Poutine—a greasy bechamel of fries slathered in gravy and cheese curds—is about as easy for an American to dismiss as curling or ice hockey. It’s just the type of handiwork we’d expect of the country that took our ham and called it their bacon.
Except that they were right: Canadian bacon does sound way cooler than ham; hockey is like a bloodier, faster soccer; and poutine? Well, it sort of tastes like Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July decided to throw a joint party in your mouth. Which is convenient, because poutine goes really well with beer.
Turns out there are a smattering of places in and around New York that offer this unofficial national dish of our neighbor to the north. We love these two delicious spots to whet your poutine appetite.
Brindle Room | 277 E 10th St. | Manhattan |212.529.9702 | brindleroom.com
Come for dinner and order the deluxe Duck Confit Poutine, which is served in duck gravy with plenty of cheddar cheese curds on top. Brindle Room even suggests a wine pairing: Vino Bianco’s “I Tigli.”
Subways: L to 1st Ave.
Mile End | 97A Hoyt St. | Brooklyn | 718.852.7510 | mileendbrooklyn.com
The Boerum Hill space is tiny (435 square feet, including the bathroom) and there’s an emphasis on fresh ingredients. Native Montrealers Noah and Rae import bagels from Québec and serve poutine ($8) topped with hand-cured smoked meats ($12) like it’s done back home. The dry-rubbed brisket spends 10 days in Noah’s fridge before it’s smoked for 10 hours over oak wood, and steamed to swollen perfection. It’s served on a bed of frites along with cheddar curds brought in from Maine-based Silvery Moon Creamery. The curds have the same subtle and salty flavor as Indian paneer, add a texture that is lighter and chewier than melted cheese, and are the key ingredients that separate this dish from American disco fries or cheese fries. Combined with a hearty mushroom gravy, the elements of this “maudite” mixture complement each other surprisingly well. Rather than the soggy mush one might expect, the crunch of the fries, the delicate mouth-feel of the curds, and the marbled juiciness of the meat all pull together for a dish with variety in every bite. The ones sprinkled with a few fallen peppercorns from the brisket add whole new pockets of flavor.
Subways: A,C,G and 2,3 to Hoyt St.
Photo by Jon Campbell.
I had poutine in Montreal for the first time last week, in a very highly rated place, and my teen daughter and I, together, couldn’t finish one third of it. The unfortunate taste is still in my mouth. I love fries. Why would you want to make them soggy??!!
When eating a poutine you’re not eating fries it is a meal!
You have to enjoy the combination of sauce and cheese…
What was the name of the restaurant you had your poutine?
I’m curious to know! The best poutine needs potatoes from a certain part of Quebec called St-Ambroise and the cheese needs to be from “Fromagerie Boivin”
the sauce plays a major roll and has to be Bertelet brand base.
I’m a chef and also a xenophile for food, when tasting something for the first time you need a open mind and maybe a second try in different restaurant will be better. First time I ate the Korean Japchae, I was very disappointed but now I can get enough! Did you try the smoked meat?