✨ Québec City: My Day 1 Itinerary✨
Lobster Rolls, Hotel Check-in and a Fancy 7 Course Dinner
Here’s everything we got up to on day 1 of our Québec City weekend getaway
The insanely beautiful interior of Le Saint-Amour
After a busy summer flying back to the West Coast 3 times in 3 months for some weddings and parties, my boyfriend and I were looking for a low key getaway that didn’t involve getting on a plane. Road trip it is! I hadn’t been to Québec City since 2006 for a school trip and my boyfriend had never been so we figured it would be the perfect destination.
gorgeous québec steamie
We left bright and early and hit the road with a pit stop for a hot dog, of course (ketchup, mustard and cabbage if you wanted to know). There’s nothing like a Quebec steamie.
We drove the 3ish hours to Ile D’Orleans. Check in was at 4 PM so we decided to kill some time on the quaint island 15 minutes past Quebec City.
We had seen a few Tiktoks about a viral lobster roll and poutine spot called Chez Mag and stopped for lunch.
We ordered two lobster rolls. One with a poutine and the other with fries. The total came to about 80 dollars with tip - steep but expected for lobster. The poutine was delicious. A generous portion with lots of cheese. Sadly, the lobster roll was a real disappointment. The lobster was dry and for the price, I wanted a little more. It also had this garlicky, almost caesar dressing. When it comes to lobster, I prefer something a little more simple. I would skip Chez Mag on my next visit.
There was a strawberry truck right next door that had the real standout of our lunch: a strawberry slush. It was incredible! So sweet. So fresh. The strawberries were peak ripeness and it was a must have if you’re on the island.
We hopped back in the car and continued to drive admiring the beautiful homes and farmland - a very exciting sight for two city folks like us. A fudge store then caught our eye so we had to pull over. La Fudgerie is a chain with 4 locations in the province. Incredible salted caramel fudge and the service was so friendly.
We made check in for 4 PM on the dot. We stayed at Monsieur Jean in the heart of Old Québec. This was the funkiest hotel I’ve ever stayed at. There were fun photo opportunities literally everywhere. A big gold mirror, weird artwork, starlit ceilings, oh my! The staff was super friendly and the the rooms were clean. My one complaint was that the bathroom had one of those open showers that get the entire room wet which is a pet peeve of mine.
Hotel Bonus: They hide a bijou (jewel) in your room and if you find it you get a freebie at the bar. I won’t spoil the surprise of where or what you win! Cute.
We freshened up and headed out for a little walk towards our dinner reservation, Le Saint-Amour. A staple in the city since 1978 by chef Jean Luc Boulay. From the moment we walked in, the space was breathtaking. High skylight ceilings with dark wood surrounded by lush plants and chandeliers. So romantic for a date night.
We ordered the 7 course tasting menu for $155/each and it was an amazing experience. The service was attentive but not too clingy and the dishes came out quick. The 7 courses took less than 2 hours. I was impressed by how efficient they were but it makes sense for a restaurant with this many years under their belt.
The standout dishes for me were the arctic char, the lobster bisque and the white chocolate grapefruit dessert. The duck main course and palate cleanser, a mushroom granita with sunflower butter and maple whisky (yes… you read that right), were misses. I would recommend this experience either way if it’s in your budget. The food was delicious and the restaurant ambiance was insane.
After a great day 1, we headed back to our room to rest up for an action packed day 2. Stay tuned for our next day’s itininerary.
xoxo
by fran