguide. We were disappointed truthfully. The service was lovely. We cannot complain about that. Our server was friendly and very charming. The meal was beautifully paced. The restaurant itself is very noisy. The food itself was disappointing. On the recommendation of our server we started with the carrot doughnut. The doughnut itself was lost under a mountain of ricotta. I would not have known that it was carrot, except that she had told us. We ordered two other starters : I ordered the foie gras pate and my boyfriend ordered the fried oysters. The pate was served on a small layer of sunflower butter, which was unnecessary. The pate itself was surprisingly flavorless. Homemade bread and blueberry jam served alongside was quite good. The fried oysters were completely drowned in buffalo sauce, another green sauce and "blue cheese foam". I would not have even known they were oysters. They were served underneath some cucumbers and peppers and lettuce. For our main course, we shared the blood pudding, which, despite the crazy number of ingredients actually was delicious. It was the best thing we ate. It was served with homemade bacon, a roasted artichoke heart, and some mussels croquettes. Seriously a lot going on. For dessert we ordered the spiced orchard dacquoise. Another complex, and I thought overly complicated dish, that my boyfriend felt worked well. It was presented nicely, and I remembered to get a picture of it. All in all, it seemed like there's just way too much going on in each dish and no particular flavor stands out. Two of the dishes, the fried oysters and the carrot doughnut were just sloppy and smothered. The boudin and the dessert were both beautifully plated, and the flavors worked better as well. The foie gras appetizer was unfortunately bland, and the main ingredient did not shine. Maybe it was an off night? Maybe we didn't order the best things? Evidently, they're doing something right because they've been going for 50 years, but we just didn't see that.

What a great spot. Read about this place in Bon Apetit last year and when we decided to come to…read moreQuebec City, we knew we needed to try it out. It did not disappoint. The place is small but it adds to the funky and cool vibe. I went with my wife and two daughters and they all loved their meals. The staff were very friendly and the music list was great. My only regret is that I am leaving today and cannot go again.

TLDR: local bar with amazing food, friendly staff, and warm regulars…read more Came to grab dinner. We got a half order of shepherds pie and Mac and cheese and a small poutine. Everything came fresh out of the kitchen: hot and bubbly sauce, crisp fries, warm meaty cheese curds - great stuff. The shepherds pie and Mac both had twists that elevated them from the norm and really left a mark on me. We don't speak any French, but our waitress spoke a bit of English and did an excellent job playing a bit of charades to communicate with us. Her friendly attitude and great service made us feel welcome in the small bar of regulars. This was a great spot that I highly recommend and would definitely stop by if I was in the area!

The location of La Maison is pretty central - it's literally in a very touristy part of Old Quebec…read more(Petit Champlain). It also gets pretty busy. Coffee wise - I think it's okay. The latte I get had a weak taste of espresso and tasted a bit more watery than I'd like. I got a pastry in the morning. Nothing special but also nothing bad. Perhaps their other drinks are better but my latte was simply okay. Service was fast and prompt though.

My friend and I were on the hunt for coffee and pastries this morning when we stumbled upon Café La…read moreMaison Smith. We both ordered lattes and almond pastries--hands down the best coffee and pastry of the trip! The atmosphere was lovely, too. From our little stools at the bar, we could sip our lattes while people-watching in the square outside. See you tomorrow and the next day too, Café La Maison Smith!

