Poutine La Banquise (2024)


The controversial origin of poutine...

Poutine La Banquise (1)

Who invented our national dish?!

Various places claim the credit for this invention... One thing is for sure: poutine was born in rural Quebec in the 1950’s... but to whom exactly should the origin of poutine be linked?

Le Lutin qui rit in Warwick

Poutine La Banquise (2)

The most widespread story is that poutine originates from a restaurant formerly called Le Lutin qui rit in Warwick, in the Arthabaska region. In 1957, a client named Eddy Lainesse would have asked the owner Fernand Lachance to mix the cheese curds with the fries. Genius!

Le Roy Jucep in Drummondville

Poutine La Banquise (3)

A Drummondville restaurant called Le Roy Jucep registered a trademark stating that it is the inventor of poutine. Jean-Paul Roy, owner of this restaurant in 1964, is the first one to have served poutine as we know it today, i.e. "French fries, cheese and gravy."

Nicolet & Saint-Hyacinthe

Poutine La Banquise (4)

Poutine could also come from the region of Nicolet, in Centre-du-Québec or from Saint-Hyacinthe in Montérégie. The high number of cheese dairies producing cheddar cheese curds in these two regions could explain the phenomenon.

La P’tite Vache in Princeville

It is also possible that poutine was born in Princeville, at the restaurant La P’tite Vache founded in 1966. La P’tite Vache was located close to the Princesse cheese dairy, which produced cheese curds but did not have anywhere to sell it. They began to sell this cheese at the cash of the restaurant. A regular customer would order some fries and buy a bag of cheese curds to mix them together at his table.


The original appellation was 50-50: 50% fries and 50% cheese. The gravy was then added and the name "mixte" was adopted. The name "poutine" as we know it today appeared only when large restaurant chains started selling that product. This name is probably due to the fact that other dishes made of potatoes are also called poutiness, and it could also be derived the English word "pudding."

As you can see, it is not La Banquise who invented poutine... but one could say that it did revolutionize it!

Poutine La Banquise (2024)

FAQs

How many calories in a La Banquise poutine? ›

Another hotspot authentic to Montreal is La Banquise (994 Rachel Est). Open 24 hours, this restaurant has won awards for having the best poutine in Montreal and carries 28 varieties. It's a great place to get late-night grub. Unfortunately, a small poutine has over 700 calories and is nearly 50 per cent fat.

What is La Banquise known for? ›

Its founder, Pierre Barsalou, a neighborhood firefighter, transformed it into a 24-hour snack bar in the fall of 1968. One could then enjoy excellent hot dogs and delicious fries. Poutine made its appearance in the early 80s, with the classic and Italian poutines.

What is poutine called in America? ›

History of Poutine

The dish started becoming popular in the U.S. during the late 1970s, although it was called "disco fries" in America. The dish was popular in New Jersey and New York, and it was usually consumed after a long night of partying and dancing, hence the "disco" in the name.

Can you get poutine in America? ›

Poutine is found in the northern border regions of the United States, including New England and the larger Northeast, the Pacific Northwest, and the Upper Midwest. These regions offer further variations of the basic dish, usually by utilizing cheeses other than fresh curds, which are not widely available in the US.

How unhealthy is a poutine? ›

A large poutine, incredibly high in total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and refined carbs, can raise the triglyceride levels in your blood for 6-12 hours after consumption. Triglyceride levels will rise even higher if you have alcohol in your system, which most people eating a late-night poutine probably do.

What is La poutine made of? ›

Poutine is a Québécois dish made of fresh-cut french fries topped with cheese curds and gravy. It first appeared in 1950s rural Quebec snack bars. It was widely popularized across Canada and beyond in the 1990s.

What does poutine mean in french? ›

“Poutine” is not a metropolitan French word . In Quebec, “poutine” is a dish made of French fries and grated cheese. The word comes from the English “pudding” or “ put in” according to different sources. As a proper noun , it's the French spelling of the English written form of “Putin”, the Russian president.

Is poutine just a Canadian thing? ›

Poutine is a Canadian dish that originated in the province of Québec. It is made using French fries, cheese curds, and brown gravy. Some consider poutine Canada's national dish. Even McDonald's and Burger King sell it in parts of Canada as a side dish.

Does la banquise serve alcohol? ›

Enjoy a wide selection of comfort food including burgers, poutine and breakfast plus a selection of locally brewed beer.

What does poutine taste like? ›

So what does this combination of fries, gravy and cheese taste like? No surprise here, but it's delicious! The french fries provide crispness and saltiness—two must-haves for any savory snack. The cheese is mellow and creamy.

What do you eat poutine with? ›

Poutine is usually enjoyed as a main or as a side dish. Eat it with some roasted veggies, a side salad, or some freshly baked dinner rolls.

Does US Costco sell poutine? ›

The Canadian Costco food court also apparently offers poutine, the popular Quebec entree of french fries covered in cheese curds and gravy. The American Costco food court doesn't offer fries at all, which came as a surprise to several Canadian Redditors.

Are cheese curds legal in the US? ›

At this point, the milk is legally pasteurized. (Raw or unpasteurized milk is banned in the United States, but luckily, cheese curds are 100 percent legal!)

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