Sometimes the best things in life are surprises. The best meal I ever ate, was just such a surprise. Travelling through Québec on our way to viste la tante Rose, we found a marvelous meal, a wonderful souvenir (memory), and a story we still tell.

Official Canadian Tourist Information Sign (for more info http://www.rsr.transports.gouv.qc.ca/Dispositifs/Details.aspx?cid=13142&che=INDCT-EQUTO-INFTO&cat=INFTO&p=14&ca=PetiteVignette)

All of these wonderful memories were brought back last week when ma tante Cécile (la soeur de ma belle-mère) (my aunt Cecile, my mother-in-law’s sister) shared the video below with me.

Finding your way

Just about every town in Québec seems to have a little local information bureau that will provide tips and tricks for visiting the local community. You can find these handy keepers of wonderful secrets by following the blue signs shown above.

While we were visiting Cabano (now part of Témiscouata -sur-le-Lac), la ville natale de ma belle-mère (my mother-in-law’s home town) the local bureau d’information touristique (tourist information office) sent us to a local art gallery.

Le meilleur repas de ma vie / The best meal of my life

It turned out that the ‘art gallery’ was:
1. Not just an art gallery … it was also an inn and a restaurant!
2. The art gallery/inn/restaurant was right across the street from the house de la mère de ma belle-mère (my mother-in-law’s mother’s house)!
3. This little ‘hidden gem’ is one of the most amazing dining experiences not only in Québec, by anywhere I have ever dined.

Not only did we enjoy an amazing 10 course meal of all produit du terroir  (locally grown produce) but we enjoyed ce repas unique (this unique meal) in a mid century modern dining room where it turns out mes oncles et mes tantes ont joué en tant qu’enfant (my uncles and aunts played as kids), and it all ended with a virtuoso piano serenade by the chef!