623166 Wed May 27 23:40:48 -0700 2009 40 57 Western Canada 0 4721005 cvhound stumped me on Tuesday with a request for poutine. I shuffled my feet a bit and used the "well, it's really a back east kinda thing" but surely there must be a decent rendition hearabouts. I saw it on the lunch menu at Salade de Fruits but didn't think their frites would hold up to an onslaught of gravy so didn't try it there. I've had it at that fries place on Commercial but it was horrid and clumpy. I've heard tell of versions that (shudder) sub in grated cheddar for curds but will speak no further of them. Then tonight on my way home from another doc film, I stopped in at Fritz on Davie for a bowl and I must say it was rather nice -- peppery gravy, melty curds and screamin' hot crispy fries -- what's not to like for $4? But I have no real gauge for what's good in a poutine. Anyone got the goods on this Canadian treat? Wed May 27 23:40:48 -0700 2009 169233 grayelf 1 4721011 I don't have local perspective but I just had it tonight at Boneta as a daily special and it was quite good. The cheese curds were chedder, the gravy was chicken with a veal bone base. Very nice with a Rioja.... Wed May 27 23:51:20 -0700 2009 4721005 68093 wasabica 2 4721014 Nice one, wasabica! Wouldn't have guessed Boneta was an option, even as a special. Wed May 27 23:58:54 -0700 2009 4721011 169233 grayelf 2 4721025 Yes, Boneta has it on their menu often and it's quite good. Chambar and Crave on main have good ones too... but these are all, "fancy" versions. I don't think there is a true, great, Montreal style Poutine in Vancouver. Thu May 28 00:10:04 -0700 2009 4721011 127190 Cancuk 1 4721972 I haven't been able to find good curds here in Vancouver. Good curds should squeak on your teeth (if you eat them before they are melted into a pile of potatoey/gravyey/cheesy deliciousness). Fritz does do a pretty decent poutine, but I can't attest to its 'pure laine' authenticity. Thu May 28 09:45:59 -0700 2009 4721005 149232 cdnprairiedog 2 4722140 Squeaky curds in the poutine at Zakos Deli - Broadway & Cambie. Its pretty good! Thu May 28 10:32:24 -0700 2009 4721972 156732 ck1234 3 4722231 fwiw the cafeteria at the dt costco, has (had) it, it was only about $4, never had it but i have had their frys and they weren't that good, very thick and stodgey Thu May 28 10:55:52 -0700 2009 4722140 15725 vandan 3 4724034 Thanks SO MUCH for the tip on Zako's...I've always been curious about the place, but have never gone in. Funny thing, 'cuz I always pass by it on my way to work. I also have to second the excellent short rib poutine at Crave. And Fritz's is infinitely superior to the Commercial St. place. DB Bistro actually has a fabulous poutine too, if you're willing to spend the money for it. Thu May 28 21:51:46 -0700 2009 4722140 131072 kidpresentable 4 4724153 Had to hurry to a screening today and (hangs head in shame) dove into Fritz for another small poutine today. Still tasty... Thanks for the poutine tips, guys, keep 'em coming. Thu May 28 23:27:33 -0700 2009 4724034 169233 grayelf 3 4732778 Zako's gravy is also vegetarian but it tastes very "meaty" Mon Jun 01 11:16:09 -0700 2009 4722140 13666 islandgirl 1 4724171 There is poutine to be had at Au Petit Chavignol Thu May 28 23:53:47 -0700 2009 4721005 156048 jchaput 1 4729390 I know it's a bit of a cop out but New York fries (I don't know about Vancouver but in Edmonton there's one in every mall food court) actually makes tasty poutine. It's pretty good when the craving hits and poutine just can't be found elsewhere. It's a dark gravy, their fries are always nice and crispy so they hold up under the gravy and they use cheese curd and not just grated mozza (everywhere else I've found poutine they use mozza). Sun May 31 04:43:07 -0700 2009 4721005 324463 Aludarie 2 4729673 Good tip, Aludarie, we do