A Warm French Country Dinner with an Icy Rabbit

On our first night in Quebec City, we went to dinner at a charming bistro in the Lower City on rue du Petit-Champlain. It’s called Le Lapin Sauté and since “lapin” means rabbit, you can probably guess the rest.

It was a cold, wintry night and the rabbits that hang above the door of the cozy restaurant had icicles dripping from their paws. But inside, the fire was crackling and the ambience was like a French country farmhouse, with service as warm and friendly as the décor.

The specialty of the house is, of course, rabbit, which I don’t eat, but Go Nomad editor Max Hartshorne is visiting Carnival next week, so perhaps he can review one of those dishes. They are also known for their duck (canard in French) if you’re a lover of game fowl.

I had a fabulous potato leek soup, perfect for the night, and a hearty filet mignon with mushrooms and crispy oven-roasted potatoes. Dessert was a trio of tempting bites including an apple tart, crème brulee with a perfect carmelized crust, and of course, chocolate. It was a memorable evening and an experience I would highly recommend to get the feel of true Quebec hospitality. www.lapinsaute.com