Review: Aux Anciens Canadiens, Quebec City

For me travel is about doing unique things in memorable places, and Quebec City will forever be characterised in my head by this meal.



Quebec City is in French Canada and the Ancient Canadian is wild Canadian game cooked in rustic French style. Housed in the historic Maison Jacquet, one of the largest houses in upper-town in its day and the oldest in Quebec, was built in 1675. The site was granted to François Jacquet in 1674 by the Sisters of the neighbouring Ursuline Convent. It is as Quebecois as you can manage in my head.



The interior is warm and cozy and even though it's Summer it is still very cold by Australian standards so I am thankful for the intimate homeliness.



One of my goals in life is to eat and experience as many different kinds of animal as I can. This restaurant proves to be an amazing aid to this mission.





I love the rustic feeling crockery and the personalised crystal.




McKeown Cider $7.95CAD

This "red mountain" cider is sweet and light, perfect with the heavy food. It reminds me of Sydney cider that I miss so much.



Rillette of bison with cranberry chutney $9.75CAD

What do you say about this? This is about as much French Canada as I can imagine. A haunch of bison is confited in salt and its own fat until it disintegrates. Then it's cooled in a jar, leaving it the consistency of creamy pate. Served with white bread and cranberry chutney it is without a doubt amazing.




Quebec Tasting Platter $36CAD

Québec meat pie, Lac St-Jean meat pie with wild meats served with pheasant and bison casserole, meatball ragout and pig’s knuckle ragoût, salt pork grillades, homemade baked beans and peach chutney. The taste of the wild meat Lac St Jean pie is unlike anything I have ever eaten in my life and I want to keep eating as much as possible but with every part of this meal covered in animal fat - including the pastry and the beans then it is difficult to eat more than a small amount without my stomach reeling against the rich food.

Everything is delicious, the Quebec pie has crisp lard pastry crust, the homely beans and rustic pig knuckle are all divine. I almost roll down the hill to my bed and breakfast, in pain but so very fulfilled.

You cannot go through Quebec City without stopping here. The building is iconic, the food amazing and the chance to eat wild Canadian meats simply cannot be passed up. Go hungry, do not take a vegetarian.


Aux Ancien Canadiens

http://www.auxancienscanadiens.qc.ca/

Must see gourmet tourism
Not for vegetarians or those who object to hunted animals


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