At Mont-Tremblant, there are so many wonderful ways to spend an evening, but taking a helicopter ride to the Trattoria Di Lago has to be one of the most incredible and unforgettable experiences that you could ever have anywhere. We were picked up from our hotel, and driven through the beautiful countryside to the helicopter landing pad, where our sleek black helicopter was waiting. Our young pilot went through the safety briefing once we were sat in our luxurious leather seats, with headsets on, and then we watched the blades start to turn above us through the glass in the roof. We were so excited, and I gasped when I realized we were already up off the ground, as the ascent was so smooth.
We rose up over the treetops, looking down over the resort, as the pilot, Dominic, pointed out Mont-Tremblant, and Lac Tremblant, and showed us the features of this beautiful area. We saw grand country houses, golf courses, ski-runs, and trees as far as the eye could see. The Laurentians are absolutely stunningly pretty, and we got the best view possible from up there above it all. The helicopter ride was thrilling, and then we were descending effortless to a field by the lake that Trattoria Di Lago sits on.
As we waited for the blades to slow down, we watched Julien Slythe, the restaurant manager, walk over to greet us with champagne cocktails (made with crème de cassis and hibiscus flower), and showed us to our table in the gorgeous and contemporary dining room.
We had heard that the Trattoria Di Lago was fabulous, and we were not disappointed. The large bright room had floor to ceiling windows looking out over the large deck, and then onto a lake edged by luxurious summer homes, many of which had their own float plane waiting at their private dock.
The helicopter package came with a special seven course menu, and we were practically drooling just looking over the options that we could choose from. We started with giant scallops served with a spicy salsa made of heritage cherry tomatoes, and a buffalo mozzarella salad, and both were exquisite. The scallops were indeed giant, tender and buttery, pairing beautifully with the picante tomatoes. These were the best scallops I’d ever tasted, and I’m that person who always orders scallops if I see them on a menu.
The chef then sent out a small plate of farfalle with smoked trout and capers, in a light creamy sauce. This wasn’t on the menu, just a little bonus course to tantalize us before our salad course. (We had started with a delicious shaved beef Carpaccio amuse bouche too.)
Our main dishes were beautifully presented. I had chosen the rack of lamb with fig sauce, and it was absolutely delicious. The lamb could not have been more perfectly prepared, the sauce was sweet and tangy, and it sat on a bed of grilled summer vegetables. It was so good that I had devoured it all before remembering to offer some to my dinner mate, but that was okay because she had done exactly the same thing with her catch of the day, halibut, that she informed me was too good to have shared any.
Next came the cheese course, a delicious selection of Quebec cheeses, but such a huge portion that we could hardly make a dent in the plate. We were conscious that we needed to save room for dessert, as we were sure that the Trattoria Di Lago was going to present us with something amazing for that course too. We were not disappointed.
My friend ordered the tiramisu, which was a creamy custardy interpretation of the classic Italian dessert. It came served in a tiny mason jar, and decorated with a crunchy cinnamon topping, and was absolutely delicious. My lemon pie was superb, a perfect mix of tart and sweet, topped with light meringue. Completely sated, our shuttle was called.
Slythe told us that the helicopter experience was very popular in the summer months, with five or six arrivals a night. “Mostly couples, indulging themselves for a special dinner date,” he said. The experience was so perfect, and certainly a very romantic one, but going with a friend had proven to be absolutely wonderful too.
For more information on the Mont-Tremblant Helicopter Tour, click here.