Open for just over a month, Le Choux Gras is ready to go! Don’t wait any longer … if you have not tried this new restaurant, the time is now. Located in the Tremblant Fairmont Hotel, the Choux Gras is a new gem that feels like you have been taken off resort and transplanted into a hotel that could be located in New York city. The decor is not like anything else you see in Tremblant with its rich colours on the walls, velvet seats and blue booths facing the resort. It’s simply fabulous. The funky lighting fixtures tie it all together giving it just the perfect ambience.
Chef Yves Benoit St.Cyr, originally from the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal was nice enough to invite us to sample the delicious dishes that are now offered at the Choux Gras Brasserie Culinaire. Like most of us who have chosen to live in Mont Tremblant, he too could not resist the lifestyle and ended up moving here full time. It’s hard to go back to work in the city once you have tasted a little slice of heaven in the Laurentians.
As always, one of the main reasons we love going to the Fairmont is the accessibility. You get free valet parking and the great service starts from the moment you exit the car. This occasion was no exception. Our fabulous waiter Jesse who was professional and quite funny, which was a bonus, made our night very special. Each dish that was served was paired with a fabulous wine that their in house sommelier Etienne Lachaine recommended. He too was a knowledgeable individual adding flavor to each dish. From the beginning of our dinner until the end, we were completely wowed!
We started the night with a gorgeous amuse bouche that Chef Yves prepared. This melt in your mouth starter set the tone for what was in store for us. Little did we know that we would be eating like kings. Next came a few of the Entrees that are on the menu. The beet salad, the beef tartar, a classic bistro style tartar and the Choux Gras salad served with granny smith apples, sugared pecans, warm goat cheese and maple dressing. Yummmm!
Their homemade foccacia bread was also out of this world with a whipped cheese spread. Many of the dishes are made for sharing which is very convenient and tends to make everything feel more like a home style meal. Their Foie Gras au torchon with brioche and marmalade had to be a personal favorite.
Low and behold…the Seafood Tower! Oysters from PEI, half lobster, king crab, smoked salmon, mackerel, trout gravlax, marinated shrimp, among other awesome delights.
The final platter was the family style organic chicken from la Ferme des Voltigeurs, served with potatoes, root vegetables “au jus” with multiple sides. This has no comparison to other chicken eaten at restaurants in the past. This chicken was brined for 5 hours and then cooked ‘sous vide’ style for 8 hours. It was incredible.
Mini casseroles surrounded the table, some filled with wild mushrooms and Oka cheese gratin, another with brussel sprouts and bacon or green bean, almonds and lemon juice. The conclusion for all of us at the table was that for sure this was going to be the go-to dish to share after a day of skiing.
How does one end such a perfect meal? With perfect sweet decadent desserts of course! They have their own in-house pastry chef. We had walked by the dessert table upon our arrival and knew early on that we needed to leave room for dessert.
The final verdict was definitely that Choux Gras Brasserie Culinaire went above and beyond our expectations. They serve excellent dishes! A great variety of comfort food as well as some decadent dishes to satisfy everyone. It was a great evening and we all agreed that we were definitely going to come back very very soon.