Six at our table, visiting Quebec and Chateau Frontenac from North Carolina, and one had the…read morebrilliant idea some weeks ago that we should get an afternoon tea while we're in town. Best. idea. ever. It gave us plenty of time to chat with each other, graze our way through pots of tea and three tiers of awesomeness, plus every spare inch of space on the table was filled with "additional" desserts. We compared favorites at the end and a few things rose above the crowd, but even our "meh" items within this extensive list would have been pretty darn good on any other list, it's just that the bar was set so high, and still the superlatives were surprisingly topped. The only thing that would make this better would be a printout of what was on the table once everything was served, because even though the servers explained everything, there was so much, we had to repeated ask them on their return loops what some of the items were. (There's a tea house near home that does that consistently and it makes our lives better.) When all's said and done, two of us liked the lavender-citrus dessert best UNTIL trying the strawberry shortcake dessert and then both changed their favorite to that. Two of us liked the smoked salmon best, but dealt with it differently -- it was on the bottom layer with the savories, so we both tried it first, but one ate it all up right away and the other saved it after the first bit and finished it last, after the sweets. One liked her pot of tea best -- she'd gone with #3, the Grand Bazaar Spice, which has cardamom, cloves, and anise, and which actually 3 at the table chose for their tea. (The other ones picked were Creamy Earl Grey, Imperial Breakfast, and Ontario Ice Wine.) And the final favorite was the hazelnut cream puff. The scones were also truly delightful, and I need to remember more often to indulge in orange marmalade. Also, the opening sparkling tea? So much better than sparkling cider!

Went here for high tea. Great experience. Tables were a little crowded for the amount of food…read moreprovided. I think the serving was heavy on sweets. The tea was great options. Service was kind and quick.

My mom and I went for dinner last week. The restaurant used to be an old bank and you can tell from…read morethe floors. Very cool. The wait staff was very nice and our waitress explained the entire menu to us, dish by dish. We had the mozzarella/tomato dish to start. I had the gnocchi dish and my mom had the catch of the day which was cod I think. The gnocchi was good but very rich. The hollandaise, the creamy egg, I think there were onions in there.. it was very very rich that it was almost hard to finish.. My mom's dish was delicious as well! For dessert we had the lavender, Chantilly, biscuit thing. It was eh. I wish they had a chocolate dish in the menu.

Service and atmosphere was great, the staff were consistent in cleaning the tables and providing…read morewater/ new cutlery during our visit. The presentation of the food was probably the best part it felt like being in a art exhibit but you get to taste the art, I'd say that the food we ordered is definitely an acquired taste I prefer less sour/ bitter taste and I found that the dishes we ordered had a earthy flavour and the bitterness you get when eating a lemon/lime, is that a bad thing no I could understand why someone with a different taste would enjoy the dishes, overall happy with the experience but would try other dishes next time

Went for a beer and some apps on a chilly winter day. We…read morehad an IPA and a white beer called Fly Girl/ both made in house! Served perfectly chilled. Their menu shows alcohol content and their notes. Appetizers only before 5pm, which is what we had. We had the chili appetizer and the French onion soup, and potato wedges with in-house mayo. Chili app was served more on the solid side and served with nacho chips and fixins. Think not of traditional chili soups, but rather chips and dip! French onion soup was rich in flavor, topped with crusted bread and cheese. Our potato wedges were broiled and their mayo was good. Service was friendly and efficient and fast. Interior is casual, clean and comfortable. Would recommend giving this place a shot for a quick drink!

This place was recommended for a good burger by the hotel I am staying at. They have a great beer…read moreselection as they are a craft brewery. I suspect most of the reviews are based off the beer list and not the food. Let me say service is impeccable and our waiter was amazing. I ordered the cider which was amazing and not sweet but tart. My son ordered the burger and I had the chicken roll for lunch. Both items came with a salad that was delicious. The burger and chicken roll fell short. My son's burger was dry and not flavorful and I could've made myself a much tastier chicken salad at home..... the four stars is definitely for the service and beer. They need to up the food game, but overall a pleasant experience

The restaurant was clean and the service was excellent. The food was good. The servings were large…read more The crepe was tender and as a whole was very good, even though there was no sauce inside. The Croque Madame was good. The bechamel sauce was okay. The egg was perfectly cooked and the fruit with the chocolate as well as the salad was fresh. Would definitely return to try other items on the menu.

It was ok but not my favorite, staff was nice. I would probably try it again... clean place...read more