Out of town
Quebec City: My recommendations for ma belle ville de Québec:
For Food: These are all on the high end, except for the last two, which are simpler bistros. Panache is my favorite, a beautiful, elegant yet warm and cozy restaurant with fancy comfort food. L'Utopie is the latest, new little hip place, with cutting edge food and wine pairing. Le Saint Amour, L'Initiale and Laurie Raphael are all examples ofmore classic (yet modern),formal fine dining. Toast is very new and chic, haven't been, but the buzz is there.
Panache (Auberge Ste-Antoine), in old Quebec City www.sainte-antoine.com
If you're ever in Québec City, this is a must. For François Blais' soigné cooking, or for the setting. The dining room faces the waterfront in Old Québec, and is luxurious and rustic at the same time with the fireplace and all the wood. The adjoining hotel is a successful mix of nouveau boutique style and old school, with historical artifacts everywhere. The food is top notch, very regional in terms of ingredients, his style is simply elegant, but tres gourmand, as in tasty (butter, bacon, meat glazes..), very masculine, but subtly so. Now a Relais Gourmand, and winner of numerous awards, including top hotel in Canada..
L'Utopie
Toast
Le Saint Amour
L'Initiale
Café du Clocher Penché
L'Echaudé
Metropolitain on Cartier for sushi
For Ambiance: Try the Cosmos café/restaurant, and the restaurant upstairs (Voodoo Lounge)on Grande Allee, Aviatic Club for 5-7 or dinner, or pick a bistro: Le café du Monde, l’Echaudé, le Graffitti..
Aviatic: Set in the magnificent Gare du Palais in the heart of the Old Port
of Quebec, this is a great place for cocktails, wine flights and sharing platters of innovative food.
In the Laurentians:
Restaurant Hotel Spa L'Eau à la Bouche, in Ste-Adèle http://www.leaualabouche.com/
Obviously, I am not impartial here, in that I worked here for 5 years. At the same time, that makes me more familiar than most to comment. There is no question that the ingredients are top notch, locally sourced, Anne was a pionneer on this front, and still at the forefront. Her spirit pervades l'Eau, her down to earth, generous approach, her curiosity and impeccable taste. The tradition of serving fine food in a professional, but unstuffy way with a strong wine program and great service, is 25 years old, and going strong, with the spa and lounge now added to the hotel.