Dominion Square Tavern - mussels
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Dominion Square Tavern - mussels
The mussels at Dominion Square Tavern in downtown Montreal taste fresh and fabulous. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Restaurant La Quintessence & Winebar - lobster thermidor
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Restaurant La Quintessence & Winebar - lobster thermidor
The lobster thermidor at Restaurant La Quintessence & Winebar will satisfy. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Le Cafe du Bistrot - crepe
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Le Cafe du Bistrot - crepe
The food, like this crepe, at Le Cafe du Bistrot in St-Andre-Avellin is authentic French cuisine. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Fairmont Tremblant - breakfast buffet
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Fairmont Tremblant - breakfast buffet
The crepes soaked in maple syrup are a signature of the Fairmont Tremblant breakfast buffet. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Boulangerie St. Viateur Bagel Shop
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Boulangerie St. Viateur Bagel Shop
Showing off the day's fresh-cooked bagels at the Boulangerie St. Viateur Bagel Shop in Montreal. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth - pastries
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Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth - pastries
The pastries served at the breakfast buffet at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth showcase the French influence of Montreal. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Mont-Tremblant village
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Mont-Tremblant village
The walking village of Mont-Tremblant is filled with restaurants and bars. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Restaurant Pizzateria in Mont-Tremblant
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Restaurant Pizzateria in Mont-Tremblant
The salads at the Restaurant Pizzateria in Mont-Tremblant are huge. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello
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Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello
The dining room at the gorgeous Fairmont Le Ch̢teau Montebello is all set for the breakfast rush. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Restaurant La Quintessence & Winebar
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Restaurant La Quintessence & Winebar
Restaurant La Quintessence & Winebar serves a mean maple pie with pecan nougatine and homemade vanilla ice. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Le Cafe du Bistrot in St-Andre-Avellin, Quebec
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Le Cafe du Bistrot in St-Andre-Avellin, Quebec
Le Cafe du Bistrot sits in charming little St-Andre-Avellin just outside of Montebello, Quebec. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Dominion Square Tavern - street car
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Dominion Square Tavern - street car
Street cars, like this one at Dominion Square Tavern, are popular spots to dine in downtown Montreal. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Pierre du Calvet House - Les Filles Du Roy Restaurant
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Pierre du Calvet House - Les Filles Du Roy Restaurant
Old Montreal is filled with restaurants, but few offer the old-world character of the Les Filles Du Roy Restaurant in the Pierre du Calvet House. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Le Cafe du Bistrot - steak frites
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Le Cafe du Bistrot - steak frites
Steak frites, a delicious steak and fries combo served at Le Cafe du Bistrot, is a popular dish throughout French-speaking Europe. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
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Quebec's French heritage creates a paradise of food

MONT-TREMBLANT, Quebec, Canada -- The golf is grand in Quebec, no doubt, but it might be the dining experiences that leave the biggest lasting impression on visitors. The heavy French influence in the province leads to a higher standard in the kitchen of every cafe and restaurant.

My six-day trip in July felt more like a culinary tour than a golf adventure. Dining at Restaurant La Quintessence & Winebar was easily the most intimate dining experience I've had in years. The waiter led my wife and I through the kitchen -- a unique touch -- to the secluded chef's table in a private greenhouse overlooking Lake Tremblant. Classical music was the only interruption heard between the clank of our forks diving into an appetizer of crab balls and the succulent lamb and lobster thermidor we shared as the main course.

The four-star restaurant in the boutique hotel Quintessence certainly felt five-star worthy that night.

The scene couldn't have been more different days later at Le Cafe du Bistrot in St-Andre-Avellin, a small town outside of Montebello. The tiny cafe was packed and noisy. Waitresses were running in all directions trying to keep customers happy. But the lively, casual atmosphere was welcoming and the food excellent. My first time trying steak frites, a delicious steak and fries combo popular throughout French-speaking Europe, won't be my last.

I also developed a daily craving for crepes after devouring some on the breakfast buffets at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth in downtown Montreal, the Fairmont Tremblant in the charming ski village in the Laurentian Mountains and the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello, the world's largest log-cabin hotel set along bank of the Ottawa River. They taste best soaked in the rich maple syrup Quebec is known for producing.

My stay in downtown Montreal lasted less than 24 hours, just enough time to discover why its bagels are so famous. They are boiled in honey-sweetened water and baked in a wood-fired oven. Yum, or as they say in French, miam!

Jason Scott Deegan has reviewed and photographed more than 1,100 courses and written about golf destinations in 25 countries for some of the industry's biggest publications. His work has been honored by the Golf Writer's Association of America and the Michigan Press Association. Follow him on Instagram at @jasondeegangolfpass and Twitter at @WorldGolfer.
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Quebec's French heritage creates a paradise of food