Cabane à Sucre Au Pied De Cochon

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"Montreal chef Martin Picard’s self-styled "temple of excess" in Mirabel positions maple syrup as the star: every spring, when the sugar maple sap is running, Quebecers flock to the sugar shack to indulge in baked ham, oreilles de crisse (crispy pork fat), and sugar pie, all described as being "drowned in liquid gold." Picard’s self-published sugar-shack cookbook, which won the Cookbook of the Year at the Gourmand Awards in Paris in 2013, mixes rustic country fare with refined dishes that celebrate Quebec’s rich food traditions; although often elaborate, the recipes are presented as a true representation of Québécois cuisine in all its indulgent nature. Note: the cookbook can be hard to find, but used copies are worth tracking down on Amazon and other sites." - Jonathan Cheung

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"This seasonal sugar‑shack experience, hosted in a 19th‑century log cabin in the Laurentian Mountains during maple season, delivers quintessentially hearty, rustic fare—examples include pork‑and‑duck shepherd’s pie, stuffed eggplant with smoked ham, and an apple pie topped with foie gras and cheddar—served in a convivial, lumberjack‑style setting. For a theatrical meal, groups can book an intimate 'Table in the Kitchen' next to the stoves (seating ~13) with premium add‑ons such as a magnum of champagne." - Nicholas DeRenzo

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"Within the picturesque Laurentian Mountains, this sugar shack owned by renowned Montréal chef Martin Picard of Au Pied de Cochon offers an unforgettable gastronomic experience." - Ksenia Prints

Bourdain ate: Tower of maple desserts (Sponge maple toffee, maple doughnuts, beaver tails, maple cotton candy, almond croissants, whip-it biscuits, nougat); lobe of foie gras with baked beans on a pancake cooked in duck fat, cottage cheese and eggs cooked in maple syrup; salad with sautéed duck hearts, gizzards, and pig’s ear, topped with a heaping pile of fried pork rinds; calf brain and maple bacon omelet; panko-covered drumsticks with shrimp and salmon mousse and maple barbecue sauce; Tourtière du Shack (meat pie with cheese, foie gras, calf brain, sweetbreads, bacon, arugula and black truffles); local ham with pineapple and green beans amandine; chicken with foie gras pumped with lobster bisque; tire d’érable (maple taffy); maple meringue cake and maple ice cream with chocolate shards

Rank: #47 "Martin Picard’s sugar shack defines FOMO in Quebec—a decade in, it’s still a race to get reservations. At his rustic outpost 45 minutes from Montreal, sidle into a communal table or hop onto bar stools made from John Deere tractor seats for 11 courses of unrepentant cuisine that reminds you to seize the day… or at least die trying."