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.