IX Pour Bistro

Amazing experience. The kindness and graciousness of Ben and Vincent along with terrific food can not be replicated. A must when visiting Quebec City… Excellent guidance on an extensive wine list lead us to a Tawse Cab Franc… Yes the onion soup, lamb loin and foie gras desert are to die for. Hanger steak and goose confit was magnificent. Thank you for a delightful evening!

My husband and I ate there a few nights ago. After reading previous reviews I did not think it could live up to so many people saying it was the best meal they’d ever had, but it did! For starters my husband had the goose confit and I had the onion soup. If we had stopped then it still would have been the best meal we’d had. Everything we ate was amazing and inspiring. The flavor combinations were innovative and life changing. To finish our meal we had the fois gras dessert. It sounds so bizzare, but this dessert is the single best thing I have eaten in my life. Not only was the food outstanding the atmosphere is fun, inviting and you feel like you’re at a friends house. I honestly believe that people who have not eaten here are not living their lives to their full potential! Whether you should eat here, is not the question, the question is, what will you do with your life after you have eaten here?!

The place is run by 2 guys. That’s it. No employees. And yet they do an amazing job. Vincent describes the menu in detail and prepares you for each course. It may not look like much when you pull up outside in your taxi. But your taste buds will thank you. Eat slowly and enjoy every bite!

If you want Awsome creative food with extremely friendly service outside of old Quebec, this is your place. Great wine selection and ever changing menu. Plus where else do you get fois gras for desert? Just the best

I risked all of my clout as a gourmet with my husband’s family on an on-​line review for his restaurant. It was the experience of a lifetime. Do not miss this experience, plan a trip just to see Vincent and Ben. Vincent is a great host and Ben’s magic in the kitchen would make a unicorn cry.

We just got back to our hotel after dining at iX pour Bistro tonight and I couldn’t go to sleep without first singing the praises of this hidden gem of a restaurant. My husband and I are in Quebec City to celebrate our wedding anniversary and had the most amazing meal at this restaurant. I started with the French onion soup (the best soup I’ve ever had) and my husband had the scallop appetizer. Both were delicious. Next I had the Arctic char and my husband had the pork tenderloin. Amazing!!! For dessert we shared both the chocolate cake and the signature foie gras bread pudding. The chocolate dessert was a heavenly mix between a brownie and chocolate pudding. The bread pudding was one of the best things I ever ate. It was a great combination of salty and sweet… we all but licked the bowl clean. The entire meal was well paced so that you didn’t feel too full. Reservations are definitely required in advance since they only do one seating per table per night. This gives the whole place a really special vibe and allows diners to have a relaxed experience. The two owners add to the fun atmosphere. We will come back to Quebec City to eat here again. Thank you iX pour Bistro for an amazing night!

Girlfriend and I ate here tonight and had amazing meal. Food was fresh and unique. Classic dishes with a little twist, but no crazy surprises. Good value for great experience!

If you are a foodie visiting Quebec City, you absolutely must not miss the experience of dining at this fabulous restaurant. It’s off the beaten path, and the exterior of the restaurant is inconspicuous because it’s reputation is the thing that brings people in. The varied and changing food items on the menu are planned, described, prepared and served with a passion for food rarely encountered. These two guys know what they are doing! Don’t miss it.

By far, one of the best meals /​experiences I’ve had. My boyfriend and I came to IX Bistro after hearing about rave reviews (expectations were high). Ben and Vincent delivered above and beyond with both the service and food! Would recommend to anyone visiting Quebec City. And Ben/​Vincent — hit us up in Chicago when you visit.

All the great reviews about the food are spot on, can’t contribute anything new in that regard, the food is excellent as is the service. The hard part here is trying to explain the experience. How do you describe two guys that look like they’d be more comfortable on a construction site or cooking along side a camper in the woods some where for a bunch of friends. Coupled with an dining atmosphere that feels like a «down on its luck» taco stand or 60 year old hamburger joint.
Oddly and surprisingly it all works, and works well. Don’t think I’ve ever experienced a restaurant where I felt like a couple of my best buddies invited me over to a backyard feast, who just happen to be really good cooks. They make it look all too easy.
The size of the restaurant cements the staging for the experience. If there had been, let’s say just 3 or 4 more tables it wouldn’t work. There are a few places like this in our region of North America, Los Angeles, but none have achieved this level of comfort.
Totally shatters the myth that Michelin star food needs to be accompanied by pretentious, presentation, surroundings and service. They’ve created a truly unique dining experience, one that would be hard for anyone else to replicate. Maybe the décor, but not the two guys running the joint, they’re one of a kind. Go have dinner with your new buddies, for an exceptional evening of food and fun.

