Hot ’N Saucy in Montreal: Poutine at La Banquise

Ask a Montrealer about local cuisine, and poutine is probably the first thing that will come up. And according to the twittosphere, La Banquise is the best place in Montreal to try this classic Quebec dish.

But just what is poutine? It’s French fries topped with gravy and cheese curds. It’s goood. Really goood. In fact, according to our national television channel CBC’s series “The Greatest Canadian Invention” poutine ranked 10th, beating out the Blackberry, the snowblower and the alkaline long-lasting battery. That’s right, folks, poutine is better than your Blackberry.

If you’re still not convinced, just stop in at La Banquise at 4am and ask the line of hungry people waiting for a pile of this cheesy goodness what the big deal is. They’ll tell you!

http://www.youtube.com/v/ImGJqGr8dQM&hl=fr&fs=1

Finally, you should know that you can get poutine all over Montreal. But the appeal of La Banquise is that they offer 25 different versions of poutine. Plus, it’s right around the corner from beautiful La Fontaine Park, in case you feel like walking off some calories after you stuff your face.

La Banquise
994 Rachel Street East, Montreal, H2J 2J3
514-525-2415
www.labanquise.com

Open 24/7
No reservations. Long lines after bars close.
Average bill (before tax, tip and drinks) for 2 people: $20

Other Twitter recommendations for the best poutine in Montreal:

Patati Patata
A tiny place. They add wine and chicken stock to the gravy.
4177 St-Laurent Blvd, Montreal, H2W 1Y7 (514) 844-0216

Chez Claudette
Your classic greasy spoon.
351 Laurier St East, Montréal, H2T 1G7, (514) 279-5173

Au Pied de Cochon
A fancy place that makes poutine with foie gras. Reservations required!
www.restaurantaupieddecochon.ca
536 Duluth Ave East, Montréal, H2L 1A9, (514) 281-1114

What to do