One Friday evening, after a moment of relaxation at the Spa des Neiges with my sweetheart, the cravings are waiting for you. Along the way, we had both spotted the nearby microbrewery. Although microbreweries abound in the province, I never tire of visiting them. I am rarely disappointed with these friendly, unpretentious places and the food is generally tasty and creative. I love experimenting with new beers with sometimes oley flavors! olé!

So all it took was a quick glance to agree on the fact that it would be at the Microbrasserie des Beaux Prés that we were going to satisfy our appetites. Arriving on this late Friday evening, the square is already crowded, although the space is quite large. It is full of people who have fun and seem to know each other, most of them in groups. Many customers still wear their snow pants, probably coming from the ski slopes or snowshoe trails that are found in abundance in the area.

However, it is difficult to know whether we should wait to be escorted to a specific place or whether we should choose it ourselves. No indication formulates it. After a few moments of waiting, we go in search of a table. Not easy. Finally, we find a long unoccupied table and we sit down. In my field of vision, I see board games waiting patiently on a shelf. A dart board and a chalkboard on the wall indicate games have been played. The waitress quickly approaches to greet us with the menus, barely have I had time to take a look at the large slate presenting the 16 craft beers of the house.

Immediately, I applauded the choice of the name of the beers, all, or almost all, suggests a link with the region: Saint-Joachim, MSA (Mont Sainte-Anne), Route 138. These little winks always create a separate universe. My choice is not difficult, I select the only sour beer on the menu. Unfortunately for me, she is no longer available. The waitress, however, hastens to offer me a fruity cocktail: lager beer and blueberry juice. Why not? I'm always ready to give it a try, am I not?

Now it's the turn of the boustifaille. The decision will not be easy. Everything looks delicious. My partner and I go for sharing, trying different dishes. We go there for the luxury grilled cheese: 1608 cheese, prosciutto and pear and ginger jam. A garnished nachos completes our order.

My cocktail turns out to be amazing. I like it, but it lacks a bit of excitement. The trick fails to convince me. Pity. Quickly, the dishes arrive at the table. Already, the sight of the panini pleases me. Served in a small basket with a fresh salad, it seems dripping with happiness. The bread is toasted to perfection and it cracks in the mouth at that first bite that brings me to 7th heaven. The combination of melted cheese, salty proscicutto and the sweetness of this pear jam is just perfect. By savoring my sandwich almost too quietly to stretch the pleasure, I regret having to share it. My partner's eyes say the same.

Now we go to the nachos. More classic, the Mexican appetizer turns out to be satisfying. A few hot peppers spice it up, but the salsa is sweet, the black olives are comforting and the sour cream coats it all. And the bacon, let's not forget. Crumbled and dispersed, it adds texture to the dish. Verdict? Very good, but like all the nachos on earth, the moment arrives when, after having feasted on the well-browned chips around the edges of the plate, we reach the center, softer, soggy with the sauce, which offers a composition less pleasant.

Outside, the river is still frozen over and it lets blocks of ice drift towards the estuary. As we return to the car, I promise to come back this summer, to enjoy again that famous grilled cheese that I still dream of. This time, it will be well seated on the terrace to honor the Saint-Laurent which stretches out in front.

Note:
8/10

What struck me the most about my visit:
The friendliness of the place

The house specialty:
Beers and boards

The most expensive main meal on the menu:
Beef chili, $ 14

The cheapest main meal on the menu:
Pizzas, $ 10

Do I recommend this restaurant:
Yes

What time of day did I visit:
Supper

Most :
- Space
- The view of the brewing tanks
- The games available
- The price

The lessers :
- Less modern decor