Quebec: Restaurant Le Hatley
Restaurant Le Hatley is the fine dining restaurant at Manoir Hovey in North Hatley, Quebec. Chef Alexandre Vachon draws on his French Canadian heritage and land for an inspired, fresh, seasonal menu. As stated on their website, “his menu is an ode to Quebec.”
Atmosphere
The dining room is beautifully designed with a relaxing, warm color scheme. Because of the nature of indoor dining in the COVID-19 era, the tables are quite spaced out. I know this means less people can be served every night, but it does make the space feel much more intimate. It is a very romantic space with clean, modern plating and attentive staff.
Recommended Dishes
The restaurant offers two types of menus: a gourmet Table d’Hôte menu, where you may choose an appetizer, a main course, and a dessert. The second option is the 8-course Discovery Menu, a tasting menu designed to highlight the best of Quebec.
We opted for the Discovery Menu as I always enjoy trying as many regional specialties as possible. We also added on the wine pairing that added six wines to our meal. Here, I’ll highlight my favorite dishes.
Anytime you’re set up to enjoy a tasting menu (especially if you’re doing wine pairings!), make sure you start with champagne (or sparkling wine). The bubbles are a great palate cleanser and get you ready for your meal.
As confirmed by the sommelier at Le Hatley. Lucky for me, I love starting with bubbles simply because I love bubbles!
The first course:
Striped Bass with smoked tomato consomé
This reminded me of a ceviche, which I love. The bass melts in your mouth and the tomatoes tasted so fresh. I couldn’t let any of that consomé go to waste and am not ashamed to admit I used some of the delicious bread to soak it up!
P.S. I’m honestly not sure if “bread service” constitutes as a course…so, this could be the second course. I’m a food lover, not necessarily a restaurant etiquette expert! Someone definitely correct me if you know!
The second course:
Poultry Liver Mousse with honey and sourdough bread
I know foie gras isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. And honestly, prior to living in Canada and visiting Quebec, I had never tried it. I’ve enjoyed it every time I’ve had it, but Le Hatley’s foie is NEXT LEVEL.
It’s not much to look at. I get it. But this is the creamiest, richest, most flavorful foie I’ve ever had. I would literally go back to Le Hatley just for this dish.
The third course:
Tagliatelle with clams, wild watercress, and goria pepper
I know, I know…I’m describing the third course on this menu after I just got done saying “I’m only going to highlight my favorites.” I can’t help it — the Discovery Menu starts off STRONG.
What’s not to love about made-in-house pasta? Throw in lots of butter, cream, and some tender clams…. Come on. Who wouldn’t love this dish?
And yes, definitely save some bread for this one, too!
The fifth course:
Quail Trio with sunflower and sesame
Okay, now this is the last one I’m going to highlight!
This was a unique way to serve quail. Each portion came from a different part of the bird and the pasta in the middle was dressed with a sauce that used quail egg.
Find a few more pictures below of the rest of the meal. Everything was delicious and beautifully presented!
Price
The Table d’Hôte is priced at $90 CAD a person and is a great choice if you’re looking to spend a little less but still get a nice overview of Quebec cuisine.
The Discovery Menu is $130 CAD per person. Wine pairings start at $70 CAD.
Reservations
Reservations are essential. At least on the weekend we were there, if you didn’t have a dinner reservation, you weren’t eating there. Reservations are easy to make by either contacting Manoir Hovey or using their website.
