The Best Poutine In Montreal | Best in Town

Apr 22, 2024

Herrine Ro: One of Canada's most iconic dishes is

poutine

, but Montreal is the city to enjoy the

best

. We visited three famous restaurants, Ma Poule Mouillée, La Banquise and Au Pied de Cochon, to find the

best

poutine

in the city. No, my pants are wet. Based on last season's reviews, we're in Montreal to find the best poutine. Erin Kommor: Yes! And if you don't know, poutine is a Canadian dish that consists of French fries topped with gravy and cheese curds. What qualities are we looking for? Herrine: We're looking for... OK. Erin: I'm sorry. Herrine: So we're looking for fries that have a crispy outside and a nice plush inside, and the cheese curds should be flavorful and fresh and nice and melty.

People say that the fresher the curd, the squeakier. The sauce should be thick and flavorful, and there should be enough to cover all the chips and curds. At each location, we'll ask what poutine we should get and judge based on that. Erin: Let's bundle up and get going! Herrine: It's very cold. Erin: Gotcha. I understand you. Come on. Herrine: So, we're going to La Banquise, and this place is probably the one I associate most when it comes to poutine and Montreal. And we will try the classic, but here they have like 30 types. Erin: 30? Herrine: 30. Erin: Poutine?

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Herrine: Poutine. Erin: Of all the places, this is the one I've heard about the most. Herrine: Yeah, me too, so let's see what all the fuss is about. Erin: Let's do it. Customer: I found out about this place from a local I met on the plane. I think I love cheese and sauce. That mix together is really tasteful. Annie Barsalou: A classic poutine consists of French fries, cheese curds, and gravy on top. We use red potatoes because they are sweeter. We cut them by hand. Chef: It's best to blanch them first, because that will soften everything.

So when you put it in fryer oil afterwards, it will be crispy on the outside but fluffy on the inside. Chef: If you thin it out too much, like French fries, there won't be anything really fluffy inside. It will be too crunchy. Annie: And we make the fries and pre-cook them. We need to cook them for about six minutes at 285 degrees. It is very important to maintain that temperature, because everything inside will be cooked. When we are ready to make the poutine, we will cook them at a higher temperature, 325. It will be golden brown on the outside, but not too crispy.

And then we put the curd cheese. That should melt. It has to be at room temperature and click in your mouth. Is very good. The sauce should be golden brown, have some texture, not too runny. It also has to be a little spicy. That's what sets us apart from others. We keep it secret. Herrine: Everything is seen visually... Erin: Gorge. Herrine: Throat. And the cheese has melted. Let's dig deeper. Erin: How sweet. Herrine: He gave me the squeal. Erin: I got the squeak too and thought I wouldn't like it. It was like "merp, merp." Oh, look at the steam.

And it's very cold outside. This is very satisfying. Herrine: So from the beginning, we know that the curd here is fresh. They are melted because of that very hot sauce. I'm going to try the potato alone. They're not like the potato chips you know as an American, because they're not as crunchy or salty. I know this is a very poor comparison, but they taste more like potatoes than French fries. Erin: No, definitely. Herrine: You know what I mean? And it's all very similar to a fried baked potato. Erin: Potatoes are not greasy at all. They are so satisfying.

And it's so warm and soft. It is, yes, nothing like American French fries. Herrine: Honestly, they're more like hash browns. The curd cheese here has flavor. Erin: Oh, totally. Herrine: It's salty, it's fatty. Erin: They put the salt in, because I feel like the fries aren't very salty at all. Herrine: Yeah, the fries aren't as seasoned as I thought. But the curd, I like how it's a middle ground between being completely melted and kind of just sitting there. Erin: It's very tasty. Herrine: So the sauce itself is not that, that thick. Erin: It doesn't cover your mouth.

It simply complements the fry. Herrine: I disagree. I feel like I'm not getting a meaty or hearty flavor, like... Erin: It's more salty and fun. Herrine: I think it's great on its own. And I think the cheese curds here are the MVP. Erin: Phenomenon. Herrine: Yes. But in the other places we will have added elements. Then we go to Ma Poule Mouillée. I think I pronounced it right. Erin: You did. Herrine: And this place is a Portuguese restaurant, and we're going to try their fusion version of poutine. Erin: I'm so excited. It looks so good.

Herrine: There are supposed to be a lot of bold flavors here, so I'm excited. Erin: Let's do it! Michael Antunes Alves: Ma Poule Mouillée is a charcoal grill takeaway restaurant. We work mainly with chicken. The most popular at Ma Poule Mouillée is the poutine. Poutine is the mix of Quebec and Portugal, with charcoal fried chicken and local cheese. And I'm mixing with the São Jorge of Portugal. Virgilio Rodrigues: We have to store a lot of potatoes. Our potatoes are cut into slices. We cook halfway. We put it in the refrigerator. When they are cold we fry them.

