A Delightful Dinner Detour

Because the old city of Quebec was cordoned off with security to protect the dignitaries that were in town for the French summit, we had to cancel our dinner reservations because we simply couldn’t get there. No cars were allowed in that part of town at all.

My hostess from Quebec Tourism ended up taking me to a wonderful little place just down the street from the Hotel Royal William call Le Clocher Penché, and it turned out to be one of those happy accidents where you discover a real gem that you wouldn’t have ever considered.

The cozy corner restaurant has an excellent wine list (almost 200 bottles) and small, but eclectic menu filled with foodie favorites like ox tail and calf sweetbreads. Our server told us that two of the popular house specialties are the Headcheese appetizer, pork grills with lentils and gribiche sauce, and the Blood Pudding entrée with apple tarte tatin and salad.

Since eating internal organs and animal blood is not my thing, I chose the creamy tomato soup topped with crème fraiche and the Free-Range Chicken with a potato gratin, as well as a lovely glass of red wine. My friend, who eats often at Le Clocher Penché, had one of her favorites, the Salmon Tartare with potato salad and pink peppercorns.

The service was excellent and the food was even better. We both warmed up on the chilly night with the soup de jour. My chicken was perfectly cooked…nice and brown on the outside and juicy on the inside…and it sat atop a slice of potato gratin. And if you love salmon, the tartare was fabulous.

This charming bistro is one of the standout dining destinations of the lower city, and definitely worth a visit. (203 rue Saint-Joseph Est, 418 640-0597)

My Sing-Along Dinner

In general, hotel food is usually in the same dismal category as airline food, but this is not the case at the Hotel Royal William in Quebec (www.royalwilliam.com). Their restaurant, Le Sainte-Victoire, which features traditional French cuisine and regional favorites, is very popular with local residents. On Friday and Saturday nights, a pianist plays classic tunes and it’s not unusual for both patrons and waiters to burst into song.

That’s exactly what happened on the Friday evening I dined at Le Sainte-Victoire. The party of four next to me joined in on Edith Piaf’s “La Vie en Rose”, with a little help from their waiter who had a pretty decent baritone. Combined with the cozy ambiance of the small dining room, it was like being at a fun dinner party.

I started with a mushroom and puff pastry appetizer, which was as pretty as it was tasty, and followed that with a traditional steak au poivre with hand-cut fries. Dining alone is usually boring, but a nice glass of Pinot Noir and the convivial entertainment made this solo meal really enjoyable.

The next morning, I returned to the same dining room for the breakfast that’s included in the room rate. You can choose from several hot dishes from French toast to a spinach and mushroom omelet, or opt for the French-style breakfast of fresh, crusty baguettes, croissants, and pastries. I tried the French toast on my first morning, and the bread basket on my second day, which was so generous that I saved some of the pastry for a mid-afternoon snack. While I’m not sure why the hotel is called the Royal William, I did receive the royal treatment at my meals there.

Having a Bowl of Coffee at Le Cochon Dingue

I recently returned from one of my favorite cities, Quebec. I had never visited in the fall and the foliage was just spectacular. It was also the final week of the city’s year-long 400th anniversary celebration and the weekend of the global French summit, so the city was packed with the leaders of the French-speaking countries of the world, as well about 1000 Canadian law enforcement officers brought in to augment local security. I saw the motorcade of Nicolas Sarkozy, the President of France, but didn’t actually get a glimpse of the famous leader. Most of the dignitaries were ensconced in my favorite hotel, the Chateau Frontenac and it was off-limits to the public during their visit.

I stayed in the lower city this time, which is becoming a trendy entertainment district filled with boutiques, restaurants, and clubs. The Hotel Royal William (www.royalwilliam.com) is within walking distance of most of those, although it’s about a $5 cab ride to the Old City.

Since I had arrived on an early morning flight, the cerulean sky and flaming foliage were a perfect backdrop for a day of exploring so I headed into the Old City to see the new promenade along the St. Lawrence River. This two-and-half-mile waterside park, along with a pier and observation tower, is a gorgeous track for biking, walking, or rollerblading. It was one of the major improvements that the city made during the 400th celebration, wanting to give their residents the gift of riverside access as a permanent and tangible reminder of the year-long party.

After climbing the observation tower to enjoy the panoramic views, I headed into the lower part of the Old City to warm up at Le Cochon Dingue (www.cochondingue.com). You’ll see this sign of the rosy, happy pig in other parts of the city as the restaurant has other locations, but this one has a busy take-out bakery and café on its lower level with a wide variety of soups, sandwiches, quiche, and pizza. It was a bit brisk out, so I chose and soup and sandwich combination…hearty tomato soup with a fresh baguette stuffed with brie and ham…and I also ordered a café au lait for an energizing infusion of caffeine.

There’s something really fun about drinking coffee out of a cereal-sized bowl, which offers the side benefit of warming up your hands in chilly weather. I wish now I had purchased a couple of the cute bowls, decorated with the pink pig logo, so that I could have my morning coffee French-style.

Stairway to Tuscany

I’ve been exploring my home state of Virginia while updating a guidebook on the region, and during my travels, I’ve discovered wonderful new places to eat in the heart of the historic small towns of the state. In 2009, Virginia will celebrate the 40th anniversary of its Virginia is for Lovers campaign, but they may want to change that to “Virginia is for Food Lovers”!

