La Poutine Week reviews 2022: Part 1

La Poutine Week began on Feb. 1, and to mark the 10th annual edition of the February food festival, it’s running for two weeks, straight through to Valentine’s Day. Here is our first batch of reviews, a sample of what 98 Montreal restaurants are serving in-person and via delivery for la Poutine Week 2022.

Poutine à la Parma, Notre-Boeuf-de-Grâce

Though this poutine did not arrive as advertised, it was a welcome dose of hearty comfort food on day one of la Poutine Week — a fucking cold day at home watching the trucker convoy unfolding on the news. The local burger chain’s Poutine la Parma came with pieces of fried chicken and “red sauce” alongside the fries, house gravy and cheese curds, but the best ingredient may have been the generous fried mozzarella on top. Now in the description and photo online, that cheese is “melted” but came (from the Notre Boeuf location on Avenue Mont-Royal) browned and a bit chewy. Honestly I wouldn’t have changed a thing. $19 (Lorraine Carpenter)

Grilled Eel Poutine, Poke Bento

When it comes to these food week festivals, sometimes you just have to try the weirdest item available. In terms of far-out Poutine Week creations, this one is hardly among the most absurd I’ve ever seen — just the oddest option available at 9 p.m. in NDG. Unlike dubious dessert poutines, this is still a legit combo of fries, cheese curds and conventional gravy, though the latter ingredient came on the side because I ordered an alternative sauce (spicy mayo) and chose not to mix in the gravy. I did taste the brown sauce, however, and it was adequate but nothing special. It was the same story for the fries, and yet they provided a nice base for the marinated shiitake mushrooms, tender eel (which didn’t seem particularly grilled) and cheese curds, with the spicy mayo lending the dish just the right dose of zip and tang. A solid if strange Saturday night option, maybe with a little sake on the side. $20, add-ons available (LC)

La Beurrée, La Banquise

As Montreal’s “Best Poutine Restaurant,” the stakes and expectations are always high for la Banquise during la Poutine Week. La Beurrée combines the classic French fries and curd cheese combo with butter chicken, onions and green peppers topped with sour cream, green onions and coriander. The end result is nothing to look at, but the ingredients combine to make one truly delicious poutine. I must admit that la Beurrée was not as impressive overall as last year’s monstrous Couvre-feu poutine by la Banquise, which weighed three pounds — and I’m still missing the combination of gravy and nacho cheese on those Mac and cheese bites. But overall this is a great entry from Montreal’s best known poutine spot. $14.95 for the small, $21.75 for the large. (Tim Salhany)

To see all 98 poutines being offered by Montreal restaurants this week (and to vote for your favourites), please click here.

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For more on the food and drink scene in Montreal, please visit the Food & Drink section.