Poutine

ok.

I went to Quebec Canada last week and had my very first experience with Poutine at Ashtons Restaurant which is like a fast food place that sells burgers and poutine.

It was ok... I really don't understand the fascination with this dish.

jane franklin wrote:ok.

I went to Quebec Canada last week and had my very first experience with Poutine at Ashtons Restaurant which is like a fast food place that sells burgers and poutine.

It was ok... I really don't understand the fascination with this dish.

French fries, gravy, cheese curds -- talk about a holy trinity. Poutine is not about fascination - it's about religious adherence. But I'm willing to associate with non-believers.

I'm with Jane Franklin--cheese curds suck. They just suck. They don't really melt. They taste like plastic. I don't get them on their own and I definitely don't understand why someone would defile perfectly good French fries with them

boudreaulicious wrote:I'm with Jane Franklin--cheese curds suck. They just suck. They don't really melt. They taste like plastic. I don't get them on their own and I definitely don't understand why someone would defile perfectly good French fries with them

Take a trip up to Zittau, Wisconsin and try Union Star's fresh cheese curds, made earlier in the morning. They're squeaky, nicely salty, and positively addictive. But yes, I agree that if they're more than a few hours old, they generally suck.

In Montreal, I had some outstanding poutine at Au Pied de Cochon - great crisp fries, rich, beefy gravy, fresh curds, and topped off with foie gras. Mmmmm.

But there are lots of bad versions of poutine out there, too.

There are more bad than good ones out there. They are a product of Canada. In my opinion, the fries have to be fresh cut to even be called Poutine. I remember being near North Bay, Ontario near the Quebec border years ago and stopping at one of numerous "chip shacks" we encountered from the Sault to Kirkland Lake. These were literal shacks or hollowed out buses. They had 80 pound bags of spuds all over. They made us some poutine that was incredible. Most of the pretenders couldn't touch these. All of these "chip shacks" are fresh potato users.

I never had food that would actually squeak. I think I had cheese curds once at Culvers and I don't remember them squeaking.

Maybe I had some mediocre poutine. Maybe I will try to find a high end poutine restaurant... maybe the fast food version is not really the best to get.

jane franklin wrote:I never had food that would actually squeak. I think I had cheese curds once at Culvers and I don't remember them squeaking.

Of course not. The Culver's version is frozen.

Cheese curds, when they are freshly produced, actually squeak when you bite into them. You can visit one of the hundreds of cheese producers in Wisconsin to experience it.

As for routine, the more high end the restaurant, the less likely the routine will be good. They try to make it a lot more fancy than its original roots. Personally, the best routine is found on the back roads in Eastern Ontario. It is sort of like ordering Cajun food in Chicago. It looks pretty good but it does not measure up with Louisiana.

If you cant got to a cheese factory, my best place to get cheese curds fresh is gas stations in Wisconsin. Often I have seen them sitting right by the checkout and the employees will tell you they are fresh. They squeak like crazy. Ivanhoe bar here in Racine makes pretty good Poutine

I've had Poutine a few times, and I don't hate it or love it. My problem with Poutine is that when I eat fries, I want that crispy texture on the outside. If I want a potato dish with a sauce, I'll eat one, but with fries I want crunch. The gravy in Poutine ends any hope of crunch. I have the same objection to cheese fries and virtually all attempts to put things on fries. Perhaps a dipping sauce on the side where you can add some flavor, but keep most of the crunch.

My rant is over and I feel better.

Slogan should be "Poutine: far less than the sum of its parts."

=R=

I think poutine is ok depending where you go. I like the poutine they have at Tap House Grill in Highwood (there are multiple locations throughout the area). I always ask for the fries crispy which helps. They also do it a little different by having fried cheese curds on top and seasoned parmesan cheese sprinkled all over. Pretty tasty.

I've been sucked into retrying the Trader Joe's Poutine a couple times, frozen fries to stick in the oven. It sounds good each time I walk past it, then I do it at home and the fries take forever and taste awful, the gravy cooks while heating or gets absorbed by only half the fries.

Poutine may be one of those food that's beloved mostly in its native country, like stinky tofu in Taiwan and pony in Iceland. Natives may even be a bit embarrassed by their affection for these national foods, and I'm sure they understand if gringos don't care for it.

That said, I found the poutine I had at Ashton's in Montreal last year quite...edible.

