Making a national list for top restaurants has been an exciting and humbling experience for Michel Savoie.
“We were overwhelmed but now we’re coming back to our senses,” said Savoie. “It’s nice to be recognized for our hard work because the industry is not easy.”
Savoie is the owner and chef at Les Brumes du Coude in Moncton.
In early May, it was named as one of four restaurants in the Maritimes to make Canada’s 100 Best list coming in at No. 91 – the only one from New Brunswick.
The list of Canada’s best was determined through 160 judges.
‘Unique vibe’
Les Brumes du Coude is a cozy, 40-seat bistro inspired restaurant located inside the Aberdeen Cultural Centre, which is a former school.
The daily specials are written on a massive chalk board that was once used to teach students in the classroom.
Savoie and his team have been putting their own spin on French classics since 2014.
“We are proud to say that we’re doing pretty much all from scratch,” said Savoie. “It really resonates on the plate when we bring it to the table. It gives us a sense of pride.”
Savoie got his start in restaurants in Toronto and Montreal before working in France and Germany.
When guests come to dine, they can see Savoie at work in the open kitchen.
“There’s nothing to hide so everybody sees what’s going on. It creates intimacy,” said Savoie. “It does have that unique vibe.”
Restaurant recognition
He believes making the list should help business and expects the recognition will bring people in from outside the province when they are vacationing in the area this summer.
“I think it’s always good to have people talk about your business from far or close,” said Savoie.
Savoie and his staff work hard with every dish, but he said a good meal doesn’t have to be overly complicated; sometimes simple can be great.
When asked what makes the food and the experience so special, Savoie said he tries to pretend he’s the customer or guest when creating menus and preparing dishes.
“Would they be happy? Are they satisfied with paying this much amount of money for their meal? Are they going to remember this meal?” said Savoie.
While this wasn’t the first time Les Brumes du Coude made the list, Savoie said it means even more this time around.
‘The food is so incredible’
Jason Gallant of Hub City Foodies said he’s loved the place since it opened.
“To me, it’s kind of like a little European bistro. You’re walking inside, everything is kind of open space. Then you’ve got the food. I think it’s 90 per cent New Brunswick food which is amazing. The menu changes continuously so when you go in there’s always going to be something different,” said Gallant. “The food is so incredible.”
Gallant said it’s great to see the province getting recognized for its food.
“It’s far overdue. New Brunswick has had a growing food scene over the last four or five, 10 years really. Hopefully this will make New Brunswick and Moncton a food destination as it should be because there’s a ton of cool and great spots to eat here,” said Gallant.
Savoie humbly said his place is not your average restaurant and he’s trying to create a memorable experience without being pretentious.
“They get a vibe like, ‘OK, this is a different place. I don’t feel like I’m in Moncton right now,’ and that’s kind of what we want to bring in the food,” said Savoie.
The other restaurants from the Maritimes to make the list were Mystic (No. 16) and Tribute (No. 53) both in Halifax, and The Inn at Bay Fortune in Souris, P.E.I. (No. 87).
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