Cuisine:

• French
• Others
• Catering
• Contemporary

Restaurant Le Saint Amour Description:
Since it first opened in 1978, Le Saint-Amour has been a reference in Quebec City's gastronomical circles. Co-founder and chef Jean-Luc Boulay gave this place a solid reputation for fine French cuisine with an accent on regional produce, a reputation that his son Frédéric, now executive chef, is holding up nicely. Located in a beautiful historical building in Old Quebec, Le Saint-Amour is classy and elegant, as shown by its main dining room, a colorful and ornate "winter garden" with a flurry of large mirrors and a high ceiling, where the waiters and customers have plenty of room. Foie gras is a house specialty. Dishes in general tend to be elaborate and show a command of the latest trends and techniques, as shown, for instance, in a light organic green peas mousse served with a lobster and smoked salmon sabayon, or in an entrée of halibut and calamari roasted with Espelette pepper, accompanied by seared green asparagus and romaine lettuce heart, fried saffroned polenta, and an orange emulsion with Noilly Pratt mousse. Game dishes, whether deer, caribou or duck, are especially well-done and satisfying. Even a soup becomes a full-fledged dish, with a vegetable cream heightened by a touch of rabbit confit and a morel sabayon. Desserts round up the meal with equal gusto, although they can be less surprising or elaborate than the main dishes. Young sommelier Martin Dubé brings great balance and breadth to a sizeable wine list that comprises as many Bordeaux, Burgundy, Alsace and Rhône Crus as new-world stars and artisan wines, which he matches remarkably well with Boulay's cuisine.