Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

Pinwurm t1_j63r0iv wrote

/checks spreadsheet

Okay, so...

Saus is the best - and IMO better than most places in Canada. However there's two locations that are very different.
The one in Somerville's Bow Market is Vegetarian. So they use mushroom gravy & vegan cheese. The one Downtown is for meat-eaters & they also serve awesome chicken sandwiches & burgers.

Elephant & Castle is classic poutine, as traditional as it gets. If I recall correctly, they also had an Indian Butter-Chicken Poutine as well which is delicious.

The Porter Cafe in West Roxbury has "Quebecoise Poutine" on their menu. Quite ideal with a beer.

Trident Book Cafe has it - but I haven't had it.

Boston Burger Company has it on their menu, but I haven't tried it either.

Roxy's does Poutine Tots. Scratches an itch, but not quite right.

Double Chin does Peking Duck Fries which they call 'Poutine for your Mouth'. It's not quite Poutine, but it's a great overall menu and open until 4AM on Fridays and Saturdays.

Something similar I enjoyed was Shadowless Fries at Shojo.

There used to be other places that served it but are now permanently closed - like The Gallows or the temporary Air Canada Poutinerie. Saloon and JM Curley used to have it, but no more.

Edit: If you're ever in Portland ME, go to Duckfat. Make a special trip if you have to.

68

TomBradyBurnerAcct t1_j63w6mu wrote

> better than most places in Canada

As a Canadian, I respectfully disagree.

Even the poutine at Costco in Canada is better than Saus's in my humble opinion. Either location.

But since you clearly have sampled your poutine, I may have to go today to do some further research.

41

Pinwurm t1_j6430e0 wrote

From my experiences - Canadians tends to prefer fast food style (like Chez Ashton or Harvey's) whereas in the States, poutine leans gastropub style (like your Frite Alors or Poutine Centrale).

I prefer the gastropub style, so Saus hits my sweet spot. Like, I also enjoy the stuff you find in a gas-station Dairy Queen or something - but it's a different class.

While I'm not Canadian, I grew up in Upstate NY and spent a lot of long weekends in Quebec. I still make a pilgrimage to Au Pied de Cochon like ever other year.

20

scruffigan t1_j64sqyl wrote

Canadian definitely needs to be subdivided into "lived in Quebec" vs "never lived in Quebec".

It's a regional dish with regional expectations. Someone from Edmonton can put in a Canadian vote, but not a poutine heritage one.

9

zepporamone t1_j65pcp9 wrote

Oh, man... I haven't been to Au Pied de Cochon since the summer before the pandemic and now I'm suddenly desperate for it.

2

Pinwurm t1_j65qqoc wrote

Honestly, it’s my favorite restaurant anywhere in the world. Maybe not the best restaurant, but their signature dish is a deeply emotional experience, incredibly rich and complex, and I’ve never had anything quite like it. It’s definitely a Last Meal kind of place.

1

Stronkowski t1_j671c2s wrote

Exactly what's wrong with almost all the options down here. Poutine is supposed to be a sloppy mess that I got from the rink snack bar for $1.50 while waiting for my sister's game to finish.

2

VicVinegar88 t1_j63xmwn wrote

>Even the poutine at Costco in Canada is better than Saus's in my humble opinion. Either location.

Fellow Canadian chiming in here, maybe I'm being nostalgic but Harvey's poutine holds a special place in my heart.

9

Master_Dogs t1_j659is5 wrote

Poutine at McDonald's and Burger King up in Quebec, Canada blows a lot of these places out of the water. So sad, can't some fast food joint just clone it already. 😥

1

Turd___Ferguson___ t1_j64jehu wrote

If you actually have a poutine spreadsheet, I just want you to know that you are a goddamn hero.

9

Pinwurm t1_j64sju5 wrote

FYI - per the spreadsheet, Duckfat in Portland ME is where you want to go.

10

bitspace t1_j64y2ye wrote

That's on my short list. I wonder if New England's Tap House Grille in Hooksett NH is on your spreadsheet. The gravy is sublime.

3

RegretfulEnchilada t1_j64d7po wrote

Boston Burger Company poutine is completely skippable, not worth trying.

I definitely second Saus as the best poutine in Boston, but it would be bottom tier for Canada. They don't use near enough gravy, so the first quarter is pretty good poutine and then you just have a tray of fries.

5

Alex_Albons_Appendix t1_j663tkf wrote

I totally agree on BBC. My ex is French Canadian and I’ve become very picky about my poutine. Honestly, I just make it at home now because I can do a high gravy to fry ratio.

1

michael_scarn_21 t1_j64jo5f wrote

I love these local pride takes you get in r/Boston sometimes about food. Saus is fine but it is objectively not better than most places in Canada lol. Next you'll be telling us that santarpios is world class pizza.

3

Pinwurm t1_j64stmp wrote

Everyone's a critic.

For me, being in Canada adds to a better experience - and better food memories. I totally enjoy poutine more when I travel. But if I account for those biases - I believe Downtown Saus would win in a blind tasting for it's class. It's okay to disagree. :)

For the record - I live near Santarpio's and think it's overcooked and poorly assembled trash. Dough is meh too. There's a good pizza somewhere in there, because the sauce is super garlic forward (which I like) - but it's never come together right. It's still a fun place to go to every now and then for cheap drinks & lamb. I appreciate there's a lot of Bostonians that grew up with it and cherish it, but I didn't and don't.

IMO - Ciao makes the best pizza in the area, and would be a solid contender for 'world class'. Followed by Ernesto's. Though - I love the American-Neapolitan styles best.

6

Master_Dogs t1_j659bd6 wrote

Do you have a spreadsheet for other Canadian delicacies?

Ketchup chips - so far I've only found a handful, sometimes at Market basket or other grocery stores. Would so love to find some Lay's Ketchup chips tho, those things are the best.

Cheese curds in general - to make homemade poutine and just eat squeaky cheese. I've only found NY and Wisconsin versions which are so not the same as some OG Canadian cheese curds.

There's gotta be some other stuff too, it's just been so long since I've been up there that I'm forgetting all the goodies they got.

3

Pinwurm t1_j65d7kk wrote

I don't have a spreadsheet for other Canadian delicacies. I only made one for Poutine 'cause I organized a food crawl for my friends.

With that in mind, I don't like Ketchup Chips. But I know that Market Basket carries Humpty Dumpty chips, a Canadian brand - and I've bought the All Dressed chips before. The MB in Chelsea (my local one) definitely has a few styles. And it makes me nostalgic for Decarie all-dressed hot dogs in Mtl... excellent drunk food :)

I usually get my diary at Wegman's if I can, as it mostly comes from Upstate New York cows and I like to support my ol' homeland.

I wouldn't know if there is a specific difference in the curds between our country and Canada's - but there will be a difference in brands. So I guess keep trying different brands until you find what you like? Otherwise, you'll just have to order online.

There's Turenne Bagels in Union Square for Montreal-Style. Though I prefer New York Style bagels. Same when it comes to Smoked Meat Sandwiches v Pastrami.

Other goodies.. umm.. BeaverTails, I guess? But it's fried dough and I don't seek that out.

2

Alex_Albons_Appendix t1_j663y0e wrote

If you’re in a bind, I’ve found cheese curds at Target and Market Basket, IIRC. Packet of brown gravy and frozen fries. It definitely curbs my cravings between trips to Montreal.

2

Master_Dogs t1_j667o0e wrote

Yeah I've found those, but they don't squeak (another commenter explained that) and I've yet to find really good poutine gravy. There's some stuff we'd get up in Quebec that was amazing; I think a fried chicken place made it. Gotta Google it and see if I can order some or find it around here somewhere.

1

Alex_Albons_Appendix t1_j66a2yy wrote

Oh totally, it’s definitely not the same. I guess I’m willing to deal because I’m not a picky poutine eater as long as it doesn’t have white gravy or cheese or some imposter shit

2

Special-Trash-7995 t1_j67vla1 wrote

St Hubert’s gravy and you can get it on Amazon

2

Master_Dogs t1_j68pf1t wrote

Ah yes this is the one! Thanks 😁

1

Special-Trash-7995 t1_j68pkxs wrote

You’re welcome. My mother brings me cans of it whenever she comes back from visiting family. Lucky for me, I can find cretons around here rather easily.

2

AlarmingMuffin77 t1_j65sdbk wrote

FYI Roxy's does poutine on fries now too - I think it's a new menu addition.

2

rabton t1_j65t6z3 wrote

Foundry in Davis has poutine as well. It's okay, it scratches the itch. Enjoyed it much more than Roxy's in that regard.

2

superiority t1_j6jt8rp wrote

>Double Chin does Peking Duck Fries which they call 'Poutine for your Mouth'.

I think you might be mixing up two different menu items? The Peking Duck Fries are a different thing from the "Poutine" Your Mouth (which is waffle fries, "kimcheese", and furikake with an optional fried egg).

1