Charles and I certainly enjoyed all the food we ate while in Canada. Before we left, I had researched different foods we just had to try while there and also restaurants to visit. All my research was spot on!
We arrived in Montreal on May 31st, late that afternoon and after checking in, made our way to Schwartz's for a late lunch...
Schwartz's is a deli known for its smoked meat sandwiches. I had read to order a smoked meat sandwich medium (for medium fat so that it would be not too fatty and not too dry), a half sour (pickle), fries and a Cott's black cherry soda.
I ordered just that - although they were out of half sours, so we ended up ordering a whole pickle each - and was told by our waiter that I ordered a perfect order!
It was all really good! By eating around 4:00 p.m. we didn't have to wait in line for a seat and had the table all to ourselves.
Of course, I had to take pictures of all of our food for the blog and scrapbook!
That evening, after exploring Mount Royal and parts of Montreal, we had a late night snack of poutine. We went to La Banquise and ordered the original...
Poutine is fries, topped with cheese curds and covered in brown gravy. Apparently, the squeakier the cheese curds the better, and I have to say that I heard a few squeaks! La Banquise serves all sort of poutine combinations - some of the other toppings choices sounded rather intriguing; however, I am glad that we ordered the original. After reading about it and seeing pictures of it before our trip, I knew that I would try it because it is one of the must eats while in Montreal. However, I wasn't sure that I would like it very much. Well, I certainly did like it! It was really good!!
The next day, June 1st, we started our day with breakfast in our hotel. Since it was our 10th anniversary, I wanted cheesy eggs, croissants and strawberry jam - our daily breakfast when we were in Paris for our honeymoon. The hotel offered a cold buffet, but we improvised and ended up with a somewhat replica of our honeymoon breakfast. Croissants and strawberry jam were on the buffet. The buffet provided a small square of fritatta which I cut just the egg from, I added a bit of goat cheese from the buffet which was really good -smooth and mild tasting - to my fork and voila! I also enjoyed the chocolate croissant.
After a double decker bus tour of Montreal that morning, we were ready for lunch. We made our way to the quays of Old Port to eat lunch at Muv box. It is a box restaurant I read about that serves lobster rolls and lobster pizza. It sounded like something Charles and I would enjoy. I read that there are usually lines, and there definitely was a line when we got there around 1:00 -1:30...
Charles ordered the lobster roll combo which came with a cup of chowder, chips and a drink...
and I ordered the lobster pizza...
It was definitely worth the wait!! Both were delicious!
The lobster was so fresh tasting, and it was piled on both the lobster roll and the lobster pizza.
Picnic tables were set up, and we enjoyed the views of the water...
and the park beside Muv box...
while we ate.
After lunch, we continued walking around Montreal and needed a little pick me up, so we stopped at a Tim Horton's for iced coffee. Charles got the chocolate iced cappuccino supreme...
and I got the mocha latte glacee (iced mocha latte)...
Both hit the spot!
After more touring and a stop at the hotel for a little rest and freshening up, we went to Au Pied de Cochon for our anniversary dinner...
It was the perfect anniversary dinner!
No sign identified the restaurant from the outside, so I was glad that we had written down the address for the taxi driver. We walked inside and immediately saw a lobster tank, which housed some very good looking lobster, and a seafood bar which ran along the front counter. The seafood bar was a metal trough, filled with ice and fresh seafood galore - from prawns and crawfish to mussels to conch - it had just about everything in it. We were given a table in the front of the restaurant so we were able to watch the chef cook the meals in the brick fire oven...
Everything that came out of it looked oh so good.
It was hard to decide just what to order from the menu and daily specials...
We ended up ordering a lime slushy which was just tart enough...
the perfect cool treat for a warmish evening.
We were brought fresh bread and butter...
and ordered cromesquis de foie gras for starters...
Oh, they were so good! It came as 2 bite size morsels of fried foie gras which had a liquid center. We were told to pop the whole thing in our mouths. We did and experienced the tastiest of explosions.
I ordered the happy pork chop and PDC mashed potatoes...
The happy pork chop made me SO happy - it is probably the best pork chop I have ever eaten - and that's saying something since the South knows how to cook pork chops! It was so tender and juicy and sat upon sauteed shredded purple cabbage and was topped with sauteed onions and mushrooms and was covered in a delicious thin sauce which just infused into each bite. The Pied de Cochon mashed potatoes had cheese curds melted through them - cheesy, buttery goodness!
Charles ordered one of the specials of the day...
The special of the day that Charles decided on was the white fish special - fish and mussels. He said that it was really good too.
For dessert, we ordered the sugar pie for two...
It was a pie (somewhat like a chess pie or a pecan pie without the pecans - only less firm) topped with cream...
and served with vanilla bean ice cream that tasted homemade...
This meal was perfection!
The next morning, June 2nd, we began our day with muffins from Tim Horton's that we had picked up the day before. I choose a chocolate chip muffin and Charles choose a fruit muffin...
After spending a rainy morning at the Biodome and taking a look at Olympic Park, we had lunch at juliette et chocolat...
It was the neatest little place, and, again, we were seated so that we could watch the food preparation...
