Inspectors for the inaugural Michelin Guide Québec were clearly taken by the province’s cuisine scene, doling out props to 102 restaurants. But breaking down the numbers on a city-to-city basis, it’s obvious that Michelin’s inspectors — all anonymous — were more bedazzled by the food offerings emanating from our provincial capital than those from Montreal.

While more attention was given to Montreal and Quebec City, the guide’s mandate was the entire province.

In the categories that matter most to restaurateurs and foodies — the two-star and one-star Michelin categories — the provincial capital dominated. Quebec City’s legendary Tanière3 snagged the only two-star awarded in the province, and of the eight one-stars given, four came from the aforementioned burgh.

Michelin also awards the highly coveted but extremely rare three-star citation, but none have yet come to this country. According to Michelin, those awarded two stars dispense “excellent cuisine worth a detour,” while one-star recipients denote “high quality cooking — worth a stop.”

In the minds of many gourmets, Michelin is considered to be the benchmark for what constitutes fine dining around much of the world.

So in what will come as quite the shock to Montrealers — myself included — who hold our haute cuisine in such high esteem, the city only earned three one-stars in the Michelin guide: Jérôme Ferrer — Europea, Mastard and Sabayon. The eighth Michelin one-star went to Rimouski’s Narval.

Such local favourites as Mon Lapin — which copped the top spot on the Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants list in 2023 and 2024 and came second this year — as well as Beba, Le Violon, Montréal Plaza, Joe Beef, Au Pied du Cochon, Damas, Monarque and many more had to settle for Michelin’s Recommended list. Also among the 76 Recommendeds in this mish-mash........

© Montreal Gazette