Restaurant Le Saint-Amour - Québec

Dined here on our Anniversary while visiting Quebec City. Outstanding!! Impressive reception when arriving by cab, escourted to our table which was ready, and wait staff, expecially our waiter Max, were all about what fine dining should be. I had the Magdalene Sea Scallops and Pork Belly (excellent!) and my wife had the Seared Lamb Chops (the best she ever had!). The wine selection was extensive, expecially the French Wines. While visiteding the restroom, I viewed the wine storage area which was most impressive. We will definitely return.

Motivés par les commentaires élogieux trouvés sur Trip Advisor, nous avons fait notre première halte culinaire dans la ville de Québec dans cet établissement.Franchement c'est le top !Tout d'abord la décoration est vraiment superbe ! La salle est placée sous une verrière, il y a de la végétation et des couleurs modernes partout !Le personnel est au petit soin et vraiment très agréableDu cote de la table, tout est délicieux, préparé avec beaucoup de modernité et se distingue vraiment de la nourriture traditionnelle quebecoise.Un conseil : Pour apprécier le travail du chef allez y tôt ! (du moins pour le diner )En effet comme beaucoup d'adresses dans lesquelles nous sommes allés au Canada, on privilégie le soir une lumière tamisée dans les restos (voir sombre à et du coup, il fait trop noir pour apprécier ce qu'il y a dans votre assiette !Au vu de certains plats c'est vraiment dommage !Bien que rien ne soit précisé du coté vestimentaires, vous vous rendrez compte que dans ce type d'établissement au Quebec, beaucoup de locaux viennent sur le 31 et que votre bermuda de touriste ne sera pas forcément la tenue la plus adéquate.Habitués à des établissements similaires en France (cuisine moderne ) j'ai particulièrement apprécié le fait d'avoir des portions beaucoup plus conséquentes que sur la région parisienneUn établissement à conseiller sans retenue et qui mériterait sans aucun doute une petite étoile michelin !

Le Saint-Amour is a haven for food-lovers. The menu is inspired by the rich diversity of Quebec's best ingredients prepared with traditional French skill and artistry in interesting and creative ways. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, with three options for dinner. There is an a la carte menu (appetizers around $25 and most mains about $52), and there are two fixed-price menus: "Inspiration" offers four courses for $70 per head, and "Discovery" includes seven courses for $125. We chose "Inspiration". A little complimentary starter (an "amuse-bouche") set the scene for the splendid meal that followed. The first course was a creamy vegetable soup with a truffle "espuma' (like a foamy mousse) floating on top. Then came a beautifully-presented gravlax of arctic char (a trout-like fish from arctic waters) with crisped and pureed vegetables. For the main course we had a choice of duck breast or sturgeon from Lake St-Pierre. We chose the sturgeon, cooked perfectly and served with fresh green vegetables and sea-blite lightly-sauteed in a wok. (I've not come across sea-blite before: it is a salt-water plant and its texture and flavour went well with the fish). Finally for dessert there was a choice of Fine Quebec Cheeses or the Pastry Chef's Fantasy. The Fine Quebec Cheeses were three tiny portions of cheese, served with honey and dried fruits. The Pastry Chef's Fantasy turned out to be a deconstructed chocolate cake served with ice-cream, berries and half a strawberry sliced into thin pieces.This seemed to be an experiment to present a traditional chocolate cake in a different way, but sometimes traditional ways become traditions because they are so good: in this case I don't think the changes improved the taste or the texture. The service was helpful and our waiter informative. The decor is a modern take on the baroque with lots of mirrors and curlicues. Garish or glamorous? - it depends on taste.The restaurant has an outstanding wine list ranging in price from the affordable to the astronomical with a range of wines from Canada and all the world's great wine regions. A selection of wines available by the glass make it possible to choose wines to match each dish.

We were warmly greeted, first by the hostess and then the maitre'd. Escorted to our table in a beautiful, airy space. Thus began a memorable and unhurried dining experience, ideal for foodies, but not for those closely watching their meal budget. The CN$70 "Inspiration" menu opened with a delicious potato-based soup, moved to an appetizer of arctic char, then the main course (thinly sliced duck breast), completed with a dessert of almond cake. All presented beautifully and with care to detail. As each course was presented, ingredients and preparations were explained. This is not something you do every day, but if you choose to have a memorable meal, do come to the Saint-Amour.

We were only in town for a few nights and had a disastrous meal the first evening at a tourist trap, so I was especially cautious about my final dinner in Quebec City. I had made the reservation at Le Saint-Amour a month in advance and am glad I kept it despite a few negative reviews on Trip Advisor. Please remember, everyone has an opinion, but not everyone is a seasoned traveller or connoisseur of fine dining. Personally, I only trust reviews by those who have written many, enjoy similar accommodations that I do, and travel extensively. With that said, we kept our reservation vs. searching elsewhere and I am so glad we did.Le Saint-Amour is fine dining. You will spend 3 hours experiencing the food and enjoying your wine, your companion, and the overall experience of excellent service.I never found anyone in the restaurant to be rude. The food was beautifully presented, recipes were all on point, and the atmosphere was romantic and unique.All of the items we ordered were fantastic: creamy vegetable soup, foie gras, lobster, and dessert.If you have the time to enjoy fine dining and are willing to splurge I would recommend this restaurant.