It’s kind of a truism back home in the States that at a diner-type restaurant, you should probably stick to basics: eggs, bacon, maybe a hot sandwich. The further into exotica that your roam, the greater likelihood that your order is coming from a can or the walk-in deep freezer.
So, I was pleasantly surprised that at a casual, family-type restaurant in New Brunswick — in this case, Portage Restaurant — it’s just easier for them to do things right! Soups are made in-house, meats roasted there, too. They’re serving the seafood that’s caught fresh in the area.
This is another restaurant in the province that I noticed serves popovers for the bread course. It’s also traditional just south in New England.
I always liked fried clam strips as a kid, but it’s not the sort of thing I make at home. Portage Restaurant is the place for home cookin’, so I went for the nostalgia.
They use fresh clams and make their own breading: a little thicker, less salty and greasy than the frozen kind. They seem meatier this way! The coleslaw is made in-house, too.
So, when you’re on the road there and want a place to come as you are, you’ll feel as well-nourished as visiting family.
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Luxe & Down-Home Cuisine/Culture/Travel/Style 