Stéphane Modat’s guide to Québec City

The stylish dining rooms and bar in Vieux Québec, replete with trophy mounts (moose and jackalopes, among others), showcase local products in a modern setting, each menu item citing the latitude and longitude of the dish’s origin. Modat’s commitment to Québec’s terroir, with a focus on hunting, fishing, and the techniques and cooking methods of First Nations and Indigenous communities, is his life’s work. From duck eggs and fermented carrots to Beau Rivage pork and New Brunswick salmon smoked on the Wendake reserve just on the outskirts of Québec City, Modat’s skill – and sense of humour – abound. (Check out his image at the centre of a raucous Last Supper painting in the long dining room.)

A self-confessed street-food lover, Modat shares his favourite spots in the place he now calls home, Québec City.

“At Monna et filles on Île d’Orléans, Catherine and Anne are completely focused on blackcurrants. They grow them, distill them, and in the summer, they make a soft-serve with them which you absolutely cannot miss – it’s positively hallucinatory! They’ve got a little shop and offer tastings of their crème de cassis, blackcurrant gin and other liqueurs all year round. It’s really close by car and definitely worth it.”

“This place is owned by the friend of a friend of a friend. It’s super festive for real Greek food, like grilled octopus, sardines and fish. I love their dessert with feta and honey – it’s just incredible. Lots of sugar, lots of oil, lots of garlic, lots of honey: it’s perfect enjoyment.”

“The women owners at this pizzeria in the St-Roch neighbourhood do an incredible job. What I love about it is their honesty: what you see is what you get. It’s always fresh and delicious, and it’s always good.”

“I don’t really go out that much, but when my partner Jasmine and I want to have something gastronomique, we go to Chef Julien Masia’s ‘cuisine libre’ restaurant, Arvi. He was my sous-chef 15 years ago at L’Utopie, and I really respect and appreciate him and his cooking.”

“This little grocery is right in my Limoilou neighbourhood. It’s very local and organic, and they make a brunch on Sunday mornings, which I love, with terroir products and no pretensions. You might have a waffle with eggs from a particular farm, or something else: the menu changes all the time, depending on what’s in season and what they feel like but it’s always wow.”

“I have a bit of an issue here because this is my partner Jasmine’s restaurant! They make healthy sandwiches and salads, like a lot of restaurants do, but she makes a fantastic jambon-beurre (ham and butter) sandwich. There’s nothing like walking on rue Cartier by the Plains of Abraham and having one of those sandwiches – I do it every Tuesday on my day off. Maybe I’m biased, but I think it’s the best in the city.”

“Québecois love their snack bar! This one is only open in the summer, on Boulevard Hamel on the road to Montreal. We go five or six times every summer with the kids. They make traditional burgers that just make you feel good, especially when it’s beautifully hot outside.”