Tournebroche is a new restaurant on St. John’s Street that has captured a lot of attention since its opening this spring. It has been a welcome addition to the offering of eateries in Old Québec. Its menu is subtle and sophisticated, its décor is sleek and sassy, and it wows its customers with a variety of home-grown and home-made products.
I was there on a snowy November evening. I had the four-course menu du soir which, for me, consisted of a green salad, an in-house chicken liver mousse, braised rabbit in tarragon sauce, and a pistachio-flavored crème brulée for dessert. Each course pleased to perfection. Best of all, my knowledgeable host provided spot-on recommendations for a wine pairing for each service.
But in choosing what had jumped out at me as the most mouthwatering on the menu, I had missed out on the restaurant’s specialty. Tournebroche, which means “rotisserie” in English, prides itself on its roasted chicken. And, according to what I had heard, it has taken this plebian pleasure to new heights.
So, armed with this excuse to indulge a second time, I returned the following day for a poule de luxe. Accompanied by a celery remoulade and a skewer of finely fried potatoes, my high-class chicken lived up to its reputation. The best part of my chicken was its seasoned skin that had been taken off the bird and transformed into a crispy and succulent garnish.
To cut my waxing ecstatic short, let me just say that Tournebroche successfully offers haute cuisine and comforting classics in a setting that will please fans of both.
My mouth is watering!
Scrumptious. We do love a good meal…especially one delightfully prepared for us. thanks for this post. i will share
Les restaurants changent d’adresse, les gens se déplacent à la nouvelle , mon estomac se réjouit des éloges formulées par Neil. Je/nous irons au Tournebroche prochainement 1190 St Jean – 418-692-5524 http://www.tournebroche.com/
en réservant en ligne, vous obtenez des points !
Merci Neil pour ces magnifiques reportages culinaires, et joyeuses fin d’année. db
The restaurants change their address, people move to the new, my stomach is delighted praise made by Neil. I / we will go soon Tournebroche 1190 St Jean – 418-692-5524 http://www.tournebroche.com/ by booking online, you get points! Neil thank you for these wonderful culinary stories, and happy New Year. db
Bonjour, Neil. I am sure you don’t remember me but you were the Tour guide this past June when we visited St. Anne de Beaupre and Montmorency Falls. Wanted to let you know that you changed my life. I asked you what the best way to learn French was and you told me that by conversing in it frequently. Malheurisment, in the Cleveland, Ohio area there are not many French speaking people, so I opted to use the Pimsleur Tapes to learn the language. I practice them religiously each morning and my goal is to return to Q.C. in the near future and be able to converse fluently. My goal is to revisit Ste. Anne’s and be able to participate in the mass in the French Language. My wife retires in 15 months so we are probably looking at 2016. In the meantime I will keep practicing and enjoying your postings on your web site which I enjoy very much. Hope to see you when we come back.
Sincerely, Tim Nye Amherst, Ohio
A cut above the rest for sure! Their salmon tartare and chicken pilons with bbq sauce, with its subtle smoky flavour turn a meal into an experience for the senses.
Hi Neil,
I’m not very good in English, as you know, but do you say that you returned to the restaurant Le Tournebroche with……une Poule de luxe !!!!
Have a nice day, DL
Haha, Denis. The preposition is very important here. I went back to Tournebroche FOR the poule de luxe!
Ah Neil en choisissant une “poule de luxe” tu as dû te remémorer de joyeux souvenirs ! continue de nous faire partager ton amour pour ta ville d’adoption….peut être un jour tes chroniques seront-elles publiées dans Le Soleil ! Colette
Une image vaut mille mots….avec la salade de gésiers confits, le TB a gagné mon coeur!! Bonne journée Neil! IR
It’s so nice to read you again. I always learn new vocabulary words. It seems to be a mouth-watering reference. It’s on my calendar…
You are incredible. You have the gift in making us feel like seeing or living all that you mention. You also play with the French expressions that we are teaching you. Bravo. Love reading you.
Oh, Yum, Yum, Yum….As visions of chicken skin dance in my head