Our first introduction to the Saguenay fjord started and ended on a high note.
As we drove into the Parc National du Fjord-du-Saguenay, winding down a hill on a narrow road that showed towering cliffs the closer that we got to Baie Éternité, we knew that our stay and upcoming paddle were going to be special. We had already marvelled at the beautiful scenery on the drive from Chicoutimi to the park, and we couldn't wait to see the fjord over the next two days.
As soon as we set up our campsite, DW and I headed out for dinner. I was promised, after we left Parc National de la Jacques-Cartier, that we wouldn't be cooking dinner for the rest of the trip. We'd still handle breakfast and lunch—we still had some food in our cooler—but we'd treat ourselves to dinner, going forward.
But before we went in search of a restaurant, DW and I wanted to see the fjord from high above, at sunset. And as the agent at the tourist-information centre in Chicoutimi had recommended, l'Anse De Tabatière was the perfect spot.
To see more views from this Sepaq spot (there's a fee for entering but because our campsite is part of Sepaq, we could get in for free), check out my related YouTube video.
On our drive between our campsite and l'Anse De Tabatière, DW did a Google search to see restaurant recommendations for the nearby town, L'Anse-Saint-Jean, she found a microbrasserie-restaurant that appealed to us both.
La Chasse-Pinte—The Pint Chaser or Pint Hunting (or The Pint Hunt).
The microbrewery is located in what appears to be a small farm, with a house that doubles as a restaurant. There's also an associated general store that sells their beer. DW and I sat on the patio that overlooked a field, with the bay in the distance (anse is French for 'cove'). It was a bit cool so we wore sweaters.
Our server was amazing. He was from France and explained to us that he was just finishing a two-year work visa in Canada: he had worked in British Columbia for his first year and finished his second year in Québec, and he'd be heading home at the end of September.
I told him that I suspected he was French because I understood him better than most French-Canadians. It's ironic that the French I learned in school wasn't in a West-Québec dialect.
Our food was perfectly prepared. It's funny that after nearly a month, I've forgotten exactly what I ordered (it was their special of the day) but I remember how the meal made me feel—it made me feel that if DW and I couldn't find a restaurant for our second night in this area that appealed to us that I'd be happy to return.
But what I really remember is the beer that I had with my meal.
Brasserie Coopérative La Chasse-Pinte
L'Anse-Saint-Jean QC
Appearance: an unfiltered apricot-gold with a foamy white head. Classic saison.
Nose: bananas and what I thought of as a fragrant green tea. I'm afraid that I'm not really familiar with Oolong tea and what it's supposed to smell like, but green tea is what hit me.
Palate: a metallic mineral flavour that is typical of a good saison, with a bit more banana and tea backing up the others. A medium body brought a pleasing, palate-cleansing finish that had me wanting more.
Overall impression: this is a beautiful saison with a great blend of the tea that complements, not overpowers. I wish I had stopped in the store after our meal to purchase some to bring home but both DW and I were tired after another long day and our sleeping bags were calling to us.
Beer O'Clock rating: 🍺🍺🍺
The next evening, we did find another highly recommended restaurant in L'Anse-Saint-Jean, so we gave it a try. Auberge Le Camp de Base was located within a motel that rests along Highway 170, at the intersection of Rue Saint-Jean-Baptiste (La Chasse-Pinte is further down this road and along the cove) and backs onto the Saint-Jean River. It doesn't look like much from the outside—it looks like an unassuming roadside motel—but the restaurant is spacious and has a huge bar, plus a quiet patio area, out back, that looks into a wooded area that separates the restaurant from the river.
Our server was friendly and explained that while he doesn't earn much at this restaurant (though, enough to get by), he and his family enjoy a simple life away from the bustle and pressures of a city. Plus, he was in the heart of some great skiing country.
I remember the meal from Le Camp de Base. While the restaurant looked simple, it created some tasty dishes. DW craved a burger while I chose a delicious personal-sized pizza with prosciutto, caramelized onions, walnuts, and arugula. It was amazing.
The restaurant also featured beer from La Chasse-Pinte and they had another saison: this one, flavoured with buckwheat.
Appearance: much like the Comité Social, this ale also had an unfiltered, apricot glow with a foamy-white head.
Nose: bananas and minerals. Another classic saison in the bouquet.
Palate: again, a classic saison but there was something more in the finish that gave it a bit more body and just the slightest of burns at the back of the throat (I say this is a good way, much like a smoky whisky activates senses at the back of your throat: this was subtler).
Overall impression: this was an extremely satisfying saison. As much as I loved Comité Social, this buckwheat saison won me over to this excellent brewery. Sadly, as I entered this brew into my Untapp'd app, I learned that Saison de Sarrasin is no longer in production. But I feel honoured to have some of the last of it.
Beer O'Clock rating: 🍺🍺🍺
Our visit to L'Anse-Saint-Jean marked the second and third times that we had sampled beer on our Laurentides vacation and we were three for three in the beer we had tried. In the Saguenay, DW tried a coffee brown ale and a raspberry sour ale, and the sips she offered me had me nodding my head in approval.
With three more evenings left in our trip, I was looking forward to tasting what other Québec brewers had to offer.
Stay tuned.
No comments:
Post a Comment