Poutine

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Prompted by an Atlantic post where three Montreal establishments' preparations are judged and photographed.

Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 14 July 2009 17:12 (fifteen years ago)

The Triple rock here in town has been featuring this for a little over a year. it is awesome, but if you eat an entire serving, you will die.

PLURrrrrrggghhhh (jjjusten), Tuesday, 14 July 2009 17:14 (fifteen years ago)

Too much emphasis on fancy poutine ingredients lately. Foie Gras? Olives?!?! Best get thee to a chip truck (in Ottawa or Montreal) and order the basic version. Fries (twice fried, sure), chicken gravy and fresh cheese curds. No salt or vinegar needed. Yes, curds are essential. Shredded mozzarella on poutine is an abomination.

pauls00, Tuesday, 14 July 2009 17:17 (fifteen years ago)

x-post -- They aren't all dead up in Canada. (Are they?)

Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 14 July 2009 17:17 (fifteen years ago)

Yeah get the basic shit.

There used to be a diner in my area (Philly) during high school that would serve poutine but called the dish, "Disco Fries!" with exclamation point and everything. they were the best, and most awesomely named, dish.

then the diner got sold to a bunch of Chinese people and they totally fucked the menu and i will never return as a result.

gonna be a long hot summer for the MS Word paperclip (the table is the table), Tuesday, 14 July 2009 17:19 (fifteen years ago)

(not to be racist, i forgot to mention that it was a very Philly-style Greek establishment for over 45 years or so)

gonna be a long hot summer for the MS Word paperclip (the table is the table), Tuesday, 14 July 2009 17:19 (fifteen years ago)

yeah the T-rock version is the basic no fucking around variety - also yeah if you see someone salt this they are def certifiably insane and might vanish in a puff of dehydration after the first bite.

PLURrrrrrggghhhh (jjjusten), Tuesday, 14 July 2009 17:29 (fifteen years ago)

IS POUTINE THE NEW BANH MI???!?!?!?!

rip dom passantino 3/5/09 never forget (max), Tuesday, 14 July 2009 17:30 (fifteen years ago)

i do not know what that is

PLURrrrrrggghhhh (jjjusten), Tuesday, 14 July 2009 17:33 (fifteen years ago)

oh shit never mind, here in the american heartland we refer to those as "one of those vietnamese sandwiches"

PLURrrrrrggghhhh (jjjusten), Tuesday, 14 July 2009 17:34 (fifteen years ago)

There are those that add ketchup to poutine. Some even stir it around into the gravy. I would not advise it.

Other variants: "poutine speciale" (as served outside the Ottawa public library) - with green onions and chopped hotdogs...interesting to try once). "poutine Italienne" (with spaghetti sauce instead of gravy...not a good idea).

Much debate over the true origins of poutine, but true fans know it simply appeared one day from heaven. The clouds split, an invisible choir sang "quand le soleil dit bonjour", etc, etc.

I remember hearing the Devil Dogs disparage poutine as "disco fries" once. I didn't realize there was such a thing. Thought they were just trying to pick on one of the very few bits of Canadian culture.

pauls00, Tuesday, 14 July 2009 17:36 (fifteen years ago)

i think america would be a better place if the cult of garlic anenome wheatgrass aioli turned its culinary attention to our poutine needs tho

PLURrrrrrggghhhh (jjjusten), Tuesday, 14 July 2009 17:39 (fifteen years ago)

Much debate over the true origins of poutine, but true fans know it simply appeared one day from heaven. The clouds split, an invisible choir sang "quand le soleil dit bonjour", etc, etc.

No way, man, it was brought over by one of your founding fathers:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BUws90lhslc/SG90mowCwPI/AAAAAAAAB14/BxNw8wP0PDc/s320/poutine-champlain.jpg

Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 14 July 2009 17:45 (fifteen years ago)

beautiful! I heard he found poutine while looking for his lost astrolabe, up near Pembroke. Perhaps Big Joe Mufferaw was involved, somehow.

pauls00, Tuesday, 14 July 2009 17:46 (fifteen years ago)

That and a few random wendigos.

Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 14 July 2009 17:50 (fifteen years ago)

It is my ultimate dream to try poutine.

Maybe I'll try making it at home! I'm thinking one of those gravy mix packets would work, right? And I'd make my own fries.

kind-hearted, sensitive keytar player (Abbott), Tuesday, 14 July 2009 17:54 (fifteen years ago)

Or would crinkly freezer fries work, too?

kind-hearted, sensitive keytar player (Abbott), Tuesday, 14 July 2009 17:55 (fifteen years ago)

http://www.montrealpoutine.com/recipes.html

"At home, the province-wide standard is not a fresh sauce, but sauce from a pouch; specifically, from the St. Hubert brand"

pauls00, Tuesday, 14 July 2009 17:56 (fifteen years ago)

When I was in Toronto the last time a Montreal native directed me to what he called "the best poutine in town, but still not very good" and it was A++, so I have to wonder what the OG stuff is like.

brash trash talker (dan m), Tuesday, 14 July 2009 17:58 (fifteen years ago)

St. Hubert and their wacky mascot:

http://www.st-hubert.com/Image/StHubertLogo.png

Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 14 July 2009 17:58 (fifteen years ago)

http://www.st-hubert.com/Image/InvolvementLeft1.jpg

Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 14 July 2009 17:59 (fifteen years ago)

Wld like to know this chicken's 3 miracles.

kind-hearted, sensitive keytar player (Abbott), Tuesday, 14 July 2009 18:02 (fifteen years ago)

http://www.st-hubert.com/EN/History-2000

"We then started offering 100% vegetable-grain-fed chickens (mixture of corn, wheat and soy), chalk-full of vitamins and minerals and free of animal fat or by-products."

