aux Anciens Canadiens

Dating back to 1675, the charming red and white house that is the oldest structure in Quebec City, is now home to one of its finest traditional restaurants. Each different room in the house is a separate dining area, and each is decorated with antique dishware and period pieces that add to the overall warmth and ambience of the cozy cottage.

I started my meal with Coquille Neptune (the local take on Coquille St. Jacques), and it was to-die-for. I could have a made a whole meal on the tender scallops in rich cream sauce, topped with golden melted cheese. My dinner companions raved about the game paté and garlic escargots as well.

My main course, or Plat Principaux as it’s called, was a beef tenderloin with a caribou wine sauce. Since I’m not a lover of game meat, the sauce was just exotic enough for my taste, but my friends went whole hog and ordered the trio of Caribou, Bison, and Buffalo tenderloin, served in a cognac sauce. Other traditional Quebec dishes included a pheasant and buffalo casserole, a traditional beef stew, and chicken or salmon in flaky pastry.

We all chose the maple syrup pie, since this province provides the world with 75% of its maple products. Reservations are recommended since aux Anciens Canadiens is one of the most popular fine dining restaurants in the city. (418) 692-1627 or www.auxancienscanadiens.qc.ca/