Beautiful & Delicious Quebec City…
We just got back from a short vacation to Quebec city. It was my first time. We were in Montreal a few years ago but never had a chance to go North before now. My daughter had spring break and we wanted to get away but not for too long- so Quebec it was. We decided to fly and save a lot of time. It takes all of over an hour to get there but it feels like one has traveled thousands of miles- the French signage and language helped with that aspect. We are used to taking long flights but nothing like a short hop to your destination. We were sitting in our hotel in a matter of hours.
The weather in Quebec was unseasonably cold- not a surprise to us as we had checked the weather and were prepared with our winter coats, hats, scarves and boots- not really what I had in mind for spring break- but then I was really looking forward to the food. All in all- we had super cold weather with rain and snow mixed into the three days we were there. In spite of the weather, we managed to walk around and explore some very nice restaurants.
Two eateries stood out- the first was a place called Paillard. We were walking around in the cold and as we looked in, I noticed big, communal wooden tables with extremely high ceilings- pictures of bread and cappuccino definitely helped. It was a bakery, cafe, dessert place, all rolled into one. We walked in for some coffee and something sweet. The French macaroons were delicious and the atmosphere was wonderful. We decided to return for breakfast the next day, especially since we saw pictures of their award winning croissants. Breakfast consisted of yummy cappuccino and a croissant sandwich with egg, bacon and cheese- yum! I was definitely indulging and had absolutely no qualms about it. The day after that, breakfast consisted of a nut roll with delicious jam and big cup of cappuccino…
As we walked around the old town, we ran into a small restaurant called L’Echaude. The menu looked very French and somewhat eclectic. The prices were reasonable and the decor was inviting- great choice for dinner.
A few hours later, we were welcomed by the owner. We ordered a bottle of red wine and studied the menu. I decided on the duck comfit with frites and salad. It was hands down the best comfit ever- it melted in my mouth. It was a very satisfying, high in fat meal- best of all, it was a very memorable one. We sat with friends over an amazing array of dishes, drank delicious red wine and finished the evening with yummy desserts.
It was a wonderful trip. Although it was short and laden with bad weather, we still managed to have a great time. I guess all you need is good company and great food- come to think of it, that is all you need even when you are home and not on vacation….
