The Poutine Showdown (Part 1 of 4): The Classic
Introduction:
This is the first of a four-part series pertaining to my trip to several places throughout Montreal that specialize in poutines, ultimately picking the winner in the final chapter. Poutine is the official food of Canada, and is a major staple in Montreal cuisine, as you’ll find dozens upon dozens of eateries that specialize in the dish that’s surprisingly young when compared to classic cultural staples like New York City’s pizza or even Ybor City’s Cuban sandwich.
The Classic poutine is essentially fresh fries, squeaky cheese curds, and brown gravy---and those recipes of course can vary. In the United States, my only poutine experiences include the Daily Poutine in Disney Springs (it used to be much much better before, I no longer recommend) and Le Cellier in Epcot (absolutely delightful).
For the record, I wasn’t disappointed in any of these places in Montreal, these are all recommendations even if I pick a “winner.” All of these spots deserve a visit, deserve all the love and success that Montrealers and tourists can possibly hand to them. On to the first spot!
The Classic: La Banquise
My first night was full of chaos related to immigration services holding me for several hours. THAT incident will be for discussion another day. But, I’m mentioning this because I’m painting the picture for you: I am walking around in the middle of the cold cold night in search of a place that’s open while I await for the AirBnB to respond to my too-early plea for early access to my room. I needed a win.
My plan was to originally stay at the airport, but I was too upset and hurt to stay in the building. So through a series of mistakes, I’m scrambling through a public park for an open venue. La Banquise, a place I already had planned to visit, became my answer, as its one of the few spots in Montreal that’s actually open 24 hours. Even the taxi drivers in the airport knew exactly where this place was located.
La Banquise is a small, tight-knit eatery with a giant diverse menu of poutines among other options. It doesn’t have to be fries, but why would you come here if you aren’t going to order fries that’s nestled underneath a bed of delicious calories? Even though it was 4 in the morning (I know), I still decided to order their classic poutine. And my oh my what a dish, and it wasn’t even their largest size.
Look at this work of art. JUST LOOK AT IT! So clearly this dish is meant to be shared with friends, family, loved ones, or enemies you plan on making amends with. But, traveling solo means I alone am in charge of finishing this dish, and momma didn’t raise a quitter. To be frank, this was delicious, and a major component were the fries.
French fry culture has turned the snack into an essential piece, but not an item that has been challenged to be better. Wendys thought they accomplished something amazing by just adding sea salt to their fries, McDonalds fries peaked in the 1990s, and don’t get me started on the atrocities happening in Steak n’ Shake and Burger King. The underrated king of fries is Checkers, or Five Guys if you consider their establishment “quick-service,” but there’s no effort to improve.
The potential of fries is still there, and La Banquise accomplishes this with great textured fries with a good amount of seasoning complimented by their classic gravy. They even have vegan poutines with vegan versions of their gravy and cheese, so now everyone can enjoy the magic. Top that with great service, a formidable price tag that doesn’t break the bank, and friendly vibes throughout the night, and my first experience here definitely made up for the shenanigans in the airport. It offered me hope in a country that has seemingly become mildly hostile towards migrants (more on that another day, we’re celebrating good fries now).
I returned back because there was an additional dish I wanted to try, and also because it felt a little unfair to pit this place against the others when the other locales didn’t exactly serve traditional poutines. My second journey involves adding Montreal smoked meat, and this time I ordered their large for fun. But…
Oops…I think I became Icarus flying too close to the sun.
But the smoked meat, already a recipe that seems to have been perfected by all of Montreal, became a game-changer. It added so much more to a dish that’s already delicious on its own. It added a meaty, salty, savory punch that elevates it to legendary status. That being said, you absolutely have to share this or you’re going to spend the next hour in recovery at the nearby La Fontaine Park.
My final score for this place is a 10/10, an absolutely necessary place to visit if you’re within the confides of Montreal. This makes for a great opening to what its like traversing through this beautiful city, a friendly place where the locals like to hangout located right across from a beautiful park that’s the perfect post-giant meal destination. There’s a reason why this place is known throughout the city and country of Canada, it’s a truly magical spot, a golden pot of fries at the end of the cuisine rainbow. That was corny, but I don’t care.