We season our fries with homemade spices. We know the chips are ready because they make a little music. We will cover the fries with a local cheese and then with the Portuguese São Jorge cheese. Michael: It's very strong. I put just a little bit. Herrine: Look, but I don't think that's... I like it. Cameraman: Yes, it smells good. Herrine: Oh, but it has a smell. Virgilio: Yes. Yes Yes. This is a charcoal grill. It's a Portuguese chicken and we roast it for about half an hour. The seasoning is garlic, paprika and salt and also black pepper.

The charcoal gives the chicken a smoky flavor and the inside is very tender. And now we're going to grill the Portuguese sausage, the chorizo. Michael: Meat is different. It's not just cheese. The meat is delicious. Give poutine some life. Virgilio: We chop the chicken and the fresh chorizo to taste, and finally the sauce. Herrine: Oh my God. Virgilio: It's a homemade sauce. It's another secret. And the fresh parsley. And it's the best poutine in Canada. Herrine: I'm really excited to try this one. The sauce looks much darker. Erin: Thick. Herrine: And thick and slimy. The meat, I am a big fan of chorizo.

Erin: I love chorizo too. And the chicken looks very good. This looks epic. Herrine: I know. It's like loaded. Honestly, this is too much. I just drooled. Erin: Oh my god. That has a lot of flavor. You wanted flavor in the sauce, and that, my friend Herrine: this delivers. It's the flavor. Herrine: Compliant. Herrine: I can see - Erin: And the hot sauce - Herrine: Yeah, yeah, that's what I was going to say. Erin: I want to drink that hot sauce. Herrine: I think it's really meant to take away all that richness, that flavor. Erin: Yeah, a little kick.

Herrine: Plus, these fries are much crispier than La Banquise. Erin: Oh, and I didn't realize how important that would be, because the crunch of the fries and the sauce, it's a perfect duo. Herrine: Because the chorizo and chicken are cooked on that charcoal grill, you get that nice smokiness. Erin: And the character. Herrine: That paprika seasoning really shines. And you feel that persistent heat that is very pleasant. This visually looks very overwhelming. Erin: I really like them. Herrine: But the flavor profiles are very bold, but not too bold. Erin: I don't think so either. Herrine: Everything works together, and I think there's obviously a reason why Michael wants to keep everything a secret, because if the secret got out, like...

Erin: I'd take over the world with this. Herrine: Yes, exactly. Let's see if the cheese curds squeak. Erin: Squeak, squeak. They screech. Herrine: Although not as creaky as La Banquise. But the Portuguese cheese here, I'm not even going to pretend to pronounce it, has that little tangy, tangy flavor that I think, honestly, I would want more of. Do you have any objections? Erin: My only qualm is that I liked how melty the cheese was in La Banquise, and I feel like this cheese could be a little more melty, but I don't really want more, because there's a lot going on.

I feel like more cheese would overwhelm me. Herrine: I feel like we haven't done the hot sauce justice. We haven't done the hot sauce justice. Erin: We haven't. That's the best hot sauce. Herrine: So what's your favorite part of this dish? Erin: I think this is definitely my favorite grave. I should be a writer. I don't know. Herrine: It's going to be very difficult to whip this sauce and whip the proteins here, but we have one more place, and they're supposed to have a very rich coating. Erin: I'm excited, because this blew my mind. Herrine: I know, this is going to be very difficult to overcome.

Erin: I love Canada. Herrine: Then let's go to Au Pied de Cochon. Erin: Yes. Herrine: And this place is a Montreal landmark. They are famous for their elevated and modern take on Quebec food. Erin: So what makes the poutine here special? Herrine: So the poutine here is supposed to be really rich and decadent because they use a lot of foie gras. So I'm really curious to see if this poutine, this famous poutine, will be good. Erin: I'm nervous. Should we go? Herrine: Let's do it! Erin: Okay. Michael Picard-Labelle: Au Pied de Cochon, is The Pig's Foot.

We use a lot of foie gras in our restaurant and it's probably an obsession, I would say. When they leave, people who don't like foie gras will surely be converted. Everyone knows what ingredients are in poutine, but the direction we're taking is to put a good product, the luxury product, the foie gras that we love to make, and put it in poutine so it's accessible to everyone. It's a delicacy, for sure. When you have it in your mouth it is smooth and it is an explosion of flavor. First, the fries are blanched in duck fat for about four minutes and then we take them out, this is how the fries are pre-cooked.

Duck is fattier, so we can extract the fat and reuse it to fry the fries, and also give it a pleasant flavor. After that, it is blanched at around 375 until the color is nice and golden and crisp. The sauce is basically a normal gravy sauce. We don't want to break the structure of what poutine is, so we incorporate the foie gras into the sauce, and bind it with the egg yolk and a touch of cream. Our cheese curds are a good balance between the saltiness and richness of the cheese. The trick was not to denature the poutine.

