Resto La Banquise is serious about their poutine! They had a menu dedicated to poutines and special seasonal poutines.
I don't know which local first told me about Resto La Banquise, but somehow I heard that Resto La Banquise was the best poutinerie in Montreal. We walked quite a distance on a hot day to enjoy it and our efforts were rewarded.
It was an off-beat time but Resto La Banquise was bustling. Other groups arrived at the same time as us and many tables were occupied. At first we were confused and waited in the wrong queue. There are two lines: one on the left for ordering take-out and the one on the right for seeing the host(ess) to be seated. No matter - we were seated soon after arrival.
The server was amicable and warm. We enjoyed the regular, classic poutine as well as the seasonal Just For Laughs. In both, M noted a hint of sweetness to the fries themselves - a welcome addition to combat the savory richness of the toppings. The fries could easily be cut; however, they also maintained their integrity well enough to be stabbed with a fork and lifted. Sometimes fries become soggy, break, or fall apart after absorbing delicious gravy.
The gravy was beautiful. It wasn't as thick as I'm used to. It was thinner and more like a broth than a somewhat gelatinous sauce that I have come to call gravy. It was delicate but still rich. It melded with the fries rather than sat on top of them.
The curds were squeaky fresh. My teeth literally squeaked as I chewed them. They were creamy, firm, and salty.
In addition to those regular toppings, the Just For Laughs poutine also had roasted red peppers, guacamole and sour cream. We appreciated those additions. The vegetables lent a welcome freshness to the otherwise indulgent savoriness that is poutine.
We also enjoyed an apricot beer and a hard cider along with our poutine. We were given the bottles and plastic cups in which to drink them. The cool beverages were refreshing after our long walk and then they were a great way to follow up a bite of poutine. The inside of Resto La Banquise was comfortable but not cool. It was not quite an escape from the uncomfortable heat outside so our cooling drinks were crucial to enjoying our experience.