EATS // POUTINE AT LA BANQUISE

Crazy to think that we’re already done with the first month into 2015.  I spent all of January on business and leisurely travel so it has been a great feeling to return home and sleep on my own bed.  Luckily, as you New Yorkers know, the weather has not been too kind for outside activities anyway.  The temperature drop has kept me wrapped under covers, indoors, and craving for all sorts of hot, comfort food.  Just a month ago, my friends and I were under similar conditions in Montreal so we decided to try some Canadian comfort food: poutine.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, it is a dish originating in Quebec comprised of french fries topped with a light gravy and cheese curds.  It is a very hearty and delicious dish that warms up the soul from that chilly winter air.

From countless recommendations, we headed over to La Banquise, which is a very famous restaurant specializing in poutine.  There was a line in the freezing cold when we arrived.  Though we were reluctant to wait outside, it seemed promising that people were willing to stand in line for their poutine.  The wait was totally worth it.  Once inside, the whole casual ambiance was decorated by climbing branches and astroturf.

There were so many options available from different types of condiments to meats to vegetables.  We had trouble narrowing down all the great combinations on the menu.  When the food arrived, we could not wait to dig in!

We loved every single one of the dishes, even the original poutine without additional toppings.  Each poutine dish seemed to take on its own character and draw inspiration from different cuisines.  La Elvis resembled a tasty, deconstructed philly cheesesteak sandwich.

Taking it back south, if you love carne asada fries, then La Reggae was the closest match.  It was comprised of ground beef, guacamole, diced tomatoes and hot peppers.

La Boogalou was a yummy deconstructed pulled pork sandwich with creamy coleslaw and freshly made sour cream.

As you can guess, we were extremely stuffed by the time we finished.  It was a huge carb intake, but we definitely needed those extra carbs to keep warm in the cold.  When we left the restaurant, there was an even longer line outside.  Now, we understood why.  If you ever get a chance to go to Montreal, make sure La Banquise is on your list of must-eat restaurants!

La Banquise
994, rue Rachel Est
Montreal, Quebec
Canada, H2J 2J3

+ 1 514 525 2415