[New Brunswick] Fiddleheads, Fish and Chips: NB's Culinary Experiences
 

I don't have much to say for now, but I'll jump at the chance to start a new (official? ;) ) discussion thread when I can.

So here's a thread for talk about Food in New Brunswick. Restaurants, Cafes, Food Trucks, and all the rest can come here to be talked about. (Including new businesses arriving, old businesses closing, and people's experiences at them).

I'll jump at it!

My wife and I had a very nice experience at Britt's Pub here in Saint John on Princess Street.

I had the Peanut Butter Jelly Time hamburger...I know, I know it sounds nasty, but I was extremely surprised and boy did it ever taste good! On top of a generous sized beef patty they use a tomato jelly and of course peanut butter along with cheddar cheese, onion fritz and bacon. You've never tasted anything else quite like it. My wife had the fish and chips, and why wouldn't you since this is an English pub. She enjoyed it, very light batter so you actually tasted the fish.

Numerous beers on tap (a dozen or so), prices were reasonable, the service was fantastic and the atmosphere was perfect. I would recommend it to anyone.

Never really thought of New Brunswick as being a culinary experience. I’m usually just passing through on the TCH and stopping at the “Big Stop” in Aulac, Salisbury, Lincoln or Grand Falls.

But hey….it’s Irving so you can’t get much more New Brunswick than that!......just a good home cooked type meal experience.

Checkpoint Germany
 

Some friends and I tried the Checkpoint Germany food truck at the corner of Mapleton rd and Mountain rd last week.

The food was pretty good and the portion sizes were decent. They have Degenhardt sausages on the menu, and they're always tasty. Keeping it local is a great idea.

I got a sausage, but my two friends each got schnitzels on a bun. They both spoke highly of them. I'm a schnitzel fan, so I'm not sure what mental lapse caused me not to get one. :)

Overall, good and quick for lunch. Prices are reasonable, but don't expect value menu prices. The quality of the food and the portion sizes justify the price, I think.

I've made this thread sticky. I think it's a great topic we can all get behind! (I mean, who doesn't like food?)

For my own 2 cents, I have to say I'm loving the wave of Japanese restaurants that have sprung up in Moncton over the past two years or so. I'm not sure how long they can all survive but for the time being there is certainly a lot of variety.

Kichi Sushi on Champlain St is great for a quick lunch. I'm quite fond of their sashimi.

JapanGo on Main St is great for supper. I'm always blown away by the sheer quantity of food you get for the price you pay. I get take-out there from time to time and a one person meal usually lasts me for two days.

Dolma on Dieppe Blvd and Osaka on Main are also good but I've only had them once each. I've never tried Pink Sushi on Main.

We frequent La Coast in Shediac (main street) because 1) it's one of the only "mid-range" places in town (PD burned down and St. James Gate wasn't open yet) and 2) the food is great and 3) staff is friendly.
Service is often a bit slow and the menu isn't long, but most everything is at least interesting and good quality. Nothing from frozen or anything like that. Chef appears to really know his thing and the staff are super-friendly (especially owners Joel and Jocelyne).

Seafood paradise in Cape Pele (favorite seafood place in NB) and JapanGo, two spots I enjoyed on my last trip to GMA.

When I am downtown (uptown) SJ I like to stop by LemonGrass for some curry. Good selection little pricey, but best curry in NB.

Fredericton has plenty of restaurants but I love taking people to Caribbean Flavas. I like some spicy food and that hits the spot. Also the Coffee Mill for breakfast is tough to beat.

In Fredericton, I'm very partial to the Lunar Rogue. The food is good, but I especially like the atmosphere.

The Alehouse is really good, too.

In Fredericton probably the Blue Door for me, although I haven't been since its reopened under new ownership. The Alehouse and Isaacs Way are also very good. Haven't been there yet but I have heard good things about 540 Kitchen & Bar Gastropub on Queen. Vault 29 (in the former Alehouse location) seems pretty good too (only been there twice but the food was pretty good on both instances).

As terrible as it sounds I do enjoy Big Stop food, particularly the one in Truro Hills (although Salisbury is of equal quality). It's standard pub food and exactly what you'd expect. In the Truro location, the food comes pretty quick (as long as it's not a morning on the weekend).

