Gambrinus is one of my favorite pubs in Quebec. Owners Marc Veillet, Sophie Normandin and Pierre Lafontaine had the brilliant idea to install their pub just opposite to the UQTR university, thus giving them access to customers that are more sensitive to craft brewing, and they were right because brewer Jean-Luc Marchand has much difficulty in supplying the demand, the pub being extremely popular.
There's always eight beers on tap, including the five regulars: a Cream Ale, an IPA or Bitter, a Scotch Ale, a Stout, and one of the four fruit beers (raspberry, cranberry, apple or grapes). The three others are selected among the brewer's ten other recipes, most frequent being Fille du Roy, Petite Munich, and Bavaroise. The beers are mainly of British inspiration, therefore you can expect a lot of bitterness, caramel, and orange peel. They offer two sampler trays: the odd (beers # 1-3-5-7) and the pair (beers # 2-4-6-8).
The kitchen proposes grilled meats, hamburgers, a plate of sausages, chicken wings, nachos, salads, entre-pains (paninis), mussels, poutine, and delicious ribs bathing in a sauce made with beer and citrus fruits. For my part I will acknowledge that I have a weak spot for the croque-végé, a judicious mixture of mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, asparaguses, pesto, and grated cheese served on a baguette! Another of my favorite is the entre-pain Normand with Brie and lettuce, tomatoes and a pestacular pesto on the same baguette. For those who prefer burgers I can recommend the Mouton Noir (Black Sheep), a lamburger with garlic, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, and a mustard sauce, or the Grand Duc (Great Horned Owl) with sauce rosée, which are accompanied by beautiful french fries and a sublime and orgasmic sweet pepper! The lunch special which includes a soup and the usual trio of tea, coffee or tisane, always offers a plate of pasta, an entre-pain, mussels, a salad, and a grilled meat.
A visit to Trois-Rivières would not be complete without a walk to the Exhibition Park, just to the south, to admire these wonders of art deco which are the Duplessis Gateway, the Coliseum, and the Stadium which resembles a gigantic cheesecake. On the way back nothing is more pleasant than to pass by the bicycle path, just to the west on the cliff's edge, where the sight of the Laviolette Bridge at sundown is sublime!
Finally, if you intend to spend the day in the Gambrinusian City, I would also recommend a stop at the restaurant which rocked my childhood, Restaurant Grec Baie-Jolie, at 9151 Notre-Dame in the Pointe-du-Lac sector to taste la fameuse pizza du grec (try the Spéciale Grec or the pepperoni), while looking in a perplexed way at the waitresses wearing the foustanella. On the way you will be able to admire the Marial Crown at the western exit of the city. By bus, take #11 from the Terminus Badeaux until Terminus Carrefour, from where you will take #9 towards Pointe-du-Lac. Please note that a very new branch of the Restaurant Grec opened its doors at 1300 Des Récollets in Trois-Rivières where the waitresses however are wearing t-shirts instead of the foustanella.
One of Quebec's best stout, the Black Widow offers beautiful coffee and roasted barley flavours ending on delicious smokey notes. Available regularly.
Scotch Ale
The excellent version of May of 2005 had a strong alcohol attack followed by "rauchbierrian" (smokey) flavours, and hints of grapefruit. Available semi-regularly.
Boston Ale
Caramel and apricot flavours on a very beautiful floral bitterness. Available occasionally.
Viking
A nice marriage of caramel and vanilla with smokey notes and hazelnut flavours. The bitterness and alcohol (6%) appear very quietly. Available semi-regularly.
Bretonne
Bretonne is a nice marriage of grapefruit, orange peel, rye and caramel which gives it such a particular taste. Available semi-regularly.
Casse-Noisette
A beautiful creation of brewer Jean-Luc Marchand, this brown ale presents a "powdery" texture and a rather spectacular marriage of vanilla, caramel and hazelnut with a beautiful hoppy finish. Let's wish it a long and happy life!
India Pale Ale
Without any doubt Quebec's best IPA. A beer of character which often explodes in your mouth. Sometimes it is the grapefruit, other times it is the caramel, but most of the time it is the harmonious marriage of both which ends on a beautiful bitterness. A very beautiful beer. Available regularly.
Belfast
Another beautiful creation of brewer Jean-Luc Marchand, this slightly hopped Pale Ale is a beautiful introduction to the intimidating India Pale Ale.
Double Sweet
Beautiful flavours of crème brûlée on a beautiful bitterness. Available semi-regularly.
Ale à la framboise
The February 2005 version was so moving with its beautiful raspberry bitterness that I could not resist to take a second glass of it. Could become a Gambrinus classic as well as the Veuve Noire and the IPA!
Bavaroise
A beautiful caramel/apricot/vanilla trio on a very beautiful bitterness. Available semi-regularly.
Petite Munich
Flavours of orange peel accompanied by a beautiful bitterness. Available semi-regularly.
Cream Ale
A very beautiful bitterness accompanied by nice caramel flavours. Available semi-regularly.
apple or grapes). The three others are selected among the brewer's ten other recipes, most frequent being Fille du Roy, Petite Munich, and Bavaroise. The beers are mainly of British inspiration, therefore you can expect a lot of bitterness, caramel, and orange peel. They offer two sampler trays: the odd (beers # 1-3-5-7) and the pair (beers # 2-4-6-8).
For my part I will acknowledge that I have a weak spot for the croque-végé, a judicious mixture of mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, asparaguses, pesto, and grated cheese served on a baguette! Another of my favorite is the entre-pain Normand with Brie and lettuce, tomatoes and a pestacular pesto on the same baguette. For those who prefer burgers I can recommend the Mouton Noir (Black Sheep), a lamburger with garlic, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, and a mustard sauce, or the Grand Duc (Great Horned Owl) with sauce rosée, which are accompanied by beautiful french fries and a sublime and orgasmic sweet pepper! The lunch special which includes a soup and the usual trio of tea, coffee or tisane, always offers a plate of pasta, an entre-pain, mussels, a salad, and a grilled meat.