Tyrgyzistan wrote:I've been sucked into retrying the Trader Joe's Poutine a couple times, frozen fries to stick in the oven. It sounds good each time I walk past it, then I do it at home and the fries take forever and taste awful, the gravy cooks while heating or gets absorbed by only half the fries.

I'm not sure it's fair to judge a food by its TJ's frozen version, and this may apply particularly to fried foods.

Is this a bad time to mention that I'm opening a poutine QSR in Los Angeles in the next few months?

I grew up loving french fries and loving to dip my french fries in a good gravy . . . so adding ever so slightly melting cheese to the mix just seemed like a natural progression. I've had countless bad versions in town and too many versions that are overdone (i.e., extra, unnecessary ingredients) but I am still a lover of poutine.

chitrader wrote:Is this a bad time to mention that I'm opening a poutine QSR in Los Angeles in the next few months?

How do you plan to make your cheese curds in the morning so they'll still be squeaky for service?

chitrader wrote:Is this a bad time to mention that I'm opening a poutine QSR in Los Angeles in the next few months?

In LA? Why would people in LA eat what is basically a heavy winter type meal for people in Quebec? They'll nickname it Kryptonite Poutine because no one will want to go near it for fear of gaining weight. I get the same reactions here when I order it. Open it in Milwaukee or Chicago.

As a fellow board member I strongly advise against this. Just like Sidney in Midnight Run telling Jimmy Serrano it was a bad idea to go to McCarren Airport to meet Jack Walsh!

All that being said, best of luck to you. But next time, ask me will ya?

Now I don't understand why people like cheese curds. Maybe I have to go and get fresh cheese curds.

I like my fries alone with no enhancements whatsoever. I associate gravy with mashed potatoes not French fries.

Poutine is ok... I just don't see how people clamor for them.

Poutine in LA.... I don't know... seems misplaced.

nr706 wrote:

chitrader wrote:Is this a bad time to mention that I'm opening a poutine QSR in Los Angeles in the next few months?

How do you plan to make your cheese curds in the morning so they'll still be squeaky for service?

No one does this, anywhere. Curds are not made fresh in the morning at La Banquise, or anywhere in Montreal. They buy them from dairies just like everyone else.

It's a myth that the curds have to be made fresh in the morning.

There is lots of comfort food being sold all over LA. Places like the Father's Office and Wurstkuche are always packed and the city is overrun with doughnut shops. I see no reason a poutine shop couldn't succeed there.

I like poutine a lot. To me a good rendition has crispy fries that are covered with a thick gravy so they are still crispy on the edges and the fresher the curds the better. The curds should be slightly melted but still chewy. It's obviously not for everyone, but after a night at the bar or as a hearty way to start the day (with a fried egg on top), poutine is as satisfying as it gets.

Dessert poutine? Poutine in a milkshake? Poutine Pizza, transfat free poutine, extreme-tine?

well I guess I am not a big drinker... so maybe that is why I have not acquired a taste for poutine. Maybe I should give it a shot again...but maybe get better poutine.

Look, Poutine is a fine dish when done right. Most places in the US don't do it right. Even some of the big cities in Canada cheat. Go to the border towns near the Ontario/Quebec border and test. Pretty much a guarantee they will be done right. As far as squeaky cheese goes, come to Wisconsin and find the curds made that day and nirvana. If they are put in the fridge, then you lose half the charm. Have to be day of to squeak properly and taste properly - Fact. Find a way.

Fried cheese with potato curds in a reverse poutine? French fries and cheese curds in a Poutine Sushi Roll? wasabi mayo and habanero mango poutine with duck fat frites?

I grew up with Max's Italian beef on Western Ave. and used to have my fries served in a seperate basket with juice. If I threw some cheese curds into the mix I think that would've been a pretty good Poutine.

I spent some time in Kingston, Ontario this week and had two takes on poutine: the bad one was sweet potato fries, feta, and guacamole. The pretty good one was nicely-made fries, curds, a homemade gravy, and duck confit. My take is that poutine is the sum of the parts; not more.

Darren72 wrote:I spent some time in Kingston, Ontario this week and had two takes on poutine: the bad one was sweet potato fries, feta, and guacamole.

We call this a self-inflicted wound.

To be fair, it was billed as "(It's not) Poutine".

Darren72 wrote:To be fair, it was billed as "(It's not) Poutine".

My point is just that it sounds like an awful combination of flavors, one competing against the other.

BR wrote:My point is just that it sounds like an awful combination of flavors, one competing against the other.

I think there's a word for that....oh yeah, it's Poutine.