Locals from Quebec here, read up on this bistro often overshadowed by more publicized places. The perfect Unilocal rating was a bit weird, and we thought it was mostly overinflated by people outside of Quebec who maybe tend to see their travels through rose-​coloured glasses (I know I do too!). That being said, we decided to give it a try.
The reviews are actually accurate! Two-​man team in a small kitchen with only 9 tables (a single seating every night). Great front of the house experience and very enthusiastic, and a chef that takes a very personal hand in your experience (and spends time with the guests too when the host is tending to another table — you really never feel rushed or notice the fact that they’re really just two!). Great experience and definitely one of my ‘repeat’ places from now on.
Entrée, mains and desserts make up the single menu (funnily enough, a chalkboard that the host takes to each table and explains in detail — no real menu here, nor do you need one). Solid, traditional bistro fare including fish options (no vegetarian/​vegan options that I’ve seen, may need to ask ahead). While the composition itself is traditional, the outcome is absolutely tremendous. I enjoyed a barely-​seared horse tataki with shimeji mushrooms in a wasabi dressing. The meat was absolutely tender and delicious, with a hint of sesame oil to tie it in to the garnish. My partners had the cod salad, a cold prep whose dressing requires its own spoon (to slurp it all up at the end). Their famous onion soup was our third option, and I’ll defer to all the rave reviews from other Unilocalers as they seem accurate from the little spoonful I got.
The mains were the star for me — 5 great options/​proteins and I opted for the traditional lamb loin with goat cheese and mint, on red rice. The host mentioned the lamb remains the star and he was absolutely right. The cheese and mint could easily overpower the lamb, but it acted to support and lift the lamb, which was perfectly cooked. My partners had a fish course and the beef cheek and were equally enchanted.
After this, only one dessert was ordered. We took the mythical unicorns’ tears (seriously, that’s the name). A white cake soaked in a buttery cream with a sweet crumble (I’d say caramel, but don’t quote me) is then absolutely covered in a mound of foie gras, frozen and grated on the microplane (think of the famous lychee soup at Momofuku Ko). It harkens back to an old comfort food, white bread soaked in cream with brown sugar on top — but it takes those humble origins and simply raises it up to the heavens. The name doesn’t matter, but truly the experience is a home run. The other desserts also looked appealing, but my partners simply had no room left.
Need to mention the wines — all private imports, with a sizeable collection listed on the walls. Just a few wines by the glass (which is understandable) including all dessert wines. We had a great fizzy Italian red, a really funky experience (I thought it was a tad too warm, my partners disagreed and liked the temperature). I also had two glasses of a sweet dessert wine, from Cadillac right next to Sauterne. I would take that bottle home if I could (they wouldn’t let me).
We’ve travelled a lot and had the chance to eat at some of the best tables on the planet. Yes, for bad or for worse we aim for a few SanPellegrino’s Top 50 tables a year. I was in a personal restaurant funk, having been disappointed or simply unimpressed by recent meals (including one a few days prior at Momofuku Shoto in Toronto). It was truly refreshing to find this care, this quality, and frankly this «giving a fuck» from two dudes in a residential neighbourhood. I will come back, and come back, and come back.
A few notes:
1) Heed the warning and do plan ahead — booking on the weekends is very, very tight and we were able to get a table a week ahead on a Thursday instead. It’s all good, but last minute on the weekends will hinge on cancellations.
2) It is truly a hole in the wall (old pizzeria in a blue-​collar neighborhood). Park on the neighbouring streets or grab a cab from downtown (5 – 10 minutes at most). Inside is small and intimate, but perfect — you never feel cramped.
3) May not be adequate for larger parties — really a 4-​top is the largest I would personally get.
4) Prices are affordable for the quality — with wine, tax and tip, think between 60 – 80 $ per person. Worth every penny.