We've got the sauce, we've got the fries, we've got the cheese curds, but you also want the texture of foie gras in your mouth. If you leave out one ingredient, it ruins everything, so you need to structure your product. And then we put the foie gras on top, and then the normal sauce goes to decorate, a touch of fresh herbs, so chopped parsley on top. Erin: I'm very skeptical, Herrine. It's just new to me. Herrine: This place is a destination. Really, people from all over the world have come here to try this famous poutine, so for someone who doesn't like foie gras and for someone who has never tried it, I'm really curious to see if we're going to like this. .

I'm going straight for it. I think it's foie gras. The sauce here is much creamier and thicker in consistency. Not as fat as Ma Poulée... Mouillard? Must? Erin: I'm really nervous, Herrine, but yeah. Oh Lord. Herrine: Honestly, that's one of the best things I've ever eaten in my life. Genuinely, genuinely speaking. Erin: So people say, "Oh, this steak melts in my mouth." "This melts in my mouth." They were lying. This melts in your mouth. I didn't even chew. It was just "bloop." Herrine: I've always hated foie gras. It was one of the few foods I absolutely hated.

Chef Michael said that people who come here hating foie gras leave totally converted and, honestly, one bite has convinced me. Erin: That is truly one of the richest, tastiest things I have ever eaten. Herrine: It's so decadent. It's so luxurious. Erin: How decadent. Herrine: And you won't be able to get this type of poutine or flavor profile anywhere else in the world. You'd think the foie gras would be the star of the show, like the dressing, but the sauce really is. Erin: The sauce. Because there is foie gras in the sauce. Herrine: When we said we were looking for well-seasoned fries, Erin: Oh my goodness.

This takes it to the next level, because it is fried in duck fat. Erin: Really. Really. Herrine: It kind of adds to that extra level of decadence. Erin: And it doesn't even need salt, pepper, blah, blah, blah, because it's fried in a rich, decadent fat. Herrine: And the fries, they're crispy. They are crispy. They are the best potatoes we have ever tried. And honestly, because there's so much going on, cheese curds are kind of a goner, but let's give it a fair chance here. Let's try the curd cheese. Erin: And they're not as melted as I'd like, but.

Herrine: Oh yeah, that's a good point. Let's see... but let's see if they squeak. Erin: Okay. Squeak, squeak. Herrine: They squeak. Erin: They are very squeaky. Herrine: I have a hard time finding anything wrong with this dish. Honestly, to me it's perfection. I'm honestly speechless like foie gras now. They managed to get a very hearty dish, make it much richer and more decadent than it already is, but do it in a very complete way. This is not dominant. Erin: This is like treating yourself, a night out, you have to experiment.this when you are here. Herrine: Honestly, Erin, I didn't think I'd say this, but I like poutine a lot more now than when I started this whole thing.

Erin: I was a fan and now I'm like a superfan. Herrine: Honestly, the three places we went to were so, so great. It was very difficult for me to narrow it down. Erin: They were also very different. Herrine: Yes. Erin: In his own way. Herrine: But now I have a winner. Erin: I have a winner too. Herrine: Ready? Erin: Yes. Both: Three, two, one. Herrine: Well, tell me why you chose Ma Poule Mouillée. Erin: The fries were my favorite. They were so crispy, so flavorful and the sauce was so filling, rich and thick. And I love the cheese curds there.

They didn't squeak as much as other places, but I still really liked the way they paired together. And the chicken and chorizo took me to the next level. Herrine: That chicken and chorizo was like... I feel like, as much as Ma Poule Mouillée was great, Au Pied de Cochon takes Quebecois French-Canadian culture and, for example, poutine to new heights, and you can't. get it anywhere else. I thought the sauce was really different than anything we tried. Anything else I've ever had in my life. The potatoes were delicious and crispy. They were well seasoned. If you are in Montreal and have to choose a place to go, it would be Au Pied de Cochon.

That would be my number one recommendation. If you had to choose a place. Erin: If I had to choose one place, I would choose Au Pied de Cochon. Because it's a unique experience, and it's like you're in Montreal, and it's very special for Montreal, and you're not going to get this in the US, anywhere else. Herrine: Or, like, anywhere else, like, in the world. Erin: Totally. Herrine: For that reason, is it better in the city? Erin: It's better in the city, Herrine. Herrine: There you go! Erin: But I would go, I would go here later! Herrine: Oh, she's not done!

Erin: What do you guys think? Is your favorite poutine Au Pied de Cochon or Ma Poule Mouillée? Can you say them? I literally get very nervous. Herrine: Do you think Au Pied de Cochon is the best in