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NO trip to montreal is complete without a poutine pit stop. Came to montreal during a weekend getaway for the Osheaga music festival and HAD to get a 6-hr post road trip serving of poutine (aka french fries with deliciousness all over it!).
NOTE: not sure if this is always the case but at 11 PM this place was not taking any major credit cards (and for road trip travelers just crossing the border.. this was a slight problem.. luckily the US dollar goes a long way!)
Decor: nothing fancy. what you expect a 24-hr joint to look like. lively with mouth watering smell of fries coming from every table!
Food: fries with gravy. need i say more? recommend the one with turkey and gravy. tastes like a thanksgiving meal.
Future endeavor(s): ABSOLUTELY!
Oh poutine, where has your creamy fried richness been all of my life?
Resto la banquise is the mecca of poutine spots. They make it practically any which way you want.
A couple hours after landing in MTL, we decided this is where I should have my first poutine experience. It was about 1pm or so, and there was no horde of people waiting to be seated but we were left waiting at the host area for a good sub 10 minutes while servers walked back and forth, passing by the very obviously waiting US numerous times. Minus a point for that.
We were finally seated, a nice little booth by a window overlooking the outside. The menu was a bit overwhelming, not necessarily because it was written solely in french (I have a fair aptitude of the language), rather because there were so many options!
Now I'm undoubtedly a carnivore, no ifs ands or buts, so I had to get myself a meaty dish of poutine. We ordered the Poutine Mart (bacon, smoked sausage and mushrooms) and Poutine Italienne (meatsauce).
The dishes are large, even their regular sized plates. And their poutine is oozing with toppings.
The fries were cooked well enough, lacked that bit of crisp that I generally like. The gravy was a nice rich brown gravy. Fair amount of cheesecurds, but you can never have too much of that anyway. I was disappointed in the lack of bacon, and the fact that they used hotdogs (i think) vs smoked sausage. Overall, not bad, but not what I was expecting.
The 2nd dish of poutine with the meatsauce was pretty good. The cheesecurds were melty and the sauce was reminiscent of a filipino meatsauce, with a slight sweetness to it.
Prices are moderate, under $10 a plate.
Would definitely return to gain some redemption for my first experience, as I'm sure they can pull off something magically and deliciously fattening.
This place was mentioned in all nearly all searches for good poutine in Montreal, so I had to try it and see what all the hype was about.
In our party of four, only two of us have had poutine before, so trying to describe it to them was best if they had it for themselves. My friends weren't too fond of their selections, but the Duleton I ordered was good. I'm happy I ordered just the regular size or else I would've had a lot to bring home! Next time I return to Montreal, I need to try the plain and standard Classique, just so I can compare it to the other versions I've had at other restaurants.
The ultimate comfort food!! I grew as a child making a big bowl of french fries and covering them with ketchup and hot sauce. Resto La Banquise took it to a whole'nother level. Being in Montreal for business, I had experienced other fine food previous to this adventure but the Poutine with ground beef, bell peppers, and onions was like no other. I could have ate it AAAALLLLLLLL day long, it was so good. I could imagine being in college, ordering a regular and sitting on the sofa, studying and eating all day. What is in that gravy? Don't know! But where is the gravy? GONE, I ate it all!
I was told that I must try poutine while in Montreal. French fries with cheese curds covered in gravy? Yummmmm. I have not tried poutine anywhere else so I can't make any comparisons.
When you enter, go left for take-out and go right to eat-in. I had the Classique while my wife had the Rachel (peppers, mushrooms, and onions). Both were pretty darn good. If you love fries and have never tried poutine I can't imagine you being disappointed with the poutine here.
My friends and I went to Montreal for the weekend, and they had never tried poutine. We found Resto La Banquise on yelp, and decided to give it a try. We went Sunday around lunchtime. The patio was full and mostly had tables for 2, so we sat indoors, which was really cute. I loved the decor and feel of the place.
We ordered 3 different poutines- original, hot dog, and beef/mushrooms/green peppers. We also ordered a hamburger and 2 side salads. The food took a really, really long time, and the service was also pretty slow in general. However, the wait was totally worth it! We ordered the regular poutine size, but they were BIG. None of us finished our plates. The burger was small but delicious and cheap, about $3.50. The side salads were pretty basic, but one of my friends didn't like the seasoning they used. The poutine was delicious. They mostly just throw the additional things (hot dogs, mushrooms, etc.) on top of the original poutine. I loved the hot dog poutine.
Definitely worth a trip if you're in search of some delicious poutine and a cute restaurant! When we left, there was quite a long line- so go early!
Poutine is a Quebecers food that (very) slightly resembles American Gravy Cheese Fries (Uuukkkk), but is actually very, very different in many respects. The best place to try it in Montréal is at La Banquise.
Best Poutine I've had in Montreal. Hands down.
I've tried everything from the vegi to the t-rex. It's all amazing.
Don't forget to grab some vinegar for your to-go orders.
Listed in: Montreal, Mon Amie
24 hours of fried potato, cheese curds and gravy?
With a really vast menu, this place is definitely a must IF you are in a large group and want poutine like nobody's biznass.
It's good, my friends exclaimed the best. But I'd generally say slightly better than average (3.5) stars.
If you go here do it in a big group, order a few small plates of different things and pig out!
*patio in the back is THE only place to sit, inside is kinda dark feeling.
On my second night in Montreal I wandered into this place with a wide eyed, confused look on a mission to try this thing called "poutine" that everyone back in the States told me I needed to eat. I didn't even realize this was such a popular spot for the dish; I only chose it because it was close to my hostel and therefore not a high risk destination for getting lost.
I came here after running at least 10 kms up and down Mount Royal (which was another thing I was told I needed to do in Montreal). I was starving and desperate to scarf down something fried. However, I had the good sense to check out the portion sizes and not order a large. The regular seemed huge to me-- I only ate 3/4 of it despite intense hunger pangs prior to my meal! I couldn't believe that the girls next to me each had a regular poutine plus a burger. I'm pissed that my stomach wimped out on me because the Poutine Rachel I ate was quite tasty. It's got the usual gravy and cheese curds plus some veggies so, y'know, