Le SAINTI — Restaurant in Saint-Irénée

Decided to try this restaurant (june 2025) based on great recent reviews, but I was truly disappointed by the food on many aspects. We shared the 150$/2 people tasting menu and did not feel the price was worthwhile. Please refer to pictures if necessary. We started with 3 appetizers of small quantities. Five arancini, five pieces of wagyu tataki and three morels. Besides the arancini being tastless and the wagyu being super chewy (definitely not tenderloin) I find it strange for a menu specifically designed for two that they decide to plate up an odd number of items. The third appetizer was a thin lobster bisque with ravioli filled with “crab” but the filling was missing generosity and felt like we were bitting in a mixture of mousse and cream. Although we appreciated the idea behind this dish, the execution could be improved. Main dish: generously portioned porc chop, well cooked and juicy, but too salty. It was topped with unseasoned spinach and equally salty vegetables. To me the prune sauce on the side did not save this dish. The spinach could use some vinaigrette to complement the heaviness of the seared pork. Dessert: thin sliced charlevoix cheese warmed up with croutons… tasted good, not impressed by the efforts. Drinks: cocktail looks good, tasted overly sour, like pure lemon juice on rocks. The waitress kindly added some more simple syrup and ice and gave it back to me. Overall this experience felt like little effort and thoughts went into the composition of each dish of this day. It was not worth our time and the price. Definitely a miss for us on the Route...

My wife and I were recently in the Charlevoix region of Quebec in September 2021. The region has been affected by Covid and it was very difficult for us to get reservations for dinner at any restaurant. After a long day of whale watching we returned to the charming beach area of Ste Irenee just west of La Malbaie in a private cove. The hostess told us they were completely booked but we suggested that we would sit at the bar and be in and out quickly. We had a fantastic meal with mozarella appetizer (large), brussel sprouts, main courses were scallops and pork with craft beer. The presentation of the food was outstanding and the sauces were delightful. There are many local products in the mix. The view is exceptional being on the water with large glass windows. This place has only been open for 3 months but has tremendous potential. With their first winter approaching they need support...

Hands down one of the best restaurants I’ve been to! From the outset, our server was lovely — French isn’t our first language, but she was happy to let us stumble through ordering in French so we could practice. Additionally, my partner has celiac disease, so he can’t eat any gluten. Our server was very alert to that fact, and both she and the kitchen staff were attentive and extra careful, taking precautions to avoid cross-contamination. For example, they baked the octopus in the oven for us instead of searing it on the grill.

As for the food, everything we ordered was fantastic. We got the charcuterie + fondue, and octopus plates as appetizers, and the scallops + boudin noir and steak dishes for our mains. The ingredients were very fresh with delicious and inventive sauces, and the plating was beautiful. I highly recommend this restaurant for anyone visiting Charlevoix —...