Chalk-full, I tell ya! That's the secret ingredient!

Also, you gotta like the original, snappy-dressing chicken. A poulet-about-town: http://www.st-hubert.com/EN/History-1950

pauls00, Tuesday, 14 July 2009 18:24 (fifteen years ago)

I fell in love with and married a Canadian after he introduced me to poutine! When we lived back east, we would take roadtrips though Quebec and northern Ontario to find the best and, lo, it is at Chez Ashton in Quebec City.

Abbott, I used to make poutine at home for Canada Day and birthdays; I would just make some oven fries, scatter fresh mozzarella on top, pour on a jar of gravy, and put under the broiler until it got melty. Try to use motz curd if you can find it.

kate78, Wednesday, 15 July 2009 06:45 (fifteen years ago)

Oh god I love poutine... Agree totally that 'fancy' poutines with anything other than fries, real cheese curds and standard gravy are just wrong. A place just opened up by my house called "Poutini's house of Poutine", and they don't fuck around - straight up standard poutine, nothin' else.

I recall another poutine thread with fierce debate about the pronunciation of Poutine... "Poo-tan" if you want to go proper Quebecois style?

Rob Bolton, Wednesday, 15 July 2009 13:54 (fifteen years ago)

Just got home from the Winnipeg Folk Festival, and poutine was on the menu in several eateries. After a weekend of festival food though, I was jonesin' for fresh vegetables, so fries/cheese/gravy was NOT what my system wanted. Next time...

Such A Hilbily (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 15 July 2009 15:21 (fifteen years ago)

i have a lot of favourite poutines. it all depends on the occasion.

canks: for the memories (s1ocki), Wednesday, 15 July 2009 16:04 (fifteen years ago)

this is true.

The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall, Wednesday, 15 July 2009 16:21 (fifteen years ago)

my favorite poutine is...

THIS ONE!!!!!

http://www.topnews.in/files/putin_0.jpg

rip dom passantino 3/5/09 never forget (max), Wednesday, 15 July 2009 16:25 (fifteen years ago)

no it has to be real cheese curds max

canks: for the memories (s1ocki), Wednesday, 15 July 2009 16:27 (fifteen years ago)

Poutini's is way, way, way, way, way, way too awesome an idea to be marred by Copperplate Gothic ;_;

kind-hearted, sensitive keytar player (Abbott), Wednesday, 15 July 2009 16:29 (fifteen years ago)

Poo-tan" if you want to go proper Quebecois style

ehhh

Ode to an SBanned poster I admired (darraghmac), Wednesday, 15 July 2009 16:30 (fifteen years ago)

correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't that french for 'whore'?

Ode to an SBanned poster I admired (darraghmac), Wednesday, 15 July 2009 16:30 (fifteen years ago)

you'd know

canks: for the memories (s1ocki), Wednesday, 15 July 2009 16:39 (fifteen years ago)

this thread just inspired me to go eat some.

The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall, Wednesday, 15 July 2009 17:26 (fifteen years ago)

yay.

The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall, Wednesday, 15 July 2009 17:26 (fifteen years ago)

Oh god I love poutine... Agree totally that 'fancy' poutines with anything other than fries, real cheese curds and standard gravy are just wrong. A place just opened up by my house called "Poutini's house of Poutine", and they don't fuck around - straight up standard poutine, nothin' else.

Is this place good? I want dark, unsalted, toothsome but not crispy fries. I do not want the crispy, salty, golden anglofries they use at Smoke's (and pretty much everywhere else). I have been suspecting that poutine has been so heavily adapted for the TO market based on the fear that Torontonians wouldn't "like" the real thing. I just can't understand why else they wouldn't use the real fries? Do they really not know the difference?

I note that Poutini apparently serves their poutine in a deep round tub. This is convenient for eating it outside on the street but ultimately I don't like it for two reasons: 1) it hampers proper curd dispersal, 2) it retains heat, so the fries at the bottom are still volcanically hot and cause the curds on top to melt. I like my curds as intact as possible. Poutine is best served at as low a temperature as tolerable. Please confirm that curd integrity is retained despite serving container.

