In the Mood for Crepes (Thanksgiving sans Turkey) in Quebec City

Le Billig in Quebec City

I have to confess - I've never liked turkey, stuffed or otherwise, and can't really stand eating it. Not even once a year for a traditional Thanksgiving feast. Anyway, I've always taken the opportunity to travel somewhere on the long 4-day weekend. This year was no exception, and I found myself enduring the cold weather and snow in Quebec City. The entire city was covered in the white stuff, so basically it felt that I had fast forwarded to Christmas. 

 I was in the mood for something different. On the Quebec City Food Tour (here's a review) that I took, one of the stops was Le Billig, a small creperie-bistro located just outside the walls of Old Quebec in the St. Jean Baptiste neighborhood, away from the tourist hordes. According to our guide, the restaurant's name refers to the flat, circular grill that is used to make crepes, and that Le Billig serves authentic buckwheat flour crepes ("galettes") that are the specialty of Brittany, France. 

the Savoyarde

I decided to return to Le Billig for lunch the next day. Enormously hungry from the effort of walking in the snow, I followed the waiter's recommendation and ordered one of the house's specialties, the Savoyarde (onions, bacon, cheese, and potatoes) over a thin layer of crepe. That proved to be a good choice - a delicious, hearty meal washed down by une bolée of sparkling Kerisac apple cider, also from Brittany. (Another discovery: I prefer my apple cider chilled instead of warm. And alcohol content definitely helps).

La Salidou

Delighted at my discovery, my meal, and considering that my return flight was due to leave in a few hours, the decision to maximize my crepe consumption was a no brainer. This time I had to select from among the fifteen or so savory dessert crepes, but in the end I opted for "The Salidou", composed of salted butter, home-made caramel and Chantilly. It was tough picking a winner between that and "The Ecstacy", made of dark chocolate and dark chocolate ice cream, but what can I say, I'm a sucker for caramel. Another fortuitous choice to cap off my quick Thanksgiving escape from turkey in Quebec City.