Text: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
Photographs: Claire Lessiau

There is more to Québec than poutine –much more! The postcard-perfect façades of Old Québec hide a few gems where an authentic culinary story is told by some passionate chefs highlighting the terroir or traditions of la Belle Province. From rustic sugar shacks in the heart of the old town where classics get a twist to Bib Gourmand tables, explore Québec City’s dining scene.

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Le Clan: A Gastronomic Experience Full of Authenticity

From Perpignan in southern France, Chef Stéphane Modat has worked in the best restaurants along the French Riviera before making a name for himself in the kitchen of Château Frontenac. After 10 years in Old Québec, it was time for Stéphane to run his own kitchen in 2021: Le Clan. And as the name implies, far from the egos of some of the best chefs, Stéphane wants to highlight his family. To Stéphane, this goes beyond the blood tie and encompasses his suppliers and team he considers as part of the clan.

Stéphane has a real passion for ingredients: to curate the best gastronomic experience, he relies on a small and loyal team of suppliers he all knows on a first-name basis and he cherry-picks sustainable and organic products. They are highlighted on the simple menu that describes the tasting experience. By limiting the intermediaries, not only does the passionate chef secure the freshest possible produces, but maximizes the income for his suppliers. The 6-course menu changes constantly based on arrivals: a phone call announcing caviar as the stock of wild sturgeon passes only once a year, or another detailing the wild herbs and forest mushrooms foraged only a few kilometers from Québec City, and creative dishes are crafted.

Fished in Natashquao, the scallops become the star of a tartare with a light dressing of ginger and lime and cuttle fish ink accompanied by a ceviche of summer vegetables. The delicate scallops melt in the mouth with a hint of crunchiness given by the trout caviar and pickled onions.

Only Mohawk fishermen can get the very limited permits to catch the excellent wild striped bass from the Miramichi River in New Brunswick, clearly an exceptional treat at the chef’s table.

On the meat side, the guinea fowl topped by a foam of foie gras and served with a confit onion purée and morel mushrooms in maple syrup and crumble of tempeh is simply to die for.

Wines from all over the world are brought to the table by the sommelier for the wine pairing, as well as original drinks for the nonalcoholic pairing —think soda of citrus and cape gooseberries; cold infusion of chamomile, mint, shizo, and pine cone; or Assam black tea with smoked cherry and maple leaf vinegar.

Stéphane’s generosity and authenticity are heart-warming. In a hushed interior, this classy bib gourmand (the Michelin accolade) focuses on hospitality. Stéphane’s philosophy is very down to earth, far from the tight up star restaurants, as clearly engraved on the leather cover of Le Clan’s menu: “it’s better to eat spaghettis with friends than caviar with jerks”. Eating at Le Clan is not only a top notch gastronomic experience but also rewarding Stéphane’s strong values, and the dedication of his all clan.

La Bûche: Experience a Sugar Shack Year-Round in the Heart of Old Québec

Stepping into La Bûche feels like entering a typical cabane à sucre (sugar shack), a classic Québec tradition centered around maple syrup.

While the season for making maple syrup in the forest of the province of Québec is late February to April, in the Old Québec, the typical hearty and festive meal can be enjoyed year-round at La Bûche. And just as it should be, the rustic interior with its wooden decor is adorned with hunting trophies on the walls, animal furs, lumberjacks’ tools, metal buckets in which the sap of the maple tree is collected to make Canada’s sweet gold, and lit by antler chandeliers. Waiters rush in the narrow passages between tables in their thick flannel black and red checkered shirts and carry hearty fares to the sound of loud Québec folk music barely covered by the laughs and cheers of patrons.

The typical dishes that compensate their lack of refinement by their high calorie content are revisited for a slightly more subtle twist. The traditional pork and beef filling of the tourtière meat pie for instance is complemented with Québec duck, and served with a creamy salad with a maple vinaigrette and sweet homemade fruits ketchup. Other favorites include the maple glazed ham, crispy fried pork rinds, poutine and meat pies, better enjoyed with a locally brewed pint just as lumberjacks would. A must-have is definitely the decadent poor man’s pudding topped off by a giant scoop of vanilla ice cream!

La Bûchette: A Sophisticated Take on Québec’s Rustic Soul

While bûchette means small log in French, the atmosphere and menu are very different from the ones of its sister restaurant La Bûche.

La Bûchette, across the square from Château Frontenac, is a more sophisticated venue with its warm wooden interior, stone walls, and unavoidable antler chandeliers. Soft music plays in the background.

As an introduction, any of the signature cocktails by the mixologist is a good bet. A couple do stand out. Le Duc, based on Canadian Bourbon and cognac is the local version of the Old Fashioned, with the perfect balance of bitterness thanks to the orange zest and orange bitters, and sweetness with the maple syrup. In Le Champlain, the locally distilled Ungava gin is mixed with vodka, blackcurrant liquor, maple syrup, and sparkling wine, served with flambéed rosemary.

To accompany the meal, Québec wines are proposed. A Pinot Gris is a good bet to pair with the generous mixed sharing board on which duck carpaccio, beef tartare topped off by crunchy bacon, shrimp croustines croquettes, rainbow trout tartar, or fried local goat cheese served with a raspberry and thyme jam announce a festive meal.

A Québec red blend of Frontenac noir, Marquette, and Léon-Millot is a wonderful discovery to accompany hearty meaty dishes. The bœuf bourguignon, a French specialty of braised beef in red wine well appreciated in Québec, is cooked for 10 hours for the utmost tenderness. The duck breast with a variety potatoes is served with a succulent truffle sauce.

And to ensure the walk home will not feel cold, the dessert Le Bûcheron is a must! This rich homemade chocolate cake has a taste of nostalgia and is a tribute to any Quebeckers’ childhood…

Il Bello: Warm Up with Sunny Italian Dishes

In the heart of the winter, a hint of Italian sun is a nice break from the calorie-packed Quebecker specialties. In the sophisticated interior of Bello, a waiter wearing a bow tie presents us with an extensive Italian menu with a local twist.

The peppery olive oil with homemade warm bread accompanies a Negroni perfectly to kick start this Italian evening! The local favorite Québec fondue becomes a Croccantini de Parmigiano, in its Parmesan reinterpretation (don’t expect a fondue in the Swiss sense but a fried cheese).

To complement the Chef Jonathan Labrie Lacroix’ fares, the pastry chef of Bello has designed guilty and delicious desserts such as a homemade —of course— panna cotta with vanilla on a pistachio crust with raspberry coulis and ice-cream or the Bello chocolate: if you have ever enjoyed a Mars bar, this dessert will be a memorable highlight!

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While Old Quebec has become more of a museum town catering primarily to tourists, these restaurants are also praised by locals, and exude the generosity of la Belle Province. Their warm and authentic cuisine reflects the soul and generosity of Quebeckers.

Travel tips:

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