Funny that I saw this thread today, I was actually looking at Poutini's website yesterday and deciding whether or not to make the trek.

the fantasy-life of nations has consequences in the real worl (fields of salmon), Thursday, 16 July 2009 15:47 (fifteen years ago)

the curds are supposed to melt a bit!

cold poutine is gross!

sean gramophone, Thursday, 16 July 2009 16:39 (fifteen years ago)

Yes but they're not supposed to disintegrate completely.

the fantasy-life of nations has consequences in the real worl (fields of salmon), Thursday, 16 July 2009 16:52 (fifteen years ago)

this thread has led to a planned poutine expedition w/several of my friends.

is it possible to eat a whole serving of poutine by yourself? it seems like it would be stomach destroying madness to me.

and the oscar goes to "HOT TUB TIME MACHINE!" (jjjusten), Thursday, 16 July 2009 16:54 (fifteen years ago)

then i have literally lived in the mouth of madness

saddam hoosteen (s1ocki), Thursday, 16 July 2009 17:13 (fifteen years ago)

you have special canadia powers though wrt to poutine consumption tho right? i was speaking from the delicate flowers of america perspective.

TBF this feeling prob has more to do w/ the MN tradition of restaurants piling the food on until you cant see the plate to serve some ancient obsession w/VALUE

and the oscar goes to "HOT TUB TIME MACHINE!" (jjjusten), Thursday, 16 July 2009 17:17 (fifteen years ago)

Poutine is proof of the existence of disco.

Best poutine ever is Trois Viandes at La Banquise (aka Poutine Palace) in Montréal. Je me souviens, La Banquise.

Kevin John Bozelka, Thursday, 16 July 2009 17:51 (fifteen years ago)

problem with banquise is sometimes it's cold.

sean gramophone, Thursday, 16 July 2009 18:04 (fifteen years ago)

Never had that problem (perhaps because I was always completement ivre while consuming it and never noticed). If the curds were too cold, I just mixed 'em into the mush to melt em up.

Why has poutine not caught on in the USA? It seems perfectly tilored to the America stomach.

Kevin John Bozelka, Thursday, 16 July 2009 18:18 (fifteen years ago)

tailored too

Kevin John Bozelka, Thursday, 16 July 2009 18:18 (fifteen years ago)

IT IS TOO HOT IN NYC FOR POUTINE :C

http://www.pommesfrites.ws/

Batsman (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Thursday, 16 July 2009 18:52 (fifteen years ago)

pommes frites would smash

saddam hoosteen (s1ocki), Thursday, 16 July 2009 18:53 (fifteen years ago)

problem with banquise is sometimes it's cold.

La Banquise is how I learned to love poutine and I'm convinced that other places serve theirs too hot. If it's too hot I can't taste anything. A little cooler and it brings out the flavour of the sauce and keeps the curds intact.

Checked out Poutini here in TO today. It was fine. Perfectly alright, but the fries had a bitter, salty taste, and the gravy congealed almost immediately and lacked flavour (other than salt). It's clear that by double-frying they hoped to make Quebec-style fries but they weren't quite up to it. Perhaps the temperature of the frying is an issue too, or perhaps l'huile de cuisson is different. Curds were fine and the temperature overall was fine (curds didn't disintegrate). The price was perfectly acceptable. I don't visit that area often but if I am ever there after a few drinks I'll definitely stop in and try it again. Probably wouldn't eat it again sober though.

fields of salmon, Friday, 17 July 2009 02:39 (fifteen years ago)

I've wanted real poutine ever since my Quebecois ex-finacee told me about em 10 years back... I mean here, chips with gravy's really common, but the curds are a whole other thing.

Our awesome chip kiosk Lord of the Fries does "canadian style" topping - but its just gravy and grated cheese. I'm sure thats not the same (even though the chips are very good ones, hand cut and twice fried and vegetarian and all that jazz)

seagulls are assholes (Trayce), Friday, 17 July 2009 05:53 (fifteen years ago)

Grated mozzarella is used in lieu of cheese curd throughout much of Canada. Obvioudly, it's not as good as curd, but it's still a pretty awesome hangover cure.

kate78, Friday, 17 July 2009 06:09 (fifteen years ago)

Yeah I think if I made my own, I'd cut up little cubes of young mozzarella or bocconcini, as I dont know where the hell I'd find cheese curds in Melbourne.

seagulls are assholes (Trayce), Friday, 17 July 2009 06:27 (fifteen years ago)

Little cubes of cheese works pretty good actually!

fields of salmon, Friday, 17 July 2009 15:12 (fifteen years ago)

chips cheese and gravy is big at home in derry, as is any take away which leaves enough change from a fiver for a taxi home

straightola, Friday, 17 July 2009 15:16 (fifteen years ago)

more like dairy

saddam hoosteen (s1ocki), Friday, 17 July 2009 15:21 (fifteen years ago)

it's just not the same without proper curds.
had some poutine avec chicken and peas for lunch the other day :D

The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall, Friday, 17 July 2009 15:26 (fifteen years ago)

Was in Montreal a couple years ago and went to some late night place that supposedly had v good poutine. Lack of knowledge of French meant that while I thought I was ordering some sort of sandwich with a side of poutine, I wound up getting some poutine with my poutine. As soon as they delivered two huge plates of it I realized why the waitress had looked at me so strangely and asked twice if that's what I really wanted.

(sorry for boob) (ENBB), Friday, 17 July 2009 15:29 (fifteen years ago)

IT IS TOO HOT IN NYC FOR POUTINE :C

http://www.pommesfrites.ws/

I remember when Pommes Frites opened. It was so good esp since I was a broke student with no monies. I'm glad to see it's still there.

(sorry for boob) (ENBB), Friday, 17 July 2009 15:37 (fifteen years ago)

So did you eat both? If so, I'm jealous.

Kevin John Bozelka, Friday, 17 July 2009 18:01 (fifteen years ago)

dark, unsalted, toothsome but not crispy fries

fwiw darkness of a non-crispy fry is largely determined by the amt of sugars in the potato's starch (varies somewhat in Russetts, which natch make the best fries and I won't entertain ideas to the contrary).

kind-hearted, sensitive keytar player (Abbott), Friday, 17 July 2009 18:04 (fifteen years ago)

FUCK YUKON GOLDS

FUCK THEM

kind-hearted, sensitive keytar player (Abbott), Friday, 17 July 2009 18:06 (fifteen years ago)

KJB there is no way in hell I could have finished both.

(sorry for boob) (ENBB), Friday, 17 July 2009 18:06 (fifteen years ago)

kind of want to go to pommes frites for poutine this afternoon.

ian, Friday, 17 July 2009 19:25 (fifteen years ago)

it's, like 100000 degrees out O_O

Batsman (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Friday, 17 July 2009 19:48 (fifteen years ago)

You still need to eat!

kate78, Friday, 17 July 2009 19:57 (fifteen years ago)

Yeah but that is some heavy eating in this kind of heat!

(sorry for boob) (ENBB), Friday, 17 July 2009 19:58 (fifteen years ago)

yesterday was worse imo.

ian, Friday, 17 July 2009 20:04 (fifteen years ago)

http://www.sheepstation.net/

I don't know why a place called 'Sheep Station' has poutine but... y'know... 4th ave in BK...

Batsman (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Monday, 20 July 2009 22:39 (fifteen years ago)

Had poutine for lunch just today! I force myself to eat it no more than twice a month, and even that's too often, but it really is the deliciousest dish you can think of, or close enough. Quebecois cuisine RULES! poutine and tortiere and Habitant pea soup, and no sign of snails or slugs or other such unspeakable vermin like in OG French food.

Stop wishing death on people just for the cool thread titles (Myonga Vön Bontee), Tuesday, 21 July 2009 08:49 (fifteen years ago)

Don't forget Le Club Sandwich.

fields of salmon, Tuesday, 21 July 2009 10:15 (fifteen years ago)

i'm making poutine tonight

Ømår Littel (Jordan), Tuesday, 21 July 2009 15:02 (fifteen years ago)

i made poutine tonight

Ømår Littel (Jordan), Wednesday, 22 July 2009 04:46 (fifteen years ago)

it was awesome

Ømår Littel (Jordan), Wednesday, 22 July 2009 04:47 (fifteen years ago)

eleven months pass...

Okay, back from Winnipeg again, and this time I had poutine in two places. First time at the Folk Festival: thin, very crisp fries, very light (chicken?) gravy, grated mozz. After a day of beer consumption it was nirvana.

Second time was as an adjunct to brunch (do I really NEED poutine AND hash browns? No, but...) Larger, soggier fries, darker gravy, grated mozz. Not as good as #1, but still good.

Will continue to hunt for real curds.

All 10 songs permeate the organs (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 19:28 (fourteen years ago)

poutine outside of quebec /= poutine
tbh

obliquity of the ecliptic (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 19:32 (fourteen years ago)

i live in st henri and months of research have concluded best poutine in the neighborhood is served at AA. asked the dude there about it and he said he uses real cheese curds. i probably would have noticed myself if i was not drunk or stoned while consuming basically every poutine i have ever had in my life.

problem with le banquise is you have to wait in line and sometimes they make you sit outside, which can be kind of chilly if it's not a hot night.

sometimes i get all teary-eyed and emotional thinking about poutine, pretty hard for me to imagine living in a city without it.

young monet (samosa gibreel), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 19:39 (fourteen years ago)

Ottawa is in Ontario.:P
xpost

Sundar, Wednesday, 14 July 2010 19:40 (fourteen years ago)

Poutine sounds so extra amazing. It is probably in my top three "most fantasized about world foods."

Noise Pictorial Works Juvenile Fiction (Abbott), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 19:41 (fourteen years ago)

tomorrow i will eat poutine and then see lightning bolt in the same establishment. the world is a beuatiful and magnificent place.

bearotaur say "I am so sorry" to me! (jjjusten), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 19:42 (fourteen years ago)

I like the idea in theory, but I think I must not have had good poutine yet. (Had it once in Montreal and twice in Victoriaville.) It takes three days to digest!

Grisly Addams (WmC), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 19:43 (fourteen years ago)

I screwed up when in Quebec and only got poutine at some greasy place that was populated with Russian employees. OK, but nothing to write home about.

The casual French place here has the following on their appetizer list:

POUTINE: Braised beef, mushroom onion hash, Milton Creamery cheese
curds and demi glace over house fries

I think I will try it this week. I will also have oysters. This may be a horrible combo.

turtles all the way down (mh), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 19:43 (fourteen years ago)

demi glace! lol

xp - i didn't mean to sound mean up there re: quebec-only poutine. i am actually glad that other places in the world are coming around to understanding the magic of poutine even if their products are simulacra.

i haven't had AA poutine! not a huge fan of banquise, if only bc of the busyness/ambiance.
i always get it at patati-patata, even tho i don't think they put quite enough cheese on. i'm really not an expert. used to eat way more late-night poutine at that restaurant (not rapido) i can never remember the name of coin de mt-royal/st-denis.

obliquity of the ecliptic (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 19:51 (fourteen years ago)

Would any of these establishments mail order poutine out to Belgium? :-/

StanM, Wednesday, 14 July 2010 19:52 (fourteen years ago)

so weird that belgium is so good at fries but doesn't do poutine!

obliquity of the ecliptic (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 19:53 (fourteen years ago)

If I send you some real Belgian fries... :-)

StanM, Wednesday, 14 July 2010 20:04 (fourteen years ago)

robyn we should make a zine reviewing every poutine in montreal and name it poutzine

we would probably die, though :(

young monet (samosa gibreel), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 20:07 (fourteen years ago)

hahaa
i do not want to die, all that soon

obliquity of the ecliptic (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 20:10 (fourteen years ago)

finally had a Toronto Poutini's poutine. It was pretty good. Not Ottawa chip truck good. The gravy was light. Not thin, but kind of light. I think it was their vegetarian gravy. Not bad, just a bit different.

Oddly, I've never thought of poutine as late-night drunk food. More lunch time food. Maybe I was drunk at lunch...

pauls00, Wednesday, 14 July 2010 22:27 (fourteen years ago)

Ha, they served it at my high school cafeteria at lunch. Maybe it's an Ottawa thing?

It's kind of interesting that when you're just on the NY side of the border, you can get fries with gravy but not poutine.

TBH, though, once my nostalgia for poutine has worn off, I can't eat it all that much or often.

Sundar, Wednesday, 14 July 2010 22:44 (fourteen years ago)

I had poutine once at "new york fries" and it was decidedly middling

like a ◴ ◷ ◶ (dyao), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 22:46 (fourteen years ago)

That can happen when you buy fast food?

Sundar, Wednesday, 14 July 2010 22:50 (fourteen years ago)

hah poutine is slow food? I didn't mean to denigrate on poutine itself, was just contributing my experience.

like a ◴ ◷ ◶ (dyao), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 22:52 (fourteen years ago)

Was away for awhile, when I came back it really hit home how little hand-washing and food hygiene there is in the city of Montreal. I've now all but cut out the shitty casse-croûte places like LBP and all that and I have not had the constant low-level abdominal pain that characterized my life when I enjoyed a fair amount of this type of stuff. Money is not handled separately from food at a great deal of casse-croûtes in Montreal (even the superficially enlightened Patati Patata has some not-washing-hands-after-taking-money issues).

I will always trust La Banquise. I've had many, many meals there. Plus, money is handled separately 100% of the time due to the way the resto is set up. It's just a good sign. The Lafleur on St-Denis also has pretty good hygiene from what I can see. There is usually a counter person and a different person in the back who actually handles assembling hot dogs, etc. Poutine is not bad. Pretty good actually.

fields of salmon, Wednesday, 14 July 2010 22:55 (fourteen years ago)

(Ha, OK, that can happen when you buy from large food-court-ish fast food chains.)

Sundar, Wednesday, 14 July 2010 23:14 (fourteen years ago)

poutine outside of quebec /= poutine

this is a lie. you can get great fresh cheese curds and all the other great ingredients in ontario. even the burger king poutine uses fresh curds! although winnipeg's doesn't sounds up to par.
i will admit the best poutine i've ever had was in Quebec - but so was the worst!

my cock is a spiral ham (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 23:18 (fourteen years ago)

now i want poutine.

my cock is a spiral ham (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 14 July 2010 23:25 (fourteen years ago)

Yeah, this thread made me go out and get some.:P This probably has more calories than everything else I ate today put together.

Sundar, Thursday, 15 July 2010 01:19 (fourteen years ago)

BK poutine is pretty nasty but Harvey's is quite edible in a pinch. best i've had recently was at some roadside burger place up in Wasaga beach. totally masive too - one order was enough to feed all three of us.

Kim, Thursday, 15 July 2010 01:25 (fourteen years ago)

+s

Kim, Thursday, 15 July 2010 01:26 (fourteen years ago)

DAMN THIS THREAD.

The only "poutine" I can get here is the shitty Lord of the Fries stuff which is just cheese and gravy :(

Gumbercules (Trayce), Thursday, 15 July 2010 01:26 (fourteen years ago)

I'll put a word in for Chez Claudette. My fav MTL poutine joint.

sofatruck, Thursday, 15 July 2010 01:52 (fourteen years ago)

Yeah, Harvey's isn't bad. It's funny: The best poutine I've had was at some truck stop just on the Quebec side of the ON/QC border. I kept wishing that I remembered its name after that.

Sundar, Thursday, 15 July 2010 01:55 (fourteen years ago)

But it's good that I now have a list of Mtl poutine joints for the next time I'm there! Last time I think I had some from "La Pataterie"?

Sundar, Thursday, 15 July 2010 01:56 (fourteen years ago)

Harvey's def. has the best fast-poutine. There's a bunch of little francophone towns all over N. Ontario with excellent poutine...Sturgeon Falls, I'm looking at you.

kate78, Thursday, 15 July 2010 02:10 (fourteen years ago)

You know where I haven't been in ages? Maamm Bolduc. I miss that place. I love their menu.

Also can we agree that the galvaude is the finest of the non-standard poutine varieties?

fields of salmon, Friday, 16 July 2010 01:18 (fourteen years ago)

Damn straight.

sofatruck, Friday, 16 July 2010 03:04 (fourteen years ago)

ohman i was at maaamm bolduc on one of the first real sunny/slightly warm days of almost-summer a month or more ago. sat on the terrasse. ate poutine, drank beer. it was sweet.

obliquity of the ecliptic (rrrobyn), Friday, 16 July 2010 04:31 (fourteen years ago)

i had some poutine from pommes frites when i was stoned in the east village a couple weekends ago, i think its still there in my stomach

max, Friday, 16 July 2010 04:34 (fourteen years ago)

slept-on poutine: louigi's on mcgill in old mtl. kinda sweetish gravy. real nice. i should have one again soon it's been a minute

coldfrap - foam mountain (s1ocki), Friday, 16 July 2010 05:23 (fourteen years ago)

This is all reminding me that poutine was the unfortunate absence from my Montreal visit, as the proper time and place (drunk on beer, 2 am) was not achieved.

Ned Raggett, Friday, 16 July 2010 05:25 (fourteen years ago)

ya that is kinda crazy man

coldfrap - foam mountain (s1ocki), Friday, 16 July 2010 05:25 (fourteen years ago)

;_; Does, however, provide an impetus for a return visit.

Ned Raggett, Friday, 16 July 2010 05:26 (fourteen years ago)

Man jailed for assaulting ex with poutine

http://www.torontosun.com/news/weird/2010/07/21/14778191.html

StanM, Wednesday, 21 July 2010 17:31 (fourteen years ago)

it happens

obliquity of the ecliptic (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 21 July 2010 17:36 (fourteen years ago)

*shrugs*

al-goreda (s1ocki), Wednesday, 21 July 2010 17:39 (fourteen years ago)

I'll put a word in for Chez Claudette. My fav MTL poutine joint.

― sofatruck, Wednesday, July 14, 2010 9:52 PM (1 week ago) Bookmark

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

miss this place so much. used to be a block away from it. always got the hilariously named "poutine new york" which is poutine regulier + boeuf hachee + tabasco. SHIT IS REAL.

But it's good that I now have a list of Mtl poutine joints for the next time I'm there! Last time I think I had some from "La Pataterie"?

― Sundar, Wednesday, July 14, 2010 9:56 PM (1 week ago) Bookmark

If you actually went to La Pataterie that I know that is suuuuuuuper random, out in HoMa like a block away from where I work. Their fries are dope but their gravy just ruins it. You more likely went to Patati Patata though, which is a block away fom my CURRENT residence and they nail that shit and I think they use veggie gravy there, too.

slept-on poutine: louigi's on mcgill in old mtl. kinda sweetish gravy. real nice. i should have one again soon it's been a minute

― coldfrap - foam mountain (s1ocki), Friday, July 16, 2010 1:23 AM (5 days ago) Bookmark

I have to check that out. My slept-on poutine pick: the Indian place on St. Laurent between Rachel and Duluth. They have a "curry poutine." It's unconventional as hell (fries are battered, insanely, and insteado f gravy it's a curry sauce, and little green chilis are up in there) and it's barely poutine but WTF IT'S A TASTE SEXPLOSION.

Quantic Dream, So Hard To Beat (Will M.), Wednesday, 21 July 2010 17:52 (fourteen years ago)

Wait-- I have been to Louigi's! I used to work right near there! Never had the pout though, only the... like... chicken balogna sandwich thing. Dirt cheap, disgusting, made me feel sick, never went back. WHY IS IT THAT I HAVE LIVED OR WORKED BESIDE EVERY PLACE IN THIS THREAD?

Quantic Dream, So Hard To Beat (Will M.), Wednesday, 21 July 2010 17:54 (fourteen years ago)

one month passes...

The Indian place Will is referring to is called Chef Guru. Their other food is fairly good and reasonable too.

fields of salmon, Thursday, 26 August 2010 00:19 (fourteen years ago)

ehh, i found it pretty mediocre.

piranha karenina (s1ocki), Thursday, 26 August 2010 01:08 (fourteen years ago)

three years pass...

When I was in Toronto the last time a Montreal native directed me to what he called "the best poutine in town, but still not very good" and it was A++,

hey where was this

I want curds

I'm not a rockist, I just hate Rap-A-Lot (sic), Tuesday, 24 September 2013 05:22 (eleven years ago)

I would also like to know; I've yet to have good poutine in TO.