The charming town of Fredericksburg is about 60 miles north of Richmond and is full of colonial and civil war history. Often overlooked for the more highly publicized Williamsburg, Fredericksburg is well worth a visit and full of wonderful restaurants. I recently ate at the Poppy Hill Tuscan Kitchen, a “farm-to-table” restaurant that is garnering foodie raves around the country.

Sourcing their food from local farmers, the rustic Tuscan fare is not only about as close to that of their namesake as possible, but also a great value. My friend and I started with the Antipasto Platter ($9) and could have made our entire meal from that one bountiful starter. A platter loaded with artisanal cheeses, proscuitto, salami, roasted garlic, red peppers, tomatoes, and olives was topped with crostini. Grab a bottle of one of the many good Chianti’s on the wine list and this is absolutely heaven on a plate!

Homemade soups like the Tomato Basil Bisque were tough to resist, but since I had gorged on the generous antipasto, I went straight to the entrée list for a spicy shrimp diavlo. Other options that I passed up included Saffron Roasted Salmon, Balsamic-glazed Chicken, and of course, hearty pastas with Bolognese, Marinara or Alfredo sauces. As it turned out, I still had to pack a doggy bag as, again, the portions were very large.

Open for lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch, the prices are incredibly reasonable, with lunch in the $7.95-$9.95 range, and dinner from $14.95-$19.95. The thoughtful wine list includes some of Italy’s best reds and whites and the cozy atmosphere of this cellar encourages a long leisurely lunch or dinner. www.ciaopoppyhill.com

Finding Room at the Inn

Hidden in these unabashedly simple farming communities and small towns is one of the most romantic inns in Virginia, a member of the Select Registry of Distinguished Inns of North America. The Inn at Vaucluse Springs, midway between Winchester and Belle Grove Plantation, dates back to Federal days and features six private guest houses on 100 acres of rolling orchards.


The 200-year-old Manor House serves as the gathering spot for an elegant three-course breakfast and end-of-the-day socializing over fresh lemonade and cookies or a glass of regional wine. The Old Mill House, once an artist’s studio, sits at the spring’s edge, while the Gallery Guest House offers panoramic meadow views. Innkeepers Neil and Barry Myers offer genial country hospitality, elegant accommodations, and first-class food that have earned them top accolades for almost two decades.

My guest cottage was totally charming with a rustic ambience and upscale amenities including a gas fireplace, huge bathtub with jets, and gourmet coffee. I could have comfortably moved in for months, and the view from my balcony was peaceful. I had morning coffee out there and watched the rabbits and squirrels play in the trees and gently rolling hills beside the gurgling creek.

Breakfast was a three-course affair with attentive and friendly service. We started with delicious berry muffins, still warm from the oven and then moved on to homemade applesauce topped with crème fraiche. The main course was Eggs Vaucluse, a tasty scramble with fresh veggies, artisanal cheese, and a side of turkey sausage. Neil and Barry are happy to accommodate special dietary needs and requests, and you won’t need to ask twice. A couple at the next table were worried that their vegetarian meal had been forgotten, but no sooner had they voiced their concern to the server , their special meal arrived at the table.

All of the ingredients are regionally sourced, and many come from the nearby Marker-Miller Farmer’s Market, which the innkeepers highly recommend visiting. They’re also very knowledgeable about the wineries in the region, and happy to assist guests with directions. www.vauclusespring.com

Crazy for the Wayside Theater

Middletown is also home to the second oldest regional theater company in Virginia, and the newly renovated Wayside Theater and its adjoining Curtain Call Café are a wonderful place to spend an entertaining evening. I was fortunate enough to attend the opening night of Always, Patsy Cline which was a huge event for the community, not only because the popular country singer hails from these parts, but also because the theater had been closed for a massive renovation for over a year, and this was its debut performance in the new and improved space.

The Curtain Call Café next door offers a relaxing space to grab a drink before or after the performance, as well as at intermission. On the opening night, they hosted a cocktail reception with light appetizers for the sold-out crowd.

Some of Patsy Cline’s family were in the audience, along with the movers and shakers of the town who spearheaded the fundraising drive to renovate the historic theater.

Not Eating Dinner at the Wayside Inn

On my recent visit to the Shenandoah Valley, I was invited to have dinner at the Wayside Inn in Middletown, just a few miles outside of Winchester on Route 11. I was going to the opening night performance of Always, Patsy Cline at the newly renovated Wayside Theatre right down the street, so it seemed like a great plan.

Unfortunately, wicked thunderstorms delayed my arrival and by the time I arrived at the Wayside, all I had time for was a quick soup and salad, and a slice of chocolate cake. I did get a brief tour of the historic restaurant, including a peek at what used to be the slave kitchens, but is now a dining room. The Inn/Restaurant/Antique store used to be a stagecoach stop and is definitely worth a stop to look around and browse through the collectibles. I just wish I had actually had time to have a full meal.

Oddly enough, a couple dining next to us turned out to be old acquaintances from my days in the music biz, a member of the Baltimore band Crack the Sky and his lovely wife. They had been to the Wayside about a year previously and the manager remembered them.