The best chicharon I’ve ever had (and I was born in the Philippines; I know chicharon) – Erabliere Charbonneau in Quebec

On a recent trip to Montreal I wanted to experience having a traditional sugar shack meal. According to Chatgpt, “A sugar shack (French: cabane à sucre) is a small, typically rustic building where maple sap is boiled down into maple syrup. It’s a uniquely Canadian (especially Québécois) tradition that has evolved into a seasonal cultural event”. There are many in the Montreal area but depending on when you go and how far out you book, your options may be limited. I ended up going with Erabliere Charbonneau which was about 40 minutes from Montreal by car. The first thing I noticed upon arrival were the cute farm animals and the maple trees from which syrup is harvested:

Upon entering the dining hall, I felt the sense of tradition which is associated with this type of meal. This was especially enhanced by the servers who were dressed in red checkered flannel shirts.

As we sat, we were explained that the meal would be “all you can eat” and start with some traditional pea soup and various other starters (mainly pickled veggies and bread):

We were also given some water, a bottle of maple syrup (which they emphasized was “real”), and apple cider. I don’t usually drink at lunch or beer, but I had to order some apple cider and maple syrup beer.

Next came the main dishes:

Some of the dishes were sausages, meatballs, meat pies, ham, scrambled eggs, and the BEST chicharon I’ve ever had. I never expected to get chicharon here, let alone the best I’ve ever had. The texture and taste were next level. I finished the entire portion. The food was good, but way too much for two people. If you are looking for a cultural experience, and value, and good food, you won’t go wrong here. I think the meal was about $38 pp! The dessert was amazingly addictive and I had to restrain myself:

The maple syrup pie (tarte au sucre or sugar pie) was so sweet but in a good way, and addictive. Same with the Nun’s Fart “Pets de nonne”.

After lunch, there was still more to come to my surprise. We got free tickets to experience maple syrup taffy. Basically, this is where they pour some maple syrup on the snow and it becomes taffy.

There is also a store on site to buy some maple syrup in cans, the real Quebecois way.

Overall, this was an amazing experience that I would put on your 100 things to do before….(you get the point). The service was fantastic, the atmosphere was unique to French Canada, and the food was good with great value. I would go back! I would want to try other venues as well. There are many kinds and variations from more traditional to modern interpretations.