What an amazing dinner and experience! only a short cab ride from old quebec city (i think it was like 12 canadien dollars).
Vincent was super friendly and a warm host. He recommended a nice wine for me and my girlfriend. The meal was excellent. I had the lamb which was a house special. The foie gras dessert was amazing (also a house special). The chef also came out to say hello after our meal to check in on us. Such a nice personal experience.
Coming from NYC, it was so refreshing, and reasonably priced for what you get. And again, what a great meal. I would’ve eaten there every night i was at quebec city if i could. Do yourself a favor, get in there before it gets too crowded! with only 9 sittings a night, make a reservation!

I browse Unilocal regularly, but have never signed up for an account until now. But THIS PLACE is the reason I finally stopped lurking. My husband and I ate here in March and were blown away by this eye-​opening, culinary experience. Have you ever had food so good you want to slow down and savour every last molecule? This place changed our understanding of food and gave new meaning to «five-​star worthy» food.
We ordered all three appetizers, chose two mains (there were about six options for mains), and all three desserts, plus a bottle of organic wine. The whole meal came up to under $ 200 after tax and before tip. We tipped generously because the service was amazing as well. Every penny was well spent.

My fiancé and I went to iX Pour Bistro on November 9, just after getting engaged. It capped off an unforgettable day and an amazing trip. Vincent’s charisma and humour make you feel right at home, and his descriptions of the meals are spot on. The cozy environment was perfect, and really made it feel like you were experiencing something special. I was also so happy to have met Benoit and thank him for the most delicious food I had ever eaten. Also, the fact that they only book each table once per night meant we never felt rushed, and could savour our food (and wine!). Truly a perfect experience, and I cannot wait to go back.

Aller chez Benoit oups au ix bistro, c’est faire plaisir à sa bouche :) Celle-​ci mérite tout les plaisir que peuvent procurer la cuisine de Benoît et la merveilleuse carte des vins !!! L’apogée de la soirée est sans contredit le dessert Signature, chaque fois un plaisir renouvelé. Bön d’accord mon copain lui vous parlerait de la carte des scotchs !!! Mais c’est surtout l’accueil chaleureux qui rend l’expérience de cette visite des plus mémorable

Rare experience. Only 9 sittings per evening (hence the name of the place). They truly treat you as their guest. Great food. Creative deserts and the wine list has nice variety. Great experience.

A FOODIE’S DELIGHT! I would give this restaurant more stars if I could. Just a 10 minute cab ride from downtown Quebec, this restaurant was worth every dime. Converted from a small pizzeria, this tiny space with only nine intimate tables and no double bookings is one of those places a restaurant aficionado spends a lifetime searching for.
We were the first to arrive at 6p. Vincent gave us a warm welcome and took his time getting to know us. It was apparent, as the evening unfolded, that he spaces the reservations apart so there is plenty of time to talk and explain the menu.
The wine and liquor selections are listed on the walls surrounding the seating. We were interested in trying a Canadian wine so Vincent recommended a wonderful Pinot Noir from Blue Mountains Winery. It was $ 58 Canadian.
The menu consisted of 11 food items including appetizers, main courses and dessert.
We had the «Offel Duo», a combination of chicken liver, sweet breads, mushrooms and incredible wine sauce and «Lorrete Onion Soup». The soup was a departure from the traditional beef stock and instead used chicken sock. Both were delicious.
For the main course, we ordered the «Goat Cheese Lamb Loin» and the «Duck Confit and Pork» The lamb was cooked to perfection, extremely tender and full of flavors. The duck was stuffed in a pork tenderloin and served on a bed of carefully prepared vegetables and buckwheat. Outstanding!
Desert was «Foie Gras Signature». An unusual combination to be sure, but really comes together. We were also lucky to have made friends with another patron who shared a taste of her «Lemon Pie» with us. It was tart and delicious; and also reminded me of Florida key lime pie.
During the course of the entire evening Vincent and Benoit were attentive and a lot of fun. We enjoyed the experience a great deal. And of course the food and wine were terrific. This is the kind of experience that makes a good restaurant great and something not to be forgotten.
If you want to dine here, book early. This place is almost impossible to get last minute reservations Our total bill was $ 217.01 including tax and tip. The cab ride was $ 15 each way including tip.

