Where to get the best poutines in Quebec City
Poutine is the undisputed number one iconic food of Canada. The second is…um maple syrup? And that wraps up the list of famous Canadian foods.
So, if you are foodie, you have to go to Quebec, the birthplace of poutine. Montreal and Quebec City are strong contenders but food snobs like to point out that the best poutines are outside Montreal. I don’t know if that is true but I do know that Quebec City has Chez Ashton, a fast food chain with great classic poutines. More on that later. Moreover, Quebec City is fairly compact, so it’s an easy place to try different poutines.
What makes a great poutine?
There are just three components in a classic poutine. It’s hard to mess them up but also difficult to excel at them all.
- Fries
Medium cut. Crisp on the outside. Double- or even triple-frying is optional. - Gravy
Dark brown, semi-thin, and salty with a deep meaty flavour. The gravy can be based on chicken, beef, or both. Vegan options have also appeared but the classic is heavy on beef. - Cheese
This is the most difficult component to source but the easiest to prepare. The “cheese” is actually cheese curd, not actual cheese. They are a byproduct of cheese production and are like white, bite-sized cushions. It’s hard to find them outside of Quebec and Ontario.
The cheese curds must make a squeaking noise when you chew on them. Obviously, they must remain intact in order to squeak. That’s why they are added to the poutine at the last moment. The chef should ensure that the gravy and fries are not too hot to melt the curds. Any poutine that uses mozzarella, cheddar, or Cheez Whiz is sacrilegious. Heavily-melted cheese is also a sign of an inauthentic poutine.
Variations abound, from Galvaude (chicken and peas) to bacon. Restaurants with the best traditional poutine may not have the best all-loaded ones. For a fair comparison, only traditional poutine was ordered for this taste test.
Chez Ashton
This is a must-try. Chez Ashton and Quebec are like In-N-Out Burger and California. It isn’t the best but it’s an exemplar for traditional poutine: unpretentious and a testament to the high quality of poutine in Quebec City.
Chez Ashton
They have various branches, including one conveniently located in the old city. Even better for tourists, they offer it in various sizes including a baby-sized sampler.
The fries were reminiscent of McDonald’s. The cheese curds were gloriously squeaky though I think they could have added a bit more. The gravy’s flavour was in the middle of the pack of those reviewed here. Moderately salty, meaty, and runny. 8/10.
Chez Gaston
Poutine aficionados say that the best poutine is found at a casse-croûte (snack bar, usually dingy), at 4 am, after stumbling out of a nightclub. Chez Gaston is the perfect place for that authentic casse-croûte experience, even if you don’t come in drunk late at night.
They have a micro size for those who are not that hungry. Or for those who are on a poutine tour like me.
This was a more sloppy and richer poutine than Chez Ashton. They were very liberal with the cheese curds and gravy. It was the largest curds of those in this taste test. Somehow the fries managed to remain somewhat crisp. The gravy had a robust flavour. Overall, it captures the essence of a classic casse-croûte poutine. 8/10.
The interior is just one narrow corridor with bar searing. Diner decor. Yup, this is a legit casse-croûte.
Chez Victor
At the other end of the spectrum, Chez Victor is like a gastropub. They have a few branches but the one just outside the old city is the most convenient. It’s next to the train and bus station, on the direct path to Saint-Roch (a hip district with more eateries).
They are actually famous for their burgers. Their poutine gets good reviews too so I thought to try them out. To stand out from other restaurants, their sauce is BBQ flavoured. They get points for packing it separately for takeout. Unfortunately, they don’t have a mini size.
There was a tinge of BBQ sauce flavour but I couldn’t get over how weird it tasted. The sauce had some indistinct flavours—not quite a sauce brune, not really a Memphis BBQ sauce. The fries were oversalted too. The cheese curds could have been more squeaky but at least they were generous with the portions. 5/10.
The interior is upscale casual and targeted towards the young and working crowd.
Frite Alors!
Yes, there is an exclamation mark in the business’ name. They are specialists in Belgian frites (fries in French). Since they are in Quebec, it’s only natural to make poutine out of them, which they call “Poutine Alors!”. This is a chain originating from Montreal.
They call their traditional poutine “Le Vladimir”, after the Russian president Vladimir Putin. Hey, look at that, Putin sounds like poutine!
I got the small size as usual. There is only so much poutine that I can eat in a trip. Thoughtfully, their poutine came in a handheld box so one doesn’t need a table to enjoy it.
