“Under the Seal” Restaurant Review:

Le Moulin de Saint-Laurent

Le Moulin de Saint-Laurent, located on 754 chemin Royal, C.P. 16, Saint-Larent Ile d’Orleans G0A 3Z0, offers customers a rustic country French cuisine that will take diners back to romanticized simpler days filled when family dinner comforted body, mind and soul.  The décor is simple, but clean.  The classic look of the building, originally used for milling wheat, exposed the original rock, brick and stone floors.  Polished copper kettles and pots hanging from the ceiling accentuate the country rustic feel.  Dried flowers along the walls also graced the tables, covered in rich royal blue and white tablecloths.  The autumnal feel, complimented with a dignified and delicate ambiance, making it slightly romantic, but more comforting.

(The side of the restaurant’s scenic waterfall and outdoor dining area)

The guests, mostly couples and a few families, quietly ate well-plated and delicious looking food.  They seemed content, and even entertained with the classical guitarist and violinist offering sweet sounds.  A times, the volume made it difficult for conversations and the talented musicians received well deserved applause from the guests, which at times made it feel more like a dinner theatre rather than a restaurant with background music.

(A big pet peeve: to serve delicious bread but accompanied with tacky plastic containers of butter!)

The polite service, typical of the Quebecois, lagged at times.  I realize that most diners enjoy a leisure meal, but the inconsistent service made my group of diners a bit impatient, waiting for the bill after 3 hours of dining.  Most of the wait staff came across as professional, so it surprised me to have one staff members with multiple piercings, black nail polish, and who nervously rushed.

The menu offered a compact, but flavorful variety of country rustic French cuisine.  I understand the menu rotates weekly, giving diners a reason to come back and sample other creations.  The pre-fixed courses gave customers the best value of an appetizer, salad, entrée and dessert.  Gratefully, the stereotypical dishes such as French Onion Soup, Steak and Fries, or Quiche were not on the menu.  The menu sparked conversation and intrigue, offering escargot and calves brains (sweet breads) as appetizers.

(Le Moulin’s Sweat Breads)

I chose sweat breads as an appetizer, a creamy vegetable soup as a first plate, the lamb shank for my entrée, and a chocolate mousse to end the meal.    The sweet breads were delicious, especially with a cranberry red wine reduction.  However, these would have been better had they been breaded and fried rather than sautéed, simply because the only detectable texture was “creamy.”  However the reductions were luscious and smooth, and very workable with the wine we ordered – a Tollo Rosso from Italy.

The soup was very smooth and delicately elevated with toasted celery seeds. But, a dollop of crème fresh would certainly add something to this simple dish.

The dramatically plated lamb shank had fork tender meat, accompanied with a smooth potato puree and vegetable medley, including a seemingly out of place Bok Choi.  I expected parsnips or something less “asian”, but it simply added a brightness and levity to this typically heavy dish.  Instead of rosemary as a base herb, the chef used fresh oregano (and even the oregano flower) to compliment the sweetness of the meat.  The shank needed a bit more trimming, as the underneath fattiness became sloppy to eat and unpleasant on the plate.

(Lamb Shank)

The dessert plate of chocolate mouse combined an angel food and pear infused flan served as a base for the bell shaped semi sweet dark chocolate mousse. A meringue and a modern chocolate tuiles gave a modern whimsical quality to a relatively traditional meal.

(A busy plate of desserts.  It seemed like the pastry chef was just showing off, and all to the smiles of the patrons!)

But then came the unreasonable 15 minute wait for the bill!

The meal was delicious, beautifully plated, balanced, flavorful, and classically French.  The pre-fixed menu options provided variety for a bargain high-end meal, even with a 15 % sales tax.

Overall: The service needed some attention and speed. Some of the food preparation needed a bit more textural variety.  The dining ambiance was definitely affected by the volume of the musicians, and the autumnal feel could “limit” the diner’s seasonal eating experience.  However, the food was delicious and the meal gave me a satisfying memory of my time in a country bistro in France. Which reminds me, I need to brush up on my French!

Another interesting Faithful Foodie connection:  St. Lawrence also happens to be the patron saint of chefs.  He was obviously interceding for this restaurant, because it was certainly “grace-filled”.

COST: $$$$

I give this restaurant a “penance” of only 3 out of 10 Hail Mary’s (which is equivalent to 4.5 stars out of 5.)

(Great after dinner entertainment back in the Old City:  Les Beaux Frers – acrobat and jugglers)

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