East Coast Bistro, Saint John, New Brunswick

Sometimes I just marvel at how small the culinary world is here in Canada.   Landing last year from Vancouver in the great coastal city of Saint John, N.B. Chef Tim Muehlbauer and Chef Kimberley Steele bring not only impressive credentials but a solid connection to many of British Columbia’s top chefs, including Jefferson Alvarez who’s been part of Food Day Canada for several years and one of that region’s rising stars.  Kim was his pastry chef and she is still creating baking perfection.  

The East Coast Bistro transposes their knowledge of seafood and fine dining to a region that is just now coming into its own in culinary terms with the help of chefs.  The ingredients have always been there so it’s really a food lovers playground for these two creative chefs.  Theirs is a cuisine terroir…whole halibut arrives and is transformed into a dish with fresh asparagus and frizzled leeks.  Few restaurants create real lobster bisque…ECB does! Croissants and baking are all done in house.

The menu is approachable and creative.  This is upscale comfort food of the first order.  Just to whet your appetite try the pan fried New Brunswick goats milk cheese (the dairy industry here is flourishing) served with their own bacon and oven dried cranberries. You might try a bowl of red curried PEI mussels coconut broth or a flatbread of house smoked \salmon with lemon-dill mascarpone.   Crosby molasses and Picaroon’s ale (both companies are based in Saint John) are used to glaze Fundy salmon.  Cod is pan-fried and served with apple cider-braised pork belly and French lentils with a bit of Cortland apple confit.

Desserts may range from an old fashioned, browned-butter apple crumble with house-made vanilla bean ice cream to a classic crème brûlée with seasonal ingredients that change, well, with the seasons.  No pastry chef would dream of not having chocolate on the menu so Kim’s current creation is “Chocolate Bête Noir” a rich Belgian chocolate cake with roasted white chocolate sauce and a refreshing Bartlett pear sorbet.

East Coast Bistro is one of about 250 restaurants that celebrate Food Day across Canada. Contact them at the number below.

East Coast Bistro est l’un des 250 restaurants à travers tout le Canada qui participent au Journée des terroirs.

East Coast Bistro
60 Prince William Street,
Saint John, NB E2L 2B1

T: 506-696-EAST (3278)