When did it reopen after new ownership?

For you Saint John folk, i've heard some weird thing about Sampan in Lancaster possibly maybe having dimsum but I haven't had the chance to try. Queen's Buffet in Parkway has some very limited Dimsum (mostly just dumplings).

In Fredericton I find that the most consistently good restaurant is Brewbakers. I love the Ale House for its beer selection but the food is mediocre IMO; apps and sandwiches are decent but the entrees are disappointing.

One place that surprised me recently is The Terrace at the Crowne Plaza. Their food is fantastic, dare I say better than Brewbakers.

I tried 540 Kitchen and Bar recently and really liked it and will definitely go back, same thing with Vault 29. Moco Kitchen at Mactaquac is also worth checking out.

Two weeks ago.

I remember going to Freds in Cap-Pele a lot when I was a kid before the built the highway. I remember it being excellent, I really should go there again sometime!

Don't bother. Food is worse and more expensive now.

I'll probably receive some flack for this but I really enjoy Barnyard BBQ in Moncton when I visit. Food's quite good for what you pay I find. My fiancee and I also enjoyed the buffet at Casino New Brunswick.

On the cafe side, we really enjoyed this little place on Main St. called Cafe C'est La Vie. That end of Main St. seems to be doing quite well these days (Monctoners can debate me on that observation!)

I think the Barnyard BBQ is done.
It's been "closed for renovations, opening soon" for more than a year.

I live nearby and went a few times. It was not to my taste.
The last time I went, we were the only ones there. We ate on the patio, after which I leaned back and lit up a smoke since there were no other patrons. (I wouldn't smoke if there were others eating, even outdoors on the patio.) The waitress brought the bill and asked if we minded if she snuck in a smoke as well. No problemo. So she SITS DOWN AT OUR TABLE and fires up and regales us with tales of her daughter's first menstrual cycle, and subsequent menstrual cycles that followed, in the greatest of detail! I was stunned to say the least! I know this ain't the Ritz Carleton but come on!
Then the cook sticks his head out the door and notices the waitress sitting with us having a smoke and yells to the other staff that hey everybody, the party's out here. Next thing we know, the entire staff of the restaurant and brewery are sitting with us, at our table, chatting among themselves and puffing away oblivious to us.
I kept looking around for the Just For Laughs hidden cameras, but not having found any, I never went back.
Truly a surreal experience.

We went to Fred's last night for clams but it was crowded so we moved on down the road to Bel Air. Outstanding clams and massive portions. We are not small people but we couldn't finish a large clam platter split between the two of us. The inside of the place is nothing to write home about even with their renovations a couple of years ago, but hey, no one goes there for the ambiance. At $32 for a large clam platter and a Pepsi, it ain't cheap but it is on a par with prices at nearby Fred's and Camille's.
My last trip to Fred's, late last year, the clams were also outstanding with very large portions and prices in accordance with Bel Air and Camille's. To each their own I guess. We left as satisfied customers.

It's a good thing I didn't take the fiancee there after what you just described! It's been a few years since I was last there (like 2009-2010).

I just remembered another place that I really enjoy in NB - a little shack in Miramichi called Estey's Fish & Chips. It was your standard greasy fish spot but the portions were HUGE and the family running it were the nicest people. Anyone up in the chi who hasn't tried it should (it's in Newcastle).

Wow... I've never heard anything like this happening at a restaurant. I would've been looking for the cameras too :haha:


My favorite for Moncton by far is Little Louis' Oyster Bar. Such a great restaurant. Lucky to have such a place in New-Brunswick.

:previous:

I agree, Little Louis' is right up there is the rarified stratosphere of world class culinary experiences. Intimate, very attentive, with an exotic menu and outstanding wine selection. It just has such an odd location though, on the second floor of a non descript building in an industrial park with only a private elevator as an access. Very strange. This restaurant clearly needs a more prominent location.

The only other restaurant in Moncton that compares to Little Louis's is the Windjammer at the Delta Beausejour. Again, consistently world class and attentive service with outstanding menu choices. The Windjammer is consistently a Five Diamond award winner from the CAA.

Moncton is indeed fortunate to have both these restaurants....... :tup: