Category Archives: Travels

Gaspé restaurants

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In the second of the Gaspé vacation blogs, I’ll highlight the restaurants we stopped at during our week-long drive. You’d think that being right on the Gulf of St. Lawrence and on the verge of the Atlantic Ocean, the seafood would be out-of-this-world. Think again.

While seafood is a mainstay on most local menus, most of it is deep-fried and battered. Unbelievable, but true.

Centre d’Art Marcel Gagnon

The first restaurant we ate at was in Ste. Flavie on our first day, at the end of the long drive from Montreal. Our innkeeper suggested it. Centre d’Art Marcel Gagnon looked promising with Easter Island-inspired carvings in the water behind the restaurant and in the art space next to it.  The restaurant is attached to an art gallery downstairs and an inn upstairs.

I learned this place is highly regarded  but it was a regal disappointment. We were thankful they could accommodate us with no reservations on a Saturday night, but an hour wait-time for our food to arrive, after we ordered, was ridiculous. I wish they had said, ‘sorry no tables.’ When the food did arrive, it was tasteless and the bill, expensive.

Drop-by for the art and Gulf views. Dine elsewhere.

Le Matelot

This place, right on highway 132 in Baie des Sable, it hugs the shoreline. It was packed on a weekday afternoon. Le Matelot came highly recommended to us by Montrealers who have summer homes nearby.

This casual place serves good seafood. A lot of it is caught locally. We dove into our seafood chowder full of Matane shrimp, scallops, and fish. We also ordered the escargot and pasta dish. The portions are small. The waitress was friendly and the service quick. What more do you want from a lunch-stop on the side of a highway?

Lunch at Le Matelot
View of shore from Le Matelot deck

Resto-Pub la Revolte

We stopped for lunch in the town of Gaspé. La Revolte is a sports bar/pub that wouldn’t be out-of-place back home in Montreal. Mid-range, on the water, typical pub menu, quick and friendly service.
A McCoy bus-tour of seniors piled in shortly after we arrived, so I take it that the restaurant is popular with tour companies. The restaurant also has a waterfront deck. We ate inside and had club sandwiches and a hamburger platter between the three of us. If you want authentic Gaspésian food and décor, you won’t find it here. What you will find is a big-city-style pub right on hwy 132 .

Gite du Mont Albert

The bar at the Gite du Mont Albert accommodated us on a weeknight without reservations when the restaurant couldn’t. Located inside Gaspé National Park, the bar was packed, so the staff was slow to acknowledge us and set our table but once they did, service was awesome.
We each had the burger platter and I had an aperitif. Best burger in years! However, the salad was limp and the pasta portion was tiny and tepid. After glamping in a huttopia for two days this was a treat. The décor is a mix of traditional Québecois country lodge and contemporary restaurant. We lingered as long as we could because no one wanted to go back to the campground in the rain!

Hotel Motel Manoir de Percé

We took our our motel, Manoir de Percé up on its dégustation (tasting) menu. The package was a five-course dinner and a hardy breakfast. The restaurant is located on the main floor. The décor is  dated and a little stuffy, but the food is delicious and the service friendly and attentive.
The package is for manoir guests only. The dinner/breakfast deal was $47 per person. Wine is extra. Breakfast ranged from eggs and bacon to pancakes with orange juice and coffee included. Considering how expensive Percé is, this was a deal.

Boulangerie le Fournand 

We stopped by Boulangerie le Fournand for a late lunch in Percé and we all had the croque monsieur. It was 3 p.m and most of the lunch offerings were gone. We had seen a long line-up around 12:30 p.m. The service-person heated up the sandwiches and brought them to our table.
The service was quick and friendly and the sandwiches only $6.95 each. This is a budget-friendly lunch-spot right on the strip.

Auberge la table à Rolland

We stopped at the Auberge la table à Rolland for dinner our last night in Percé because it was getting late and there was no line up, like at other restaurants. Now we know why. It’s just okay and pricey for what you get.
The tables had clear plastic covers over the table cloths. Not pretty. I had the lobster club, which came with the worst fries ever; limp and not even browned. I couldn’t eat them. No salad side-option. My husband had the basil pizza, which he said was delicious. My son went with the 12-inch pepperoni pizza. That, with 2 ice teas, one aperitif and one garlic bread came to $87 before tip but after taxes.
It’s expensive for what you get. There are so many other restaurants to choose from on the strip.

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Gaspé, Quebec vacation

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We’re well into fall and it’s raining today so what better time to start planning next summer’s vacation?

If you’re like me, you dream all winter of your next summer holiday. Will it be by the beach? How will you get there? What will you do there?

With the Canadian loonie so low compared to the American dollar and the political climate uncertain south of the border, the time is ripe to stay home and explore Canada.

Last summer, my family stayed in Quebec and travelled to the stunningly beautiful Gaspé Peninsula. The ultimate destination was the seaside town of Pérce at the very eastern tip of the province, famous for its monolith, Percé Rock, in the harbour.

The Gaspé is a region of Quebec along the south shore of the mighty St. Lawrence River. The peninsula extends to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and ends at the mouth of the Atlantic Ocean.

The journey is a 2,000 km return trip from Montreal to Percé on the achingly beautiful panoramic Highway 132.

Ste. Anne des Monts, Quebec
Hwy 132 East
Hwy 132 East
Flat stretch of hwy along the Gulf of St. Lawrence
Gaspé hamlet
Gaspé’s mud flats
The famous Percé Rock

Six-day Gaspé itinerary

This is how we planned our 6-day trip:

  • Day 1: Montreal to Ste. Flavie. 575 km. 5h35 min. drive plus breaks.
  • Day 2: Ste. Flavie to Gaspé National Park. 293 km. 2h25 min. drive.
  • Day 3: Gaspé National Park
  • Day 4: Gaspé National Park to Percé. 300 km. 4h drive plus lunch break.
  • Day 5: Percé
  • Day 6: Percé to Montreal. 975 km, ouch! 10h25 min. drive plus breaks.

The rest-stops on the highway are far between but they’re clean and decent. They’re not modern like Ontario’s ONroute chain of pit stops, but you can get sandwiches and chips at most of them. We brought our own food.

There’s a breathtakingly picturesque town between Quebec City and the start of the Gaspé region in Mont. Joli. Kamuraska sits on the south coast of the St. Lawrence River next to vast mud flats that attract a variety of birds. These flats have been painted by thousands of artists over the years. A lunch-stop here includes a nip into the old-time general store, visiting art galleries and a peek at the restored town church.

Kamuraska, courtesty Lapresse
Kamuraska, courtesy Lapresse

In my next blogs, I’ll highlight the accommodations and restaurants that were hits and misses and of course, the attractions. There’s lots to do in Gaspé and most of it is weather-dependent, so bring rain gear and a good attitude. You’re in for quite a trip.

Ripley’s Aquarium, Toronto

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More than just a place to see fish

We spent a few hours here on a cold spring-break day. We had fun and learned more than we thought we would. It’s more than just a place to see fish.

When you enter, they kind of force you through the designated path – Canadian freshwater, Pacific Kelp, a tropical reef, Dangerous Lagoon, Ray Bay, jelly fish tanks etc. We sneaked to the shark feeding session right above the start of the exhibit – outside the souvenir store, where the self guided tour ends. Do it! The shark feeding is exciting to watch. Schedules are available at the door.

sharkThe Dangerous Lagoon, with a variety of sharks, is extraordinary. The people-mover conveyer belt on the floor ensures you move through and don’t dawdle. We got off and gaped at the glass tunnel we were in – sharks swimming above and beside us. Nothing ordinary here. You can even stand in a glass bubble in the shark tank.

There’s a play area and rest area with snack shop, benches and rest rooms right after the lagoon. This rest/play area marks the half-way part of the exhibit – more or less. Part two starts with jelly fish. Some are back lit, iridescent or florescent. This space is very psychedelic. No wonder the aquarium is open until 11 pm some nights! We read that jazz nights are also held weekly in this section. It must be a real trip.

At Ray Bay, we saw the dive show. The Rainbow Reef offers the same. The show is short. A facilitator explains what’s going on in the tank. Things I learned today: Old male octopuses usually go senile; in some shark species, the dominant offspring eats its siblings while in utero; and my fav, after copulating, the female sea horse drops her fertilized eggs in the male sea horse’s pouch and weeks later, powerful contractions expel up to 100 live sea horses who swim away.

You’ll love this place. Allow a min. of 2-hours if you like to rush through these types of places. We were here longer. It’s expensive. It cost $127 for three adults and one teenager. So spend the time to make it worthwhile.

Remarkable Restaurant Names Part 2

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In the first RRN post, I posted photos of some of the quirky and fun names of restaurants I spotted in San Diego, California and mentioned that Halifax, Nova Scotia is right up there with San Diego in terms of memorable restaurant names.

Well folks, I’ve dug up pictures from my last stay in Nova Scotia and the words ‘businesses that serve food’ are more accurate to describe what I saw. The make-me-smile names belong to food trucks, cafés as well as restaurants and bars.

The one picture I didn’t take is of a bar called My Apartment. I wish I had. Imagine meeting someone and asking them if they would like to go back to ‘My Apartment’ to continue talking! The fun you can have with words.

If you’re reading this in Halifax, and My Apartment is still in business, send me a picture and I’ll post it.

Here are photos of creatively names places to grab a bite in Halifax, Nova Scotia. They are: The Daily Grind (coffee shop), Alfredo, Weinstein and Ho ( a multicultural buffet) and Bud the Spud French-fry food truck.

DailyGrind2AlWiHo

Remarkable Restaurant Names

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We’ve all been to memorable restaurants. Usually, it’s the food that sets the place apart but sometimes it’s the quirky, fun or original name that stays in our memory long after an unremarkable meal.

In my travels, I’ve stumbled upon some truly notable restaurant names. Two cities stand out in terms of the sheer number of remarkable names – Halifax, Nova Scotia and San Diego, California. One city is on the East Coast of Canada and the other on the West Coast of the States. They are worlds apart in climate, topography and culture but apparently not in naming restaurants!

In part one of Remarkable Restaurant Names; I’ve selected my most memorable restaurant and pub names in San Diego. They are: The Tispy Crow,  Bite Me, The Hopping Pig Gastropub, and Sogno di Vino (I dream of wine), which was also memorable for its fresh and local cuisine.  I passed on dining at the gastropub. Have you skipped a restaurant based on name alone?  Share the best and worst restaurant names you’ve seen on your travels!

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