have quite a few NYF outlets here too. Sun May 31 07:54:11 -0700 2009 4729390 169233 grayelf 2 4732843 I've done the same thing Aludarie; you're not alone! They're usually one of the better things in the food courts too. Mon Jun 01 11:31:59 -0700 2009 4729390 14229 anonymoose 1 4729740 I tried the poutine at Brado on Commercial Dr a few weeks ago. A friend tells me that this is the real deal. It certainly tastes like the stuff in Montreal. They use St Hubert gravy mix (and it tasted like mix) and squeaky cheese curds. I don't appreciate poutine like many people, so I left thinking "meh". If someone out there is a poutine person - please give this place a try and report back on its authenticity and worthiness. It has been getting good write ups for their poutine on dinehere.ca http://www.dinehere.ca/restaurant.asp?r=1190 BTW Brado is situated in a mini-foodcourt. Brado, the place that sells poutine, is on the right side. A Lebanese shawarma place run by different people is on the left. Sun May 31 08:18:55 -0700 2009 4721005 145820 fmed 2 4729815 This looks EXACTLY like the poutine we got at Zog's in Whistler yesterday, so perhaps their poutine is authentic poutine as well. I'm with you regarding the poutine. I actually liked the version at Zin's in Vancouver over the version we had at Zog's, but Zin's looked nothing like Brado's version. Zin's poutine is $2 for a small serving from 4 to 7pm Monday through Saturday at their bar. Sun May 31 08:46:43 -0700 2009 4729740 197650 cvhound 2 4738524 I have some family who grew up in Montreal and they swear by the St Hubert's gravy mix. Funny that Brado uses it as well, but I see that they're from Montreal, so I guess it's not that big of a surprise. Good ref material if I ever crave poutine. Hopefully I'm lucky enough to find squeeky cheese. Speaking of which, I have found squeeky cheese curds in Armstrong while visiting family in the Okanagan. Had to take it back and make homemade poutine. Yum! Wed Jun 03 07:36:11 -0700 2009 4729740 190037 bdachow 3 4738711 fwiw the guy fron zako's is also fron montreal Wed Jun 03 08:32:43 -0700 2009 4738524 15725 vandan 1 4733772 Not quite authentic Montreal style but Crave on Main St has a pretty wicked poutine. It's topped w shredded short ribs and truffle oil =) Mon Jun 01 16:29:12 -0700 2009 4721005 92180 gourmet wife 1 4735729 Hi grayelf, I was in Vancouver for a couple weeks to visit family and overdose on spot prawns, but I managed to hit 12 poutine places in as many days. Yes, a little crazy, but I really missed poutine (I'm a Vancouver girl originally) and everyone kept suggesting more places so I kept adding them to my list. I wasn't judging based on what traditional poutine is, I've never been to Montreal so I have no idea, I was just looking for the tastiest (which poutine I would dream about when I got back to New York?) and apparently the curds should squeak, so I gave bonus points for that. I'll be writing a Vancouver poutine showdown post soon with photos on my blog, but here were some of my favorites: Brado Pizza - my favorite. every fry was crispy, gravy was good (I saw fmed's comment on how it tasted like a mix, but I really didn't get that mix aftertaste, at least not as much as some other places), curds were huge, generous, and squeaked liked crazy. Brado is actually from Montreal. Salad de Fruits - my hubby's favorite. fresh cut fries(yes, they were small and delicate, but held up very well with the gravy), yummy gravy - tasted homemade but a bit salty with the fries, don't remember the curds squeaking but they were yummy. Crave on Main- not traditional, the only "gourmet" contenter - no curds, instead shaved parmesan, tender short ribs piled on top, fries fresh and seasoned nicely with parsley. Got the foie gras mayo for $2 on the side, didn't taste much like foie gras, but was great with the fries. Biggest disappointment - Belgian Fries on the drive. Gravy was really salty, reminded me of KFC gravy. Fries were average, curds squeaked but tasted a little sour, actually glad they were skimpy on the cheese. Happy eating!! Tue Jun 02 09:42:19 -0700 2009 4721005 264883 now_me_hungry 1 4737273 I'll never eat at Fritz again after watching the person serving me find a dried clump of mayonnaise in the container she was scooping out of, and instead of wiping it on the dishcloth, wiping it into the dip container she was filling for me. I didn't say anything for some reason, but didn't touch the mayo. I did have great poutine at a place in Surrey. It's a motorcycle diner owned by French-Canadians. I reviewed it on my blog: http://iatethelotus.blogspot.com/2009/05/unlikely-dining-in-surrey.html Tue Jun 02 17:25:17 -0700 2009 4721005 70813 lotuskitty 2 4737451 Now the truth is coming out -- there are many poutines to be had in the Lower Mainland! Thanks to nmh and lk for the latest additions (12 poutines in 12 days actually scares me a little). Keep 'em coming folks! Tue Jun 02 18:39:20 -0700 2009 4737273 169233 grayelf 1 4844234 I finally got around to tallying up the scores for my Vancouver poutine 'showdown'. My husband and I ate 12 poutines in 12 days! Final rankings: 1. Brado Pizza (uber-crispy fries, generous portion of squeaky cheese curds, yummy gravy) 2. Salade de Fruits (a close 2nd, complex delicious gravy, squeaky cheese curds, fresh cut delicate fries) 3. Crave on Main (hearty short ribs in gravy, truffle/parmesan fries were seasoned perfectly, ranked high due to yumminess despite the fact they didn't use cheese curds) 4. Fritz European Fry House (good standard poutine, proportions were right on) 5. Backstage Lounge (awesome fries, gravy had a bit of an mix-y aftertaste) 6. The Templeton (interesting mushroom sage gravy, aged cheddar shreds) 7. three way tie: New York Fries, Zog's Dogs (Whistler), & Burger King (BK and NYF were good fast food options) 8. two way tie: Belgian Fries & Zako's Deli (a little disappointing because I'd heard good things) 9. Vera's Burger Shack (biggest disappointment but maybe they had an off day) Full post on my blog: http://mehungry-phyllis.blogspot.com/2009/07/weird-food-wednesdays-poutine.html Thu Jul 09 14:50:40 -0700 2009 4721005 264883 now_me_hungry 2 4844609 Awesome report. Now off to the gym for you two. BTW - I can confirm that Brado's gravy made from is St Hubert mix. (I asked him myself.) Thu Jul 09 17:08:18 -0700 2009 4844234 145820 fmed 3 4845266 Awesome is the word. I'm keen to try Brado's as we had some pretty egregious pizza from there not too long ago. Also definitely heading to Salade de Fruits tout de suite as it is mere blocks from my office. Thu Jul 09 22:19:05 -0700 2009 4844609 169233 grayelf 3 4845419 fmed, haha... that Brado, always giving away all his secrets! Hubby is thinking about ordering P90x to deal with the poutine aftermath :) and grayelf, Salade de Fruits is lovely...bon appetit! Fri Jul 10 01:13:04 -0700 2009 4844609 264883 now_me_hungry 4 4845957 Thanks again nmh for taking 12 for the team :-). I do like the frites at SdeF so was happy to hear a detailed report about their behaviour under a hailstorm of curds and gravy! If anyone's at the Farmers' Markets here and is lucky, Little Qualicum sells the freshest (read squeakiest) and tastiest cheese curds of any I've found here. Fri Jul 10 07:46:53 -0700 2009 4845419 169233 grayelf 4 4849489 In the blog posting you had some doubts about Belgian Fries using fresh cut potatoes. They do freshly chip them there. (You'll see the stacks pans filled of oil-blanched potatoes and burlap bags of fresh potatoes in the back. (Just an FYI....I'm not a fan of their fries of late....they used to be quite good a few years back.) Sat Jul 11 13:44:37 -0700 2009 4845419 145820 fmed 2 4846401 12 in 12 days... Your poor stomach! That is an excellent roundup, and with the links that is a bookmark worthy post, NMH! I was shocked to find excellent poutine in Costco in Toronto this summer - does anyone know if Vancouver area stores sell it at the little food-court thing they have in-store? Fri Jul 10 09:44:04 -0700 2009 4844234 185039 non sequitur 3 4846499 scroll p to my previous reply re: cost Fri Jul 10 10:04:00 -0700 2009 4846401 15725 vandan 3 4846504 Yes they do. They sell Dunn's smoked meat sandwiches as well. Fri Jul 10 10:05:28 -0700 2009 4846401 145820 fmed 3 4848310 non sequitur, yes I believe Vancouver area Costcos sell poutine at their foodcourts, no less than 3 people recommended it to me while I was in Vancouver, but I didn't have enough time to try it! Fri Jul 10 21:13:50 -0700 2009 4846401 264883 now_me_hungry 4 4848879 as i posted upthread costco does , i've only had the fries nd they weren't good, so you can make your own conclusion Sat Jul 11 08:15:50 -0700 2009 4848310 15725 vandan 1 4848152 How about anny's dairy bar in New West? She is from Montreal, she sells cheese curds (if you want to make your own) it is at 722 6th St. the poutine is really tasty! Fri Jul 10 19:39:03 -0700 2009 4721005 1092671 laurabree 2 4848333 Thanks laurabree, I just actually read a blog on Anny's Dairy Bar regarding their maple twist soft serve. I will put it on my list for next time! Fri Jul 10 21:25:24 -0700 2009 4848152 264883 now_me_hungry 1 4848328 So...do any of you guys read Serious Eats? One of their writers just posted about my Vancouver poutine crawl and there's been some serious backlash - poutine from outside Quebec is a very controversial topic! So much anger...shouldn't food be just about fun? There's been some mild Vancouver bashing as well, thought you guys might want the opportunity to weigh in.... http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/07/12-poutines-in-12-days-vancouver-canada.html Fri Jul 10 21:23:08 -0700 2009 4721005 264883 now_me_hungry 2 4848396 Well done now_me_hungry. I read Serious Eats daily. Poutine is serious business. Don't mess with Quebec. Fri Jul 10 22:16:25 -0700 2009 4848328 145820 fmed 3 4848406 ya they might separate Fri Jul 10 22:28:47 -0700 2009 4848396 103494 howlin 2 4848414 I think food just should be about "FUN"...I never understand the depths those go to, to brag about food they eat or knowledge they know above others,or just to put others down...Isn't "food" about taste & enjoyment? Anyway, I certainly enjoyed reading your blog! P.S. Sorry you didn't like Zako's as I know I recommended it - it was my first true poutine, here - in Vancouver... I never ate it while visiting Quebec! Fri Jul 10 22:37:22 -0700 2009 4848328 156732 ck1234 3 4848462 Thanks for the link to Serious Eats -- I read so many blogs, I sometimes forget about that one. As for the comments, they just made me laugh. If something tastes good, I eat it. If it doesn't taste exactly how I think it "should" taste but it tastes good, I eat it. If it tastes bad, I don't eat it. Oh, except of course poutine has to have cheese curds on it or it isn't poutine :-). Fri Jul 10 23:44:11 -0700 2009 4848414 169233 grayelf 2 4852724 fmed: you are so right about not messing with Quebec - my poor defenseless mailbox was 'assaulted' last night and my hubby suspects the angry poutine mob must have found out where we lived :) howlin: 'ya, they might separate' - I almost peed my pants when I read your comment! ck1234: thanks for the kind words and no worries about Zako's, I thoroughly enjoyed the poutine at every single place I visited (including Zako's) which is why the scores were pretty high across the board. grayelf: I totally agree - if it looks, smells, and/or tastes good - 'Get in mah belly!" Sun Jul 12 23:35:02 -0700 2009 4848328 264883 now_me_hungry