Montreal Pool Room is an institution. It's been around forever, or least it looks like it. And just as the place looks like it has been suspended in time, so has the food.
The poutine. Refrigerated curds, a shocker to me considering how much they must go through in a day. Fries majorly uncooked, resulting in a very starchy taste. Gravy, just your traditional powdered stuff you can buy at the supermarket.
Don't get me wrong. I like institutions. I like basic simple poutines. I enjoyed looking at the pictures that document our decades in Montreal, and I also enjoyed eavesdropping to the local patrons complaining about taxes and discussing the personal life rumours of Habs players.
But even when it comes to Montreal diners, there's much better... so that there's no reason for me to ever go back.