Sunday, December 2, 2012

Dining on our Own Version of the Orient Express!

As you well know, last night was our long-awaited dinner in celebration of my husband's 50th birthday, as well as the 50th birthday of another friend, Donald.  These two gents were born within 3 days of one another 50 years ago in the same hospital.  In those days, mothers remained in hte hospital for upwards of a week, which means that their little hospital cribs might have been side by side.  Isn't that a fun idea?  Then they met 22 years later when they become the boyfriends, then fiancees, of two good friends, Wendy and Dawn.  We got married within one week of each other in September 1985.  So last night was a wonderful way to celebrate both birthdays and lasting friendships!
Six couples made the trek to a little town called Florenceville-Bristol, which is about 1.5 hours north of where we all live and nestled beside the St. John River.

 Our desination: Fresh Fine Dining, which is considered one of THE if not THE best restaurants in New Brunswick these days!

What makes it special?  Let's talk location!  It is located in refurbished Canadian Pacific Railcars!


You enter in this door:


And then it is a delight.  It's as if you have stepped back in time and are about to have a meal on the orient express or in one of the dining cars during the golden age of the Canadian Pacific Railway.


A completely refurbished railcar, re-fashioned as a fine restaurant!

A large table at the back is where we were all located:



The menu changes every 6 weeks.

What did I have last night?

They started us with a little amuse-bouche - little risotto-mushroom bundles.  I ate mine accompanied by an apple pie martini.  I know - it sounds awful, but it was fresh and delightul!

I think moved on to pinwheel pastry, described thusly:  Shredded pork tenderloin with goat's cheese, rosemary and red onion rolled in puff pastry. Served crisp and golden with a side micro Boston Green salad.

It was good.  Then a light orange sorbet to cleanse the palate.

The main course for me?

You know I love pheasant so:

Stuffed Pheasant Breast           
Pheasant breast stuffed with fresh mozzarella risotto and roasted to a crispy finish, with winter vegetables and finished with a warm maple squash emulsion.


Did I move on to dessert?

Uh-huh!
Peppermint Ice Cream           
'Tis the season! House made vanilla bean ice-cream infused with peppermint.

It came with the cutest little ginberbread man cookie tucked into the glass bowl..

No pictures of that - I had finished my wine at that point and was ready to walk up the hill to our bed and breakfast, the Shamrock Inn, singing christmas carols at the top of my lungs, as I am wont to do this time of year anyhow, regardless of apple pie martinis and wine:

Panoramic

The Inn didn't look like that this morning as it snowed over night and all was covered in a lovely dusting of the white stuff!

My friend Dawn and I (our friend Mike is lurking in the background!):


No full pictures in the dress - we were all so busy talking we lost track of the picture taking!!

And finally, the birthday boys, Barry and Donald:


I must say, having recently spent a week in Paris, the food in this restaurant is on par with anything I ate in France this year - it is that good!  This is worth a stop (GF - am talking to you, sweetie and I am happy to meet you there!) if you are ever coming to New Brunswick, you must make it a destination.  The St. John River is a glorious river, the little town of Florenceville-Bristol is out of a postcard and the people are so friendly.  For you are a french fry aficionada, the original McCains french fry factory is located 4 minutes down the road.  Yes, the McCains frozen french fries, apparently favoured by Will and Kate:

So, you can have fine dining, but when you get tired of that, slog down the road and get some french fries!

Happy Sunday/Monday and stay safe out there!

23 comments:

  1. Hi WMM,happy birthday to your husband.It sure sounds like you had a good time.

    Just in case you are interested in the anthropologie felt treeskirt(that matches the woolen tree you liked),i put a pic on my blog.

    Have a gret sunday!

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    1. Hi Ina!

      I am going to go look at your skirt right now! Thanks so much!

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  2. What a wonderful event! That restaurant looks like a lot of fun and if we know you, a lot of fun was had! You looked radiant.

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    1. Thanks Lane - if you ever cross the border, you have to check it out!

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  3. Yes you are beautiful in that photo and so is your friend Dawn, how lovely you both are.
    Wish I'd been there I can just tell it was a fun party, and putting this on our list, we are thinking of going out east again next summer, I'm sorry but we're stopping by!
    I am a huge fan of Barry's bow tie, please tell him I think his outfit was perfect!

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    1. Oh he will love you! He loves his bow tie! The meal lasted 4 hours! The chef works alone and makes everything from scratch! It is quite amazing! When you come east, we will definitely hook up!

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    2. Ladies, that will be one well-dressed kaffeeklatsch!

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    3. well she will be well-dressed! I will be the person with Dani! :-)

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  4. The restaurant looks fantastic! All the glamour of the Orient Express, but none of the jostling!

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    1. HI Lisa,

      There was the odd jostling, but it mostly involved reaching for the wine bottle!

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  5. What a perfect evening for you . Beautiful setting and the boys must have loved celebrating together. I've never been past Quebec City. Oh well just put it on the bucket list.

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    1. Marsha - you must definitely come east. I speak definitively when I say that the Maritimes are beautiful. I speak more definitively when I say that Maritimers are a good, kind, lot who are probably beside the word "hospitality" in teh dicitionary!!!

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  6. Hi WMM, belated birthday greetings to your hubby. What a wonderful party, I can imagine the fun you all had! It's such a great thing to have such long-standing friendships, very precious.

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    1. Patricia - you are so right. My friend Dawn and I have been close friends for 33 years. I have other friends who are longer term. They are all precious!

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  7. Great pics! That diner car is wonderful, I love the entrance and it's so much better than all the over fine gaffing that comes with the Orient Express.

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    1. Tabs, I am sure it is, but I still really want to go on the orient express! :-) That's on my bucket list for sure!

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  8. Looks like you all had a great time! What a unique place, and glad the food was so good!

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  9. WOO WOO Ah WMM, I got a big smile out of you community carol singing. You and Dawn look happy lovely (peas in a pod) and also agreed on the dapper birthday gent you took along to the party ;-)
    I have been to Florenceville, but not for a while. Keep meaning to really show the DH my birth province (he has take me to pretty much every town in Wales.)
    So your post suggestion will happen...
    I worked on the acquisition of a disused railcar resto this past spring - the Ossawippi Express named after Leacock. It is being refurbished and re-opened for summer 2013. If you come up to ON we can test dine it as well...

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    1. Awesome! I am adding it to the list!!!

      You will love this spot then!

      I do lovve a rousing carol sing!

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  10. what a great party, and you look glorious! so glad everything lived up to/surpassed expectations!

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    1. Hi Fred! It sure did - I thought of you a couple of times that night as I know you love a good meal!

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  11. What a magnificent place to celebrate! You ladies both look absolutely lovely, and your gents are looking quite dapper themselves. It sounds like you all had such a fun time. I'm glad that the party turned out to be a complete success! :)

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