Description: We decided at the last minute to celebrate our anniversary by having dinner at L’Astral Restaurant. We just took the elevator up to the 25th floor at 9pm and asked them if they could seat us. It was Saturday night and the place was packed but luckily we were able to get a small table for two at the second level from the window. I mention the window because L’Astral revolves and it gives a panoramic view of Quebec in about 90 minutes.
They offer a grand buffet as well as three course menus. I ordered the lamb cutlet with thyme sauce. Al had the Sirloin steak. For a starter we had the choice of cream of carrot soup or salad. Al had the carrot soup, I had the salad. The soup was a good size bowl with very strong carrot flavor. My salad was fresh, with flower petals and chunks of lobster with a great dressing. The breadbasket had 3 different kinds of rolls. We loved 2, didn't care for the sundried tomato rolls.
My lamb cutlet was a surprise, it was lamb chops. I asked the waiter and he said yes these were lamb cutlets, I said no, bad translation, these are lamb chops. He says rack of lamb, yes but those aren’t cutlets, cutlets are thin and have no bone. It’s not a problem I love lamb chops, it was just a surprise. The potatoes are unusual too, they are like scalloped but with no liquid and they have been cut and laid sideways on the plate. They are very good. The vegetables were all baby vegetables. The lamb was a succulent as only tiny little lamb chops can be, and I wanted very badly to pick up those bones and suck on them, but I didn’t.
The steak was tender and delicious and perfectly cooked. It took a while for our waiter to warm up but he had a very friendly side when he wasn’t running around waiting on his 24 customers.
For dessert, you help your self from the buffet. It was like letting a child loose in a toy store. I chose a chocolate mousse in a chocolate cup with a piece of strawberry on the top and a fruit tart. There were many other choices, cheesecake, fruit salad and several different gateaux. I added a cup of hot tea with milk and natural sugar cubes and called it a perfect meal.
L’Astral tries hard to be a romantic restaurant. There is a piano playing softly in the background and the views are outstanding but the tables are so close that it’s impossible to have a private conversation. The din from all the conversations was also nearly overpowering when we first sat down. The whole restaurant is smoking too, so we were occasionally subjected to wafts of smoke overwhelming us. It was less of an experience than it could have been. But certainly it was worth doing once.
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