Gooey, salty, crispy, and rich: Poutine is often what Canadians eat to punctuate a celebration, and this winter Vancouver is set to experience a seven-day city-wide celebration of the Quebec-born dish.
The glorious combination of fries, melty cheese curds, and velvety gravy is what La Poutine Week is all about, and 2024 marks the nationwide choose-your-own-fry-venture event's 12th year.
The premise is pretty simple: Eat poutine during La Poutine Week and go online and vote for your favourites.
This event celebrating Canada’s unofficial national drunk food takes place in the first week of February each year and features poutine dishes submitted by restaurants and bars nationwide.
This year La Poutine Week will run for one week stretching - like a good cheese pull - from Feb. 1 through 7.
While the event is wildly popular in its native Quebec, the fest has steadily expanded nationwide over the years with a few Metro Vancouver and B.C. restaurants signing up to take part in the friendly - and flavourful - competition.
Fans of the iconic dish will find different poutine creations available from participating restaurant locations across Metro Vancouver during La Poutine Week.
In past years, the roster has included poutine dishes made with tots, or topped with things like butter chicken or dry-aged duck. Whether they're loaded with prawns or bacon or done up like donairs...there are always plenty of indulgent and creative takes on the classic Canadian comfort dish. For 2024, several Vancouver spots are dishing up vegetarian or vegan options, too!
Here are this year's La Poutine Week dishes available in Vancouver:
Cora Breakfast and Lunch (Robson St and Burnaby locations): Poutine Burrito
One egg as you like, black bean patty, red and green peppers, onions, green onions, cheese curds, guacamole, sour cream, cheesy and slightly spicy hollandaise sauce and potatoes.
MeeT in Yaletown: Pizza Fries
Hand-cut fries tossed in a mouth-watering garlic oil, and topped with basil marinara, shredded mozzarella and pepperoni slices.
MeeT in Gastown: Kali Poutine
House-cut fries with gravy, mozza, whipped feta, and parmesan "cheez," topped with beer-battered oyster mushroom kalamari, pickled red onion, and a drizzle of tzatziki.
MeeT on Main: Meet Yr Maker Poutine
Fries drenched in a diner-style brown gravy with cheezy cheddar and mozza shreds. Loaded with a pile of their world famous mac n cheez and topped with smoky bac’n chunks, buffalo sauce, and a healthy drizzle of ranch.
Vancouver Aquarium: Signature Braised Beef short rib Poutine
Yukon gold fries, cabernet braised pulled beef short rib, traditional cheese and gravy.
Blaze Gourmet Burgers: Vegan Blaze Chick'N Poutine
Chick'N Strips , Cheese, Gravy, French Fries
The Cider House: Roasted Mushroom Poutine
Roasted mushroom gravy, cremini mushrooms, melted 'mozza style cheese,' caramelized onions, green onions, skinny fries
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