On the highlights of the city tour, we visited the market where locals shop and visitors come to enjoy homemade baked goods and perhaps take home an unusual souvenir. Saint John was discovered by Samuel de Champlain on June 24, 1604, the feast of St. John the Baptist, and named the St. John River in his honor. The city is located at the mouth of the river along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy, where we made a stop to take in the incredible scenery.
October was the perfect time to visit since the leaves were at their glorious peak. But besides taking in all the city’s beauty, we wanted to sample its food, specifically its seafood. Steamers, located a stone’s throw from the cruise terminal was our destination and we were fortunate enough to snag a table.
The waiters were wearing hats that said, “Make Lobster Great Again,” a reaction to Trump’s aggressive moves to target what was once our friendly ally to the north. During our tour we learned that Bullmoose beer, a local brewery that is able to compete with the large companies in the U.S. has suffered during the tariff wars. So, of course, two of us ordered that brew with our seafood.
We began with fresh oysters, clam chowder, and Cesar salads. All were fresh and perfectly prepared. The Cesar salad was raised a notch with the addition of bits of bacon, rather than anchovies.
Although we had spent time in Portland, Maine, we had been unable to find a place selling lobster rolls, one of the state’s most famous sandwiches. One food store told us that lobster rolls were “out of season,” something we found hard to believe.
At Steamers, lobster rolls, both the Maine version and the Connecticut one, were on the menu. Two in our group ordered the Maine version and pronounced it the best ever.
Two of us ordered fish and chips, which also exceeded our expectations. We enjoy fish and chips frequently in New York and other places in New England. What raised the dish to a high level were the French fries, that were crispy and seasoned perfectly without being spicy.
The second floor of Steamers turns into a nightclub at night. During our late lunch we enjoyed music from the sixties and seventies. We were sorry our s schedule didn’t allow time to come back to enjoy evening entertainment.
Photos by Woman Around Town
