Chez Rioux & Pettigrew — Restaurant in Quebec

My wife and I spent a lovely dinner at Chez Rioux & Pettigrew. It is by far the most upscale restaurant we have probably eaten at in terms of quality of ingredients, artistic presentation, and service quality. We had their standard prix fixe menu, with an order of oysters. The bartender really sold us on the oysters and I love oysters. They were not the best I have ever had, they were good, but the downside was that they prepared a savoury whipped cream with the oysters and didn't really give us the chance to taste the oyster on its own. Every course we had, was just a spectacle of detail and art. Personally for me, I just enjoy good tasting food whereas my wife loves the artistic appeal done in cuisine. It has that michelin star like quality and ambience. I cannot describe every dish at the level they had mentioned. But I will try to conceptually lay it out. And I am certain this is a seasonal menu, so can't guarantee you would get something like this again. Smoked Sturgeon with micro greens, 2. Deconstructed French Onion Soup, 3. Striploin, jus, and vegetables, 4. Apple themed dessert. Every dish was tasty, the first dish started strong with a smoked sturgeon, cooked perfectly, not overly salty and an elegant presentation. I wasn't a huge fan of the deconstructed French Onion Soup but it was delicious, a good palate cleanser for the next course. The steak was a special breed of cow in QC, the cut was striploin I believe and the vegetables were cooked to perfection. All the flavours worked really well together, a great balance, and the sauces were on point. The dessert was the probably the greatest course. Everything was apple themed, the ice cream was apple flavour and it was amazing. The dacquoise looking think had amazing balance of sweetness with the ice cream and it didn't feel tart at all. There was apple cider vinegar jelly and it was interesting, but added a nice acidity to the overall dish. Overall, it was a wonderfully crafted menu, with a good balance of flavour in every bite, super artistic, and like any artsy piece, you eat it based on your interpretation. The ambience of the restaurant was cozy, we sat at the bar which was constructed out of drawers. Very classy, not too upscale interior, but you can really feel the class. Staff went above and beyond, it was truly an experience to take in. We enjoyed...

I don’t even know where to begin—this is truly one of the most incredible dining experiences I’ve had. If you appreciate food as an art form, this place is a must. I’ve had dinner here twice, both times as a walk-in. The first time, Benjamin kindly seated me by the window, and the second time, Vincent placed me closer to the bar.

Benjamin was exceptional in introducing the menu. He described everything so vividly, giving me a great visual of the dishes and even suggested some red wine options that paired beautifully with the food.

I started with the oysters, which were unbelievably fresh. They were served with a rich red sauce that enhanced the flavor perfectly, and the small sprig of fresh dill on top was the perfect finishing touch. For my second dish, I had the duck pâté served with homemade bread, enriched with olive oil and freshly toasted—it was divine.

Dessert was out of this world. A Canadian take on a rhubarb pie—it was light, flavorful, and left me satisfied without feeling overly full.

Benjamin and Simon were both incredibly warm, informative, and attentive—not just as servers, but as wonderful hosts, especially to me as an American guest.

On my second visit, Vincent welcomed me with the same warmth. I had a fish appetizer and lamb as my main course—both beautifully prepared with creative flavor combinations. The presentation was stunning. Dessert was a rich chocolate cake, served with—believe it or not—sorbet made from bell peppers. The vibrant orange color and unexpected flavor made for a truly memorable finish.

I have deep admiration for both Chef Romain and Pastry Chef Cléophée. They are true artists, with an extraordinary vision for flavor, texture, and presentation.

And most of all, I can’t say enough about Jade. She made my visit to both Canada and this restaurant unforgettable. Her passion for the food, her joy in presenting each dish, and her faith in every detail—all delivered with a warm smile—made me feel so welcomed. She is truly a gem and an invaluable part of this restaurant. So thank you Dominic for your carefully...

Aug 30, 2021: My wife, daughter and I arrived for our 8:30pm reservation and seated along with two other groups who reserved at the same time. Our waiter was friendly, personable, and passionate about the food being served. To say the food here was delicious is an understatement. We ordered 9 of 12 dishes from their seasonal menu and everything was excellent!! The chef and his team know their flavours and how to coax the best from all the local ingredients they use in every dish. Each course was well-thought out-prepared and layered with complex flavours. It’s rare that you find a place where every dish is both unique and tasty. The two other tables seated at the same time, were also in agreement. A foodie from Toronto said…” the food in Toronto is not as good as this!” I said, …” unfortunately I will have to agree with you… the food in Vancouver is not as good as this (generally speaking). My wife and daughter who are not octopus nor beef tartar eaters, they loved those dishes- a surprise for me. I said I would come back tomorrow to order several dishes all over again, if only they were open for lunch! As I write this, I would easily reorder the: scallops n smoked clams tartar, octopus, amazing homemade pasta with perfect poached egg and carmalized goat cheese, and their smoky layered black pudding, although every dish we had was good. The tasting dishes are still very substantial and certainly worth more than what one is paying here compared to other fine dining places & I think they need to charge more for the time, energy, and detail that goes into every dish! One needs to make a reservation , the waiter said they turned away so many requests that day because they are a small restaurant. We loved the rustic laid back decor and the non-nouvelle -pretenciousness of other places without true substance nor the heart. of Chez Rioux & Pettigrew. I give CRP a big satisfying recommend, we will return again,...