After hearing that Michele Forgione and Stefano Faita were opening up a casse-croute I was excited to see what a more upscale version of this Quebec symbol would be like. For those of you who are scratching their heads when they see the word casse-croute it basically refers to a snack bar. They tend to be small, local spots where you can grab a cheap and greasy meal.
I thought that since Chez Tousignant was generating so much buzz it was best to come on a weekday at lunch when it might be quieter but it must always be busy because when I showed up most of the seats were occupied and shortly after I placed my order a long line formed. I can imagine that on weekends it would be a zoo. Let me tell you that there is a good reason for these crowds.
Lunch for me was a cheeseburger and poutine. Everything is made fresh to order here and you can see them in the kitchen working hard to make sure your food gets to you quickly. I sat at the counter overlooking the kitchen and the staff were working constantly. As a consequence I didn't have to wait long at all (maybe a little more than five minutes tops).
That cheeseburger is just out of this world delicious. They use 100 % local beef beef chuck and it was grilled to perfection. The exterior of the patty was slightly charred and crispy while the inside was so juicy. From my understanding they even make their own buns here so these potato buns are fresh and of very high calibre. They are toasted to have just the right amount of crunch on the outside while still being soft and chewy on the inside. The burger is garnished with their signature Tousignant sauce which I'm pretty sure is mayo-based and adds a nice touch to it.
Now you can't bill yourself as a casse-croute and not serve a good poutine. That would be sacrilege. The poutine here is just the right balance of fries, curds and gravy. That gravy was velvety and well-balanced in flavour. If you're getting something like a burger or hot dog then play it safe and get a small poutine since it is more than enough. I struggled to finish the small one after the cheeseburger. The large would be good if that is all you plan to eat.
The price tag might seem excessive to some people at first glance. A cheeseburger, poutine and ginger ale set me back $20. At the same time we're not talking your average burger joint here. They are using such high quality ingredients and putting so much labour into the final product that it will be more expensive then your typical neighbourhood casse-croute. But you know what? It will also taste a lot better.