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| - Being a former Montrealer, I've been raised on poutine during my teen to adult years. You need the right type of squeaky cheese. The fries have to be fried twice. The sauce has to be brown and rich.
Well... they got the cheese right. And they do have some pretty imaginative combinations that does make the poutines there interesting. But the base of it all, is still the sauce and the fries. And I can say, they've completely messed that up (and CBC reviewer John Gilchrist completely agrees with me when he did his own review in 2011).
Look, the fries are done twice for a special reason. The first time locks in the flavour. The second helps enhance the crispness despite the gravy soaking in. And at even the most basic places in Montreal, such as the legendary Lafleur hot dog and fries chain in Montreal, this is always done with FRESH potatoes cut right there on the spot. I walk in, and what do I see? Bags of McCain's-like frozen fries bags being opened and then cooked once.
Then came the sauce. Basically, it was lifeless, with little real taste except maybe too much salt. Back home, the poutine gravy is made with some sort of beef base, and has a great flavour on it's own. Hell, some people I know even drink it straight with their meals. This was just a sauce that wasn't too far from powdered mix.
As Mr. Gilchrist said, and I whole heartedly agree, if you're going to make yourself the gourmet poutine place to go in Calgary, then follow the basic steps at least. If you need inspiration, go to Canmore and try the poutine at LA BELLE PATATE, a poutine easily matching some of the best Quebec has to offer. Just make it right people!
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