Charles ordered the mushroom complete crepe (a buckwheat crepe filled with turkey, mushrooms and cheese) which came with a salad which was topped with a delicious dressing...
I ordered the juliette et chocolat - a mixed green salad on pear sliced topped with fresh sliced strawberries and goat cheese with a buckwheat crepe lace and a dressing of chocolate vinaigrette...
Yum, it was good! And speaking of YUM - the dessert was all kinds of yum!! The trifle - layers of the intense brownie, whipped cream, and fleur de sel caramel...
with Grandma's hot chocolate sauce to pour over it...
Oh my!!
We explored the Musee des Beaux Arts during that rainy afternoon and headed back to the hotel. After a rest and a little more exploration, we decided to have dinner at a restaurant near the hotel in case the rain picked back up. Dinner at Fino Marche Gourmand was really good.
Charles enjoyed the linguini gambani...
linguini in a red sauce topped with humoungus shrimp
while I enjoyed the open face burger...
a perfectly cooked and juicy burger topped with brie, caramelized onions and mushrooms and truffle oil. It was served with parmesan frites and homemade mayonnaise for dipping the frites.
We arrived in Quebec City the next day, June 3rd, in time for lunch at Le Cochon Dingue...
The pig head above the bar was just one of the interesting items of decor...
After reviewing the menu...
Charles decided to order L'authentique - the lobster roll which came with slaw, frites and mayonnaise...
and I ordered La tartine Croque-monsieur a la francaise - pain de campagne, jambon, tomate, bechamel et fromage (open faced ham and cheese with bechamel sauce and no tomatoes) which also came with slaw - which was actually pretty good - frites and
mayonnaise for dipping...
We enjoyed our food at a little table in a small side room...
The menu listed sugar pie as one of the desserts and billed it as the best in town. We decided to try the fresh strawberry sugar pie - it was good, but not the best sugar pie we ate during our trip...
That evening we were staying in the city center of Quebec City and enjoyed dinner at Les Bossus - a French bistro recommended by the hotel at check-in...
I'm glad that we took the recommendation!
I loved the coziness of it and the exposed brick wall inside and all of the art on display...
We were provided fresh bread...
and ordered escargots au pernod (escargots served between somewhat flaky triangles and topped with a creamy sauce)...
Charles ordered the scallops provencal...
The scallops were seared and served with linguini with pesto sauce, sauteed cherry tomatoes - which Charles even ate some of! - and greens.
I ordered the pasta with pesto sauce topped with brie and served with greens...
Both were really good.
As was the dessert - creme brulee a la lavande (lavender creme brulee). We tasted the perfect hint of lavender in each bite. It was served with a wafer which tasted like a waffle cone and strawberry sauce and chocolate drizzled on the plate...
The next day, June 4th, we traveled from Quebec City to Tadoussac. We stopped to drive around the Ile d'Orleans which is only about 15 minutes or so outside of Quebec City. Our first stop on the Ile d'Orleans was at Le Chocolaterie de l'Ile d'Orleans...
We ordered a homemade hot chocolate...
and an orange cranberry muffin for breakfast...
and took our breakfast outside in the courtyard to enjoy.
We views were so pretty and peaceful...
After enjoying our breakfast, we took a look at the chocolates and decided which ones to purchase...
That was a hard decision, but we settled on almond chocolate bark...
and strawberry, Irish cream and fleur de sel chocolates...
The fleur de sel chocolates were Charles' and my favorites...
mmmmm, they were good!
We also bought almond chocolate bars to bring home...
We continued around the Ile d'Orleans and stopped at a strawberry stand...
We were lucky that the strawberry crop was three weeks early this year!
The strawberries were so fresh and SO good!
Charles and I both enjoyed a couple of strawberries right away...
The guy at the stand was very nice and friendly. Between his very limited English and my very limited French, we were able to make our purchase and boy was it worth it!
We continued around the island making stops here and there and taking lots and lots of pictures and when we got to the other side, we stopped at Cidrerie Domaine Steinbach...
where we sampled all sorts of goodies...
from mustards to chutneys to jellies to ciders (including the cidre glacee - ice cider, which Quebec is known for and made from apples left to freeze on the trees during the snows and winters in Quebec -- it was really good and just crisp and sweet enough) ...
the products were made from apples grown in the orchards behind the cidrerie and all organic...
All of the samples were delicious, but we settled on purchasing a strawberry cider...
chocolate jelly...
and maple apple jelly...
We ate lunch at Resto-Pub l'O2 de l'Ile before leaving the Ile d'Orleans...
I really liked the red and white checked table cloths and the brown paper on the tables...
We both ordered cheeseburgers and fries. However, Charles also enjoyed the smoked catfish he bought at the Poissonerie Jos Paquet...
He really enjoyed the smoked catfish!
During our stop to Montmorency Falls, we picked up several maple items...
All were tasty, but the maple cream cookies were my favorites...
We made it to Tadoussac for dinner at Cafe Boheme...
It was a neat little cafe with eclectic decor and even a reading nook upstairs...
After we decided on what to order, I took a minute to review the Tadoussac travel brochure to see what all we could see that evening and the next day...
