I didn’t believe it when I heard it – there’s a new Korean and sushi spot in town! Well, not exactly in town, but in Oromocto, of all places. Who would’ve thunk that the blue-collar military town would be the market-of-choice for a Korean restaurant, over Fredericton’s genteel government and uni crowd? Not that I’m complaining – it’s fantastic to have new options in the Four-O other than the Sour Grape café and its veggie panini, and the Relish burger joint and its Base Commander burger.
“Our foods Taste Happy. Morning Calm” – does it remind you of a certain happy-smelling coffee at a friendly café in Downtown Fredericton? If not, the warm, familiar welcome as you enter Morning Calm should ring a bell – it’s the nice lady who ran the Coffee and Friends on King St! She’ll probably remember you too – she remembered me anyway, for this one time last autumn some crazy person was high on something and disturbing Her Majesty’s peace in her café (the owner’s café, not HM’s, I mean), whilst a handful of us stayed in, trying to study and make sure the guy didn’t actually do anything.
Not as many such crazy high people nowadays since she sold the King St café and opened her restaurant on Restigouche Rd. Just random Oromocters and military-types escaping from the garrison mess and field kitchens, and Frederictoners who’re hearing the well-deserved positive word of mouth. Apparently, she’d wanted to open a restaurant all along, but the Coffee and Friends location didn’t have the necessary kitchen space to accommodate. (Though, now, the new owner at C&F has since added Korean omelette and bulgogi to the menu – to follow in a future review.)
It was well-worth the wait – and a drive out from Fredericton. If you have to make the trip out from Fredericton and back and only have an hour, the 10$ buffet is a fantastic eat-and-run option. Mandu dumplings, perfectly pan-fried and burst in your mouth; fluffy steamed rice; crispy sweet potato fries and chicken wings (well, maybe not entirely Korean), bulgogi – sweet beef, or spicy pork, whatever’s your pleasure (and spice tolerance); tansuyuk – sweet or spicy chicken, again whatever’s your mood; veggies and shrimp, a healthy option; and slippery japchae sweet potato noodles and salad.
This is no Chinese-Canadian comfort food factory steamline: fresh batches are made through the 11.30-1.30 lunch hour, each small enough so nothing stays fermenting in the serving pan for long. There’s also lunch bowls starting at 5,99$; and you can get sushi rolls too, though as you might expect word on the street is that it won’t make for as express of a lunch, especially if the place is busy. Perhaps those are best saved for dinner, or admin afternoons that don’t need you back to your office, ward or OR straight away.
Morning Calm – 282 Restigouche Rd, Oromocto NB E2V 2H5 – 506 446 6800 – Mon-Sat 11am-2pm, 5-8pm.
An update! About food (how can you go wrong)?
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