Brasserie Les Mordus

Sometimes we choose restaurants based on convenience.  Yes, I'm sure there are outliers to this statement, but let's just say most people have dined somewhere that was not their first choice or maybe not even their 10th choice.  However, due to being at a particular location, sacrifices had to be made.  That was the case when we were strolling around in Old Quebec City.  Sure, there are legitimately good places to eat there including Le Clan, but we weren't up for a tasting menu.  Hence we stopped by at Brasserie Les Mordus for a quick bite.

We started off with the Duo of Duck with rillette & smoked duck breast, onion confit with brandy, homemade pickles & croutons.  We weren't expecting much dining at a random spot but this dish was excellent.  The rillette was meaty and ducky without being overtly fatty (yes, it still was, but it was blended nicely).  The smoked duck was moist and tender with a nice hit of smoky saltiness.  That onion confit really complimented the rillette with a natural sweetness.

Viv went for the larger lunch version of the Tuna Tartare with fried vermicelli and served with croutons, salad & fries.  Prepared Asian-style, the tuna tartare had some soy and sesame oil elements but we felt it could've used more seasoning.  The tuna was buttery and the crunch from the fried vermicelli and crostinis provided textural contrast.  Fries on the side were crispy, but seemed a bit overfried.

For myself, I had the Smoked Meat Open-Faced Sandwich with fried pickle, red onion,
sweet & old-fashioned mustard, salad and hash browns.  Sure, this was not the smoked meat you'd find at some of the best delicatessens in Montreal, but it was serviceable and well-portioned.  Wasn't sure what the dressing on the salad was because it tasted like plain mayo.  Hashbrowns were good though, better than the fries.

Costanza went for the Mordus Open-Faced Sandwich consisting of shredded lobster, crab & Matane shrimp mix and
coconut shrimp, green onion mayo & coconut flakes.  We liked the deep-fried coconut shrimp as they were crunchy and aromatic.  As for the seafood mix, there was no shortage of mayo where the flavours were a bit muted.  Would've been better with some extra acidity.  Salad and fries were the same as the other dishes.

Elaine ordered the Mussels & Fries Provencal-Style with tomato basil and oregano.  This was a pretty large portion of all opened mussels.  The meat was sufficient and buttery soft.  As for the broth, we could taste the white wine and it was tomato forward.  The side of fries were the same being a bit too fried.  Overall, the food at Brasserie Les Mordus did its job and we were satisfied.  It was conveniently located, prices were fair and the service was excellent.  Would it be my first choice?  No, but it worked out decently for what we needed.

The Good:
- Centrally located in Old Quebec
- Comfortable dining space
- Acceptable eats

The Bad:
- Of course there is better, but not where we were and what we needed