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| - I came here based on the reviews and also because I recently came back Montreal so I was super craving poutine. Hate to be the one who pulls down the ratings, but the wait times here are unforgivable. Unfortunately, when we got here, the main cook was flying solo while his partner was at the back practicing how to construct and reconstruct a salad. No joke. I wasn't sure if he really was practicing or if he was making it for a customer. While their menu looks attractive & appetizing, it's overwhelming in that they have wayy too many menu items which in turn plays as one of the downfalls of this joint.
Although honest and one of the friendliest guys you will meet, this dude can only work on one order at a time and cannot multitask. My bf and I walked in to order a poutine each; there were 4 people ahead of us, plus he had to take phone orders and check his online orders. Long story short, we walked in at 6pm and left at 7pm - one HOUR of waiting! At least he's honest to his incoming customers, straight out tells them that he's running behind schedule; that there will be a one hour wait. However, his (loyal and seemingly regular) customers didn't seem to mind, and they continued to stay (mostly arriving online customers who then found out there's another hour wait for their take-out). Thankfully, there's a TV to keep us entertained for a short while. There's poor ventilation in the shop, so between breathing in grease and watching him handle food and money without any gloves or handwashing, I had to step out for a breather.
FOOD: but finally, about the food. After waiting so long no doubt I was hungry. Maybe that's the strategy? The poutine was large, it's a Wow size at Smoke's Poutinerie. I'm pretty happy with it because it served as two meals for me lol. Even my boyfriend couldn't finish his and no doubt we were hungry. Their fries are frozen, twice fried (because they got cold), but in my hungry state I couldn't taste anything wrong with them. The cheese curds, (not squeaky), but yummy! The gravy is good but gets a little salty at the end. He threw in a cup of taco cheese sauce for us for being patient customers. Would I come back again? Only if I were in the area so I can try their extensive list of poutines, and burgers too. But maybe after a few months when they establish their efficiency. This place has potential. Their menu design and website are solid. I would give this place another chance.
A TIP to the owner (if u ever read this): stick with burgers & fries (since that's the name of the shop) and maybe keep the ice cream, but cut out the rest so you can focus your inventory and increase service speed. I understand that freshness is key, but if people are coming in, they're gonna be ordering burgers & fries (cuz it'll be the only thing on your menu!). It wouldn't hurt to keep 2-3 patties and a batch of fries going so that service is ready. You need a better way of jotting down orders so you have an organized way to see how many servings of patties & fries you need to throw on the grill/fryer, and I guess sorting them by walk-in and online. I really hope you can get your service speed up to par, you have a really nice joint, make it a hidden gem worthy of its name!
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