The travel brochure was quickly put away when our appetizer of fried mozzarella stuffed zucchini blossoms arrived. They were served with a marinara sauce and were delicious!
I ordered the Croque Boheme which was so good...
It was an open faced goat cheese, wild berries, maple syrup and silvered almonds on artisanal bread which had a hint of sweetness to it. It was served with a mixed greens salad with a vinaigrette which tasted a little like a raspberry vinaigrette.
Charles ordered the smoked fish platter...
He really enjoyed the smoked tilapia, tuna, mussels and shrimp, and it too was served with a mixed green salad.
For dessert, we shared a chocolate caramel explosion cake.
It was like a molten chocolate cake only filled with both chocolate sauce and caramel. It was so good!
The next day, June 5th, after our whale tour, we at lunch at Cafe Bar le Gibar - right on the boardwalk...
The seafood was for fresh and good...
and the view from our table was amazing...
Charles ordered the (angel fish) fish and chips...
and I ordered the lobster nachos (lots of chunks of lobster meat piled on nacho chips and covered in a smooth, creamy white cheese and topped with sour cream)...
Both were really good!
We then drove back to Quebec City and had time to walk around the city a bit before deciding to have dinner at D'Orsay. Charles made a great pick with this one!
We were able to look out onto the streets of Vieux Quebec City...
while we enjoyed our delicious meal.
It began with a bread basket of rolls and toasted baguette slices...
Charles ordered La Table d'Hote - which began with a green salad with D'Orsay dressing - the dressing was really good...
followed by chaudree de la mer (seafood chowder with mussels, shrimp, scallops, redfish, clam and crab - they certainly did not skimp on the seafood)...
Charles REALLY enjoyed the chowder! He said that it was the best seafood chowder he has ever eaten...
He then had mussels and crab bits with asparagus and frites... 
While I enjoyed my steak frites - steak and fries - served with a green salad with D'Orsay dressing and sauteed mushrooms...
We shared Charles' dessert and chose the maple syrup creme brulee...
and tried an ice wine which was sweet, smooth and fresh and complimented the maple syrup creme brulee perfectly...
Everything at D'Orsay was so delicious. Charles wishes they could ship some of their seafood chowder to Mississippi!
The next day, June 6th, we began our day with crepes from La Casse-Crepe Breton...
I ordered a bol of chocolat chaud Grand-Mere...
delicious hot chocolate topped with lots of fresh whipped cream - Yum!
We watched as they made our crepes...
Charles and I decided to share our crepes, so I ordered the fresh strawberry crepe with whipped cream...
and Charles ordered the egg, ham and mozzarella crepe with maple syrup...
They were both really good and the perfect start to the day!
After taking the walking tour of Old Quebec, we ended up on Rue de Petit Champlain and saw this sugar shack store...
where they sold tire d'erable - maple taffy...
I had read how in the winter they pour maple syrup on the snow to make the maple taffy and that in the summers they just use ice instead to make it. It was one of the things that I really wanted to try, so we each bought one.
The lady in the store took the gooey maple syrup and folded it onto itself and the stick on each side and then handed the maple taffy on a stick to us...
We found a bench right outside the sugar shack where be could enjoy our treats...
YUM! It was good!
It was sweet and a little chewy and just melted in our mouths.
We then walked to Parliament...
taking in the sights along the way. We made our way through security and retrieved our visitor's passes and made our way to Le Parlementaire for lunch. These beautiful stained glass windows flanked the entrance to the restaurant...
We didn't see any members of Parliament while we were dining, but the dinning room was just beautiful...
in blue, white and gold with its tall ceilings, moldings and carvings. We really enjoyed dining there...
We were brought a bread basket...
Each meal came with a salad, main course and a sweet treat. The salad was mixed greens topped with chopped vegetables such as tomatoes...
I ordered the mushroom stuff chicken for my main meal...
The mushroom stuffed chicken breast was covered in cheese and a nice sauce. It was served with roasted potatoes and pureed carrots.
Charles ordered the steak frites as his main dish which started with another, larger salad...
He also ordered grilled shrimp with this steak frites...
Our sweet treats were flaky cookies with slivered almonds and a drizzle of chocolate...
After much more exploration of Quebec City and a tour of the Citadel, we had dinner at Portofino...
The bread with oil and vinegar was so good...
Charles ordered the pizza with all colors of bell peppers, mushrooms, black olives and peperoni...
while I ordered the spaghetti bolognese...
We had dessert at Aux Anciens Canadiens...
We shared a slice of the maple syrup pie with ice cream...
Oh, it was so good! It was much like the sugar pie at Au Pied de Cochon but a little firmer - more like the texture of a chess pie. Charles and I couldn't decide which pie we enjoyed more - they were both so good!
Our last day in Canada, June 6th, we started the day off at the bus station with a banana muffin for me and a croque monsieur for Charles...
Both were really tasty and just what we needed for our bus trip from Quebec City to Montreal...
We ate lunch at the Montreal airport - a prime rib dip for me and a cheeseburger for Charles - both with fries and mayonnaise for dipping them in...
We had a great time in Canada and really enjoyed all the delicious foods and meals it had to offer!
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