If there is one thing I am absolutely sure about, it is that the written word will never be able to do justice to the experience I had here this past summer.
This was hands down the best food experience I’ve had in my life, I will recommend this cozy, magical spot until the end of days (or until these two pick up their own reality tv show for amazing food and service).
The place was 10 minutes out of downtown, but don’t let that deter you at all. It’s in a charming neighborhood and worth the drive. We got the last spot of the night at the bar, and I was hesitant to take it since normally sitting at the bar is not as good an experience as a normal table. Boy was I wrong!
Vincent greeted us with a big smile, and noticed that my French wasn’t great, although I was making an effort (my friend spoke perfect French though) and he was able to speak English and French with both of us which immediately put us at ease.
We started with scallops and beef tataki, followed by mains of trout and lamb, and then for dessert pavlova and their insanely creative pudding dish with shaved foie gras on it. Again, I’ll never be able to do these dishes justice by explaining them, but the main thing to know is that the ingredients are top notch, prepared with care and love, very creative, and served and presented perfectly. The scallops and beef starters were great, wish the tastiest foam accompaniment. The lamb was delicious and melted in your mouth and the trout smoked perfectly. The pavlova was just right, although a little too much on the citrus side for me (and just for the record the only place I’ve ever seen pavlova on the menu, which is awesome!) but their masterpiece in my opinion was the dessert they created themselves. From what I remember it was a base of some kind of bread pudding, with friend candied quinoia, and then with frozen shaved foie gras on top. It was a foodgasm in my mouth. And I never use the word «foodgasm» lightly.
I’ve got to say that one of the things that made this whole experience so special was that sitting at the bar. We had heightened chairs to feel like we were able to look over the entire room which was cool, AND on top of that it let us constantly have interaction with Vincent and Benoit. Vincent would be preparing the drinks for everyone in front of us and chatting, just being his friendly self, whilst Benoit would be toiling in the back preparing the food, but always keeping an eye out on us to make sure we were enjoying ourselves. We felt like we really got to know the two of them well and being one of the last groups there, we spoke a lot and learned a lot about how they started the restaurant.
The intimacy of this place and the hospitality made it a real treat and it felt like we were visiting close friends for dinner. If you prefer some more privacy, I’d recommend maybe not sitting at the bar, but I think that’s what made this experience so amazing for us.
Unique and creative food, friendly service, great presentation, and an incredible atmosphere to enjoy the best things life has to offer. You must come here if you’re in Quebec City, an hour outside of town or anywhere in Canada. Trust me, you’ll thank me later :)

Wow. Seriously wow.
Eating in the quaint bistros of old town is fun, no doubt about it. But tourists should treat themselves to this gastronomic experience that is totally off the beaten path. It is in a working class neighborhood in a tiny building that is unassuming to say the least. (Our taxi driver was dubious and insisted in going in to check it out before dropping us off.) But what you will find inside is just 9 tables run by just 2 guys — the chef and the waiter. They are friendly and inspired. The settings is cozy and unhurried.
We shared the halibut cheek starter and ended up fighting over the last bites. Our main courses were both sensational — a lamb with chèvre and a pork loin with duck. Both combos sounded odd, but in fact each was a perfect blending of flavors, along with lovely grain and vegetable accompaniments. There was nothing on either plate that was less than great.
This was, by far the best meal we had in Quebec City — and perhaps better than anything we have had in our own home port in the San Francisco Bay Area. Delicious local ingredients, creative combinations, everything done perfectly. This was a true find!

do yourself a favor and skip those other highly — recommended and probably more expensive restaurants. This is well-​worth the ten-​minute taxi ride. Absolutely positively delicious.

Cela fait plusieurs mois que nous voulions essayer ce bistro qui est un peu en périphérie du Vieux-​Limoilou.
Tout d’abord, l’ambiance: Il s’agit d’un petit bistro sans prétention qui fait penser à l’Affaire est Ketchup ou Patentes et machins (environ 20 places assises).
Le service est très agréable et nous avons suivis les recommandations du serveur pour ce qui est des bouteilles de vins (importations privées). Très satisfaits.
Nous étions 4, voici les plats que nous avons pris:
Entrées:
— Soupe à l’oignon (3x).
— Tataki de bison.
Plat principaux:
— Onglet de boeuf (2x).
— Porc teriyaki.
— Morue.
Desserts:
— Tarte au citron.
— Signature au foie gras
Nous avons terminé le tout avec un un (ou deux?) verres de scotch.
Tous ont été charmé par l’endroit, le service et le goût des plats/​vins.
Seul petit bémol, le prix. Nous avons trouvé les prix un peu élevés pour l’ensemble de l’oeuvre… (100 $ par personne tout inclus)
Verdict:
Nourriture: A
Service: A+
Ambiance: A
Prix: B–
Je tiens à mentionner que nous avions une réservation à 20h00 mais dû à un contre-​temps, nous avons appelé le resto à 19h50 pour les informer que nous aurions quelques minutes de retard. Ils nous ont gardé la table malgré le fait que nous soyons finalement arrivé à 20h50. Vu la grandeur du resto (environ 20 places assises au maximum) nous les remercions grandement!

