May 13, 2016 Breakfast – Rabbit Omelet, Lunch – Musee de Beaux Arts, Snack- Hotel Fontenac, Dinner – Bistro – St. Malo

May 13, 2016 Breakfast – Rabbit Omelet, Lunch – Musee de Beaux Arts, Snack- Hotel Fontenac, Dinner – Bistro – St. Malo

We made an omelet with the PPI rabbit breast and pork shoulder fro Lapin Saute’ plus a couple of the grape tomatoes we brought from Pennsylvania, several slices of the semi-soft cheese we bought at the Charlevoix specialty food store and four eggs we bought yesterday.

We heated slices of baguette in the microwave and spread them with butter and orange Marmaladeq.

W e then went to big Marche’ of food hall near the train station.  We walked from one end of it to the other end.  It was a little different than Atwater Market in Montreal.  This market seemed to be more tourist oriented, with more regional specialty foods and prepared foods, although it did have fresh fish and meats.  The most impressive item we saw were beautiful large lobsters.  Suzette asked about them and.was told, “It is now lobster season.”  We debated buying one but rejected that idea because of the mess and difficulty of cooking in the BNB, but I did buy two smoked mackerel filets seasoned with fine herbs.  We had a lot of fun tasting Quebec wines and cider and even an appeiitifs in made from fermented tomatoes. 

The selection of wines and spirits was vast.  For example, I liked an ice wine made from fermented pears.  

After the market we took the bus up the hill to the Plains of Abraham to the Museum of Fine Art of Quebec, which has a collection devoted to artists of Quebec.  We were happy to see more M. A. Fortin’s works. He is my favorite Canadian painter.  We looked at most of the galleries and then went to the Cafeteria around 1:00 for a snack.  The day was cold and windy, so I ordered a thickened beef and barley soup with potatoes and carrots and onions. Suzette ordered a hot chocolate that was served in a large café au lait cup/bowl.  My soup/stew was delicious with a thick broth, served with the hardest crouton I have ever had.  After lunch we went to tourist information to try to find a restaurant that served fresh lobster.  The assistant put us onto the Continrpental Hotel which is across the small square and up the street from tourist information.  We walked there and the assistant indicated that the restaurant had fresh lobsters.  We went back down the street to the Hotel Fontenac to get a drink and were told that the bar did not open until 4:00 but we could order a drink with food in the casual dining restaurant.  We walked to the SAM restaurant, which serves creative food in the evening and were seated at a table with a great view of the river.  Suzette asked about drinks and our waiter was so interested in getting us what we wanted, even though we were not fully aware of what that was that he helped direct us.  He recommended a gin and tonic made with Unvara Gin, a premium Canadian gin, flavored with six botanicals harvested on the Unvara Peninsula in Canada’s far north and a quinine tonic base made with quinine extract and tea raised in Canada especially for the Fontenac.  Both the gin and tonic had potent flavors that were moderated with the addition of soda water.  The drink was served with juniper berries and several other Canadian botanicals.  Suzette loved the beautiful and unique drink.  I ordered a sparkling cider named Neige that was delightful with a good balance of acid and sweetness.  We both ordered bowls of soup.  I ordered the seafood chowder, with clams, scallops, shrimp, and potatoes in a medium light cream broth.  Suzette ordered French Onion Soup that was made with a wonderfully light veal stock.  

After eating and drinking at Hotel Fontenac, we went back to the apartment to rest.  

We woke up at 7:00 and showered and dressed and had a sip,of Saskatoon berry flavored cider that was a little sweet and talked to our host and hostess. M

At 7:45 we walked to the St. Malo Bistro located in an old building on St. Paul St. Near the E’ Chaute’ restaurant we ate at last night.

Suzette ordered a Baked Goat Cheese Salad and an appetizer of Salmon Tartare.  I ordered Sweetbreads Forrester.  Suzette ordered a glass of Canadian Sauvignon Blanc and I ordered a pinot noir from the Loire.  We loved the large salad with its round of baked goat cheese, but the entrees disappointed us.  My sauce was heavy and had a slightly burned taste as if the lamb stock had scorched.  The sweetbreads were tender and delicious and the double reduction sauce pleasant.  The dish was served on a mound of spaghettini with potatoes roasted with duck fat.  Suzette was surprised by the spiciness of her salmon tartare.  We asked the waitress and were told that the spice is from the addition of Tabasco sauce, which apparently the normal flavoring for salmon tartare.  Suzette and I both thought the tartare was needlessly spicy.

I managed to finish my dish even though it was not even a lose third to the sweetbread preparation at AG or E’ Chaude’.

The trade off at St. Malo appears to be quantity and price.  You get larger quantities at a reasonable price, but the creativity is not there.

To quote Suzette, “St. Malo serves hearty bistro food.  Nothing fancy.”

After dinner we went back to the apartment and tried to get to bed and digest our huge dinner. 

Bon Appetit