The gravy was the darkest of those in this test. It also had the deepest meat flavour. Other gravies might mix in chicken stock but this one was beef all the way. It was the right consistency, coating the fries but not sticking to them. And the fries were excellent, as expected of a fry shop. Flakey on the inside and possibly double-fried on the outside. Cheese curds were standard; some had melted. 8.5/10.
In case its Belgian roots weren’t clear enough, the interior is plastered with BDs (bandes dessinées; comics), a hallmark of Franco-Belgian culture. World-famous comics like Tintin, Asterix, and The Smurfs originate from Belgium. The typeface for the restaurant is also in a fun, all-caps style prevalent in BDs.
Le Chic Shack
Right in the centre of the old city, amongst tourist traps, is this surprisingly solid restaurant. Le Chic Shack’s raison d’être is their gourmet burgers but their poutine has also drawn rave reviews.
This isn’t exactly a traditional poutine. Like their burgers, they’ve made minor but thoughtful re-interpretations to be more gourmet. Instead of fries, they use skin-on potato chunks. They also sprinkle some chives for colour. Nevertheless, it’s still recognizable as a traditional poutine.
The gravy was the lightest in colour and taste amongst the contenders. It was predominantly chicken-based. The potato chunks were crisp on the outside and hearty to bite into. Some people prefer fries; I don’t mind either. I was surprised that the chives were mild. Personally, I like my chives to be more pungent and herb-y. These were the most intact cheese curds in this taste test. Just a pinch more salt and seasoning would have improved the dish. 7.5/10.
Other places to try
I haven’t tried poutine at these places but they’ve gotten good reviews:
- Poutineville: Founded in Montreal. It has some cholesterol-busting flavours topped with steak and sausages.
- Snack Bar Saint-Jean: Highly rated online.
- Le Lapin Sauté: Rabbit-themed restaurant. Decent quality. Naturally, there’s rabbit poutine.
Where to eat poutine in Toronto
None of the poutines in Toronto are as good as the best in Quebec. The best traditional one is at Nom Nom Nom Poutine. For novel ones that barely resemble poutine:
- OddSeoul has a Japanese-inspired squash poutine.
- Desi Bar and Grill has murgh makhani (butter chicken) poutine, piled high with lots of meat and delectable curry.
- Chris Jerk has an aggressively-seasoned jerk chicken poutine.
- Sap has a rather salty roast duck poutine pizza.
- Banh Mi Boys‘ kimchi fries is a similar dish but no cheese curds. At least they have the decency to not call it poutine.
Verdict
- Frite Alors!: 8.5/10
Best-cooked fries and deliciously dark gravy. - Chez Gaston: 8/10
Toss-up between Chez Gaston and Chez Ashton. Depends if you prefer more rustic (Gaston) or refined (Ashton). Luscious brown sauce and large curds. - Chez Ashton: 8/10
The standard-bearer. Good quality fast food. - Le Chic Shack: 7.5/10
Light and gourmet option. - Chez Victor: 5/10
Gravy has a confused identity. No mini size.
Practical information
Chez Ashton
- Rating
- 8/10
- Prices
- Authentic poutine (baby-sized): $6.04 ($5.25 excluding tax)
- Address
- 54 Côte du Palais and other locations
- Hours
- Monday to Thursday 1100h – 2000h
Friday to Saturday 1100h – 2200h
Sunday 1100h – 2000h - Date of visit
- February 2012
Chez Gaston
- Rating
- 8/10
- Prices
- Poutine with brown sauce (micro): $5.25 ($4.57 excluding tax)
- Address
- 332 Rue Dorchester
- Hours
- Monday to Wednesday 1100h – 2300h
Thursday 1100h – 2400h
Friday 1100h – 0100h
Saturday 1200h – 0100h
Sunday 1200h – 2300h - Date of visit
- October 2021
Chez Victor
- Rating
- 5/10
- Prices
- Regular poutine with BBQ gravy: $13.80 ($12.00 excluding tax)
- Address
- 300 Rue Saint-Paul and other locations
- Hours
- Daily 1130h – 2100h
- Date of visit
- October 2021
Frite Alors!
- Rating
- 8.5/10
- Prices
- La Vladimir poutine (small): $8.33 ($7.25 excluding tax)
- Address
- 122 Rue Crémazie Ouest and other locations
- Hours
- Daily 1130h – 2200h
- Date of visit
- October 2021
Le Chic Shack
- Rating
- 7.5/10
- Prices
- Classic poutine (small): $9.20 ($8.00 excluding tax)
- Address
- 15 Rue du Fort
- Hours
- Daily 1130h – 2100h
- Date of visit
- October 2021