Je crois que de toute ma courte existence, c’est la première fois que je ressors d’un restaurant aussi satisfaite, et si je pouvais, je mettrais bien plus que 5 étoiles !
Ce restaurant c’est totalement par hasard qu’on s’y est retrouvé. On cherchait un restaurant sympa dans le Limoilou pour 4 personnes. En cherchant sur internet l’un d’entre nous est tombé sur des avis positifs (et aucun négatifs) de ce petit restaurant.
Nous avons eu la chance de pouvoir avoir une table le soir même, le restaurant étant visiblement très demandé.
En tout cas, quand nous sommes arrivés devant, nous n’avions pas du tout l’impression d’être devant un restaurant, puis nous sommes entrés et là coup de cœur presque immédiat. Il est vrai que c’est assez petit, mais je crois qu’au final c’est ce qui fait son charme. C’est beaucoup plus intimiste, comme une impression d’être des privilégiés. La décoration n’est pas du tout surchargée, je la trouve même belle et plaisante, des murs sombres avec quelques tableaux par ci par là, et sur certains pans de murs, la carte des vins y est inscrite à la craie. On peut voir la cuisine et donc le cuisinier depuis la salle où l’on mange, vraiment, ca donne l’impression d’être en famille. On s’y sent bien. Le serveur est des plus agréables, on sent bien qu’il connaît son boulot.
En fin de repas, nous restant du vin, nous avons même invité le cuistot et le serveur à terminer la bouteille avec nous, ce qu’ils ont volontiers accepté, accentuant encore plus ce côté «intimiste», «familiale».
Côté cuisine maintenant, il n’y a rien à redire, tout était excellent, à aucun moment nous n’avons été déçus, ni par le goût, ni par la quantité, ni par le prix payé. La soupe à l’oignon est une pure merveille, l’onglet de bœuf avec sa sauce échalote verte/​graines de pavot est succulente et le dessert, n’en parlons même pas. On sent qu’il y a beaucoup d’amour et de passion dans sa cuisine, que les produits sont travaillés, que le meilleur de chacun d’entre eux est recherché.
Je né sais pas comment expliquer davantage mon coup de cœur, que dis-​je, mon coup de foudre pour ce petit restaurant.

En conclusion: petit restaurant sans prétention que je recommande grandement, en espérant qu’il reste fidèle à lui-​même et qu’ils né chercheront pas à trop agrandir malgré l’énorme succès qu’il risqué de rencontré très rapidement. J’y retournerai avec un très grand plaisir !!

C’est sans aucun doute une de mes belles découvertes gastronomiques de l’année! iX pour Bistro est un nouveau petit restaurant dans le coin de Limoilou qui présente un menu variant chaque semaine.
Se disant de style cuisine américaine, Benoit, le proprio, nous suggère des plats composés de viande et de poisson. D’ailleurs, le proprio est son seul employé. Il fait tout lui même de l’accueil à la plonge! C’est pourquoi la salle à manger est petite, afin qu’il puisse servir chaque client sans problème et en un temps plus que raisonnable.
Lorsque j’y suis allée faire un tour, j’ai été conquise par la soupe à l’oignon! Cuisinée selon la recette spéciale de sa mère, elle est adoucie d’un soupçon de crème qui rend le tout d’une douceur exquise! J’ai également beaucoup aimé le plat de canard, très bien équilibré dans les saveurs et les accompagnements.
Si vous vous laissez tenter par ce charmant resto, n’hésitez pas à prendre la signature au foie gras comme dessert! Oui oui, du foie gras en dessert, et ça marche! Un des meilleurs desserts que j’ai mangé dans ma vie!