Simon H., Tuesday, 24 September 2013 05:30 (eleven years ago)

Buffalo Wild Wings has something they call pouting, but judging from the picture on the menu, it is an ungodly abortion the type of which you would expect from such a chain

beautifully, unapologetically plastic (mh), Tuesday, 24 September 2013 06:45 (eleven years ago)

*poutine

beautifully, unapologetically plastic (mh), Tuesday, 24 September 2013 06:45 (eleven years ago)

http://www.foodspotting.com/reviews/3524131

what is this abomination

beautifully, unapologetically plastic (mh), Wednesday, 25 September 2013 16:31 (eleven years ago)

Ever since I've moved to Los Angeles, I've seen poutine served in the most disgusting forms.

Also, it feels bizarre going to a high-endish restaurant and having that fancy poutine special. Because, you know, poutine is so froufrou.

c21m50nh3x460n, Wednesday, 25 September 2013 20:51 (eleven years ago)

95% sure the Toronto poutine place was here: http://smokespoutinerie.com/

bear in mind I was d-r-u-n-k and am from Chicago where poutine is not very good at all so who am I to judge really

dan m, Wednesday, 25 September 2013 21:37 (eleven years ago)

i liked the oxtail poutine at animal, but i can see how some people would consider it an outrage.

http://www.starchefs.com/chefs/rising_stars/2010/los-angeles-san-diego/recipe-poutine-oxtail-j-shook-v-dotolo.shtml

the cure is worse than the frizz-ease (get bent), Wednesday, 25 September 2013 21:56 (eleven years ago)

grated cheddar instead of curds, for one thing.

the cure is worse than the frizz-ease (get bent), Wednesday, 25 September 2013 21:56 (eleven years ago)

everywhere i looked when i was in toronto there was shitty poutine and pulled pork

socki (s1ocki), Wednesday, 25 September 2013 22:30 (eleven years ago)

(xp) 20 lbs of oxtail on 3 lbs of fries for another.

I regret I never made it to this Canadian restaurant that used to be open near me (Canadian Cafe). I've heard their poutine was good.

nickn, Wednesday, 25 September 2013 22:35 (eleven years ago)

ta dan - had Poutini* on Tuesday and some random pubtine with peas in it yesterday; my transplant local friend is all "ehhh you might as well go to Smokes, at least it's better than these"

* tbh their pulled pork version may have been a big step up

I'm not a rockist, I just hate Rap-A-Lot (sic), Thursday, 26 September 2013 14:39 (eleven years ago)

So, White Spot is coming out with a poutine burger.

Are there White Spots back east?

c21m50nh3x460n, Friday, 27 September 2013 16:38 (eleven years ago)

Poutini's was as good as any poutine i had in Montreal.

Porto for Pyros (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Friday, 27 September 2013 16:43 (eleven years ago)

White Spot is a BC thing. I think there's a few in Alberta.

kate78, Friday, 27 September 2013 17:00 (eleven years ago)

never eaten poutine outside of qc but i find the idea that it's worse outside the province so hilarious. like i believe everyone who says they've had awful ones in toronto or wherever, but... it's literally just three ingredients, all of which are dirt cheap, easy to prepare & presumably widely available (maybe curd cheese is an exception?) ... how could everyone be fucking it up?

flopson, Friday, 27 September 2013 17:33 (eleven years ago)

using fries that don't work due to being too thin
using gravy that's too watery or mostly salt (hard to do)
additions that make no sense w/gravy (pico de gallo?!?)

beautifully, unapologetically plastic (mh), Friday, 27 September 2013 17:36 (eleven years ago)

yeah but... what makes ppl outside of qc worse at any of these things? you should see the people who make poutines here, not exactly culinary experts. was served one prepared by, like, a 14 year old kid the other day. and it was delicious

flopson, Friday, 27 September 2013 17:42 (eleven years ago)

they don't get the simplicity

beautifully, unapologetically plastic (mh), Friday, 27 September 2013 17:50 (eleven years ago)

did you see that bww thing I linked upthread where they tried to make something and call it "poutine" just using what they had sitting around in the back? those are breaded fried cheese balls, wtf.

beautifully, unapologetically plastic (mh), Friday, 27 September 2013 17:52 (eleven years ago)

poutine can be bad outside of qc the same way pizza can't be good inside of quebec. that's just three ingredients too

(although technically "gravy" and "fries" aren't ingredients)

socki (s1ocki), Friday, 27 September 2013 18:13 (eleven years ago)

lol quebec pizza

beautifully, unapologetically plastic (mh), Friday, 27 September 2013 18:23 (eleven years ago)

Actually, I've only had poutine in BC (Vancouver).

I have friends who've had it in QC, and they say the major difference is the 'squeaky cheese'.

I've never had that type of curds in Vancouver.

