The Old-School Quebec Restaurant Anthony Bourdain Was 'Unreservedly Sentimental' About

It's hard to understate the appeal of a great old-school restaurant, from classic dishes to reliable hospitality and a nostalgic vibe, and for Anthony Bourdain, there's no shortage of restaurants that hit these spots, from New York steakhouses to Italian osterias. And head north to Canada and you'll find another of his favorites: Le Continental, in Quebec City.

Bourdain featured the restaurant on the inaugural season of his CNN series "Parts Unknown", during the fourth episode, where he ventured around the French-speaking province of Quebec with the owners of famed Montreal restaurant Joe Beef. At the (now) 70-year-old Le Continental, Bourdain brimmed with praise for the restaurant's commitment to traditional French-leaning cuisine. "Classic, unironic cuisine, meaning dishes you haven't seen in forever," is how Bourdain describes the menu.

He talks up the options that he and his companions order, like oh-so-French beef tartare and filet mignon with a cognac-cream sauce. Yet he reserves particular admiration for the servers' tableside preparation skills, arguably a fading French haute cuisine tradition these days. That may have something to do with the fact that it requires servers with skills that go beyond the norm. As Bourdain notes in the episode, where Le Continental's staff flambé cognac for the steak and debone fish for sole meunière (the classic French dish with a lemon-butter sauce), it's the kind of craft that could lead culinary school students to set things on fire or accidentally fling food at diners. So, for him at least, it's a point of distinction for the restaurant.

To be fair, although Le Continental is often described as a French restaurant, the menu (and Bourdain and friends' orders) are not uniformly French. Bourdain perhaps more accurately describes the offerings as "French, continental, [and] ocean liner classics," as the meal that CNN filmed there also includes Caesar salad (originally from Mexico, but with elements of Italy and the USA in the mix), shrimp cocktail (from the west coast), and shrimp Newburg, a creamy shrimp and mushroom dish originally from New York.

Even though Bourdain visited Le Continental around 2014, the menu hasn't changed drastically, so you can follow in his footsteps and order the same items (except for shrimp Newburg, which appears to be off the menu). Otherwise, some other dishes that come recommended from other sources include foie gras, flambéed duck à l'orange, and for dessert, crepes suzette — cooked tableside, of course.

Bourdain is hardly alone in his appreciation of Le Continental: It seems to be routinely named as one of the best restaurants in Quebec City. It's received 5-star reviews and it seems the servers have kept their flambé skills up in the years since Bourdain's visit. Despite the reputation, it still retains friendly service, and even the owners still work in the restaurant. And as a bonus, it's not overly expensive for fine dining (perhaps helped by the exchange rate into Canadian dollars): That cognac-sauced steak will set you back about $50.