Want to travel a bit on the side of Europe? We go to the little restaurant La Grolla, on the edge of Old Quebec. It has been on the coast of Abraham for many years. So why so long before going? I still ask the question!
First, you have to be a cheese lover to push the door. And I belong to this category, of course! The smell infiltrates into the nostrils as soon as you enter the small establishment. We look around and at a glance can appreciate the space. The restaurant is small, but that's what makes it so charming. Decorations evoking the country of Gruyère invite us into the atmosphere. We escape for a moment in the Alps or on the shores of Lake Geneva.
The service immediately puts us at ease, our waitress knows the menu, there is no need to say! While we are looking at the menu, we enjoy a light Swiss beer served in frozen bocks. One is torn: fondue, raclette or pierrade?
As I am fond of cheese fondue, I must say that I had the opportunity to eat often in my life. And for the raclette (the real one!), It's a dish that I had the chance to taste in the town of Gruyère itself. It must be said that the places that have an authentic raclette oven in Quebec can be counted on the fingers of the hand.
My table buddy slice for the latter. Fortunately, not all guests at the table are required to order the same dish. Great, I can go for the discovery, I want something new! The pierrade that I had never tried wins my favor. And I opt for that of the sea: salmon, scallops and shrimps. A trio that I like! Next door, vegetables and a rösti, this side of potatoes that I love.
The arrival of the pierrade is a spectacle in itself. Seafood is there, barely starting to sizzle in front of us. Cognac is added and flamed. Expect to see all the heads turn around in the dining room. Then, we appreciate our fish and we decide the cooking.
On my side, I found the fabulous salmon just like the little sauce of accompaniment. The scallops, however, a little disappointed by their small size and the difficulty of getting even cooking.
As for the röstis, the ones I had tasted in Europe were slightly crisper, but the taste is there. Otherwise, my companion, he was entitled to a huge block of cheese appellation controlled origin, imported directly from Switzerland. He could generously garnish his baby potatoes and slices of bread with that hot, melting delicacy that was browning the rind beneath the heating element. A delight! Of course, you do not expect to eat light when you want to try Swiss cuisine.
Nice little trip to Switzerland, the space of an evening!
Note:
8/10
What impressed me most about my visit:
amenities
The specialty of the house:
Cheese Fondue
Do I recommend this restaurant:
Yes
At what time of the day did I visit?
Supper
Most :
- The service
- Conviviality
- Unusual specialty
The lessers :
- Lack of space