And with regard to preparing it, I have no clue, but I wonder if it is the same as NY pizza vs pizza elsewhere (barring Chicago style deep dish). I was watching Food Network once and they the taste might have to do with the actual water.

c21m50nh3x460n, Friday, 27 September 2013 18:57 (eleven years ago)

said+

c21m50nh3x460n, Friday, 27 September 2013 18:58 (eleven years ago)

Thing is my local Dairy Queen's poutine tasted vastly different from, say, a family-owned restaurant--and both were in the same city.

So, yes, I buy that it tastes different in QC/Montreal.

c21m50nh3x460n, Friday, 27 September 2013 19:01 (eleven years ago)

this may make socki's head explode - but i had a poutine at a burger king here in Toronto with squeeky cheese curds!
(which i'm to understand just means they're really fresh)
conversely, one of the worst poutine experiences in my life was in a hotel in Montreal - cheap-o grated cheddar, watered-down gravy and soggy fries. bleugh!

Porto for Pyros (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Friday, 27 September 2013 20:22 (eleven years ago)

poutine can be bad outside of qc the same way pizza can't be good inside of quebec. that's just three ingredients too

(although technically "gravy" and "fries" aren't ingredients)

― socki (s1ocki), Friday, September 27, 2013 2:13 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

ok true, i mean i guess http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Itisamystery.gif (to me atleast) why pizza is not good inside quebec as well? but, like, there are so many more degrees of freedom in making a pizza, and other cities are competent at making fries. and most places in montreal make their gravy out of powder...

flopson, Friday, 27 September 2013 21:22 (eleven years ago)

http://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2013/09/05/pynchonicity/

Most astounding for me are the brief journeys to Montreal and Montauk described in Bleeding Edge. During the two weeks before I started reading the book, I happen to have visited those very places myself. In Montauk, I took photos of the gigantic Cold War–era radar apparatus which figures explicitly in the sinister “Montauk Project” Pynchon discusses. And in Montreal I experienced the coronary-baiting local specialty poutine, French fries slathered with viscous brown gravy and melted cheese curds. “Anyone who doesn’t dig this doesn’t dig being alive,” I told Vera, mumbling because my mouth was full.

Writes Pynchon, “In Montreal it’s a diagnostic for moral character—if somebody resists poutine, they resist life.”

j., Friday, 27 September 2013 22:42 (eleven years ago)

I have to admit poutine is my Achilles' heal, which I've not been able to reason why. It messes with the minds of those who know me.

I don't know, maybe it's nostalgia? Even though, like I say, I've never actually eaten it in the province it's from, so go figure.

I no longer live in Canada, so I made Nanaimo bars last Christmas and they didn't come out as great, nor did they trigger anything in me. Sorry, I don't mean to tread on 'FOODIE' territory.

wh473v5

c21m50nh3x460n, Friday, 27 September 2013 23:02 (eleven years ago)

HEEL*

ugh

c21m50nh3x460n, Friday, 27 September 2013 23:06 (eleven years ago)

im in vancouver; white spot/triple o's is dreadful

the place to go out here is brado. they make poutine pizza and it is the BOMB

http://lowercrust.wordpress.com/2012/05/29/poutine-pizza-at-brado/

fennel cartwright, Saturday, 28 September 2013 03:03 (eleven years ago)

i had one of the best pizzas of my lyfe in montreal

mookieproof, Saturday, 28 September 2013 03:17 (eleven years ago)

are you sure?

flamboyant goon tie included, Saturday, 28 September 2013 03:57 (eleven years ago)

There was a summer when I was 11 when poutine Italienne was my first choice. Replace the gravy with Prego. IT WAS GREAT.

flamboyant goon tie included, Saturday, 28 September 2013 03:59 (eleven years ago)

yes, although it was a long time ago and i couldn't name the place even if it still existed. it was in a basement in the, um, mcgill ghetto

mookieproof, Saturday, 28 September 2013 04:05 (eleven years ago)

were you stoned

beautifully, unapologetically plastic (mh), Saturday, 28 September 2013 05:05 (eleven years ago)

lol Amelio's best pizza ever

sean gramophone, Saturday, 28 September 2013 05:13 (eleven years ago)

i was not stoned until afterwards

mookieproof, Saturday, 28 September 2013 06:56 (eleven years ago)

Brado is awful.

No idea where is good for poutine in Vancouver.

tell it to my arse (jim in glasgow), Saturday, 28 September 2013 07:13 (eleven years ago)

Belgian fries on Commercial.

kate78, Saturday, 28 September 2013 17:02 (eleven years ago)

poutine would be pretty good if they replaced the gravy with ketchup

乒乓, Saturday, 28 September 2013 17:27 (eleven years ago)

^^ this motherfucker

beautifully, unapologetically plastic (mh), Saturday, 28 September 2013 18:48 (eleven years ago)

dafuq

c21m50nh3x460n, Sunday, 29 September 2013 03:18 (eleven years ago)

For poutine in Vancouver, Fritz used to be good.

About 10 years ago I had it at Templeton and it was quite tasty, with a mushroom gravy. When I went back maybe 4 years ago, it was gross.

Ah...maybe I should just pack my things and go back already.

c21m50nh3x460n, Sunday, 29 September 2013 03:27 (eleven years ago)


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