"The fruit is ripe in the orchards of my country ..."
The stanza of our great Felix prominently on the stone wall and pulled the Island Tour could better be applied to the legendary café-bistro Chez Temporel the Couillard street in Quebec City. An institution which is in its 42nd year.
In the shadow of the hubbub of St-Jean or Grande-Allée, the Couillard street meanders quietly Old Quebec, near the Rue des Remparts, the Simons store and Collège François-de-Laval (eg Petit Séminaire de Québec). Typical street in the city of Champlain, it is home to landmarks like the Hostel, grocery Couillard and especially Chez Temporel.
While restaurants are mushrooming in Quebec, but also many other close, what makes that remains beyond four decades? "Tourists are looking for authentic locations. Here it is. "One that speaks thus it is the owner, Dominique Gravel, who knows a lot about his Temporal since this is the second time she is at the helm.
In 2009, she buys Jean Boissonneault, which had opened in 1974. It was used at the time primarily soups and coffee. By dint of work seven days a week, it will eventually get tired and sells it in 2014 to the former owner of the Canadiens Alumni. For various family reasons, the restaurant is still selling just a year later. That already was in the kitchen to the late Serge Bruyere wants to resume the collars of the Temporal. "But this time, I just bought the business, not the building. "
Although the true residents are rarer, Dominique Gravel considers that "it is a privilege to be here. "
Simple cuisine but so good
"You know, it's more than coffee, it's more than that," says Dominique, who is alone in the kitchen, the service helped by her daughter and son and some casual employees. If the card is simple with mainly soups, salads, quiches, pizzas, pie a buffalo and the famous croutons - half a baguette with au gratin among other mushroom, leek, and on the spur of the moment! - The aromas and flavors are not very least present. The desserts are also exquisite there.
Regardless of ridership, the atmosphere is friendly Quebec on background music, French and instrumental. This is the kind of place where you can enjoy an alcohol or bring a book undisturbed. That's good because the owner is keen on literature!
If the ground floor contains only a dozen tables on the first floor we find a lounge to accommodate groups.
And if time stands still In Temporal there are still wireless Internet!
Open 7 days 7, 10 am to 20 pm in winter, summer is rather from 9 am to 21 pm. brunches are served there on weekends.
To paraphrase the French poet André Hardellet and his poem Le Tremblay from which is derived the name of the restaurant, it will be recalled that:
Yes, if you go back to eat
Temporal at one time or another,
Think of the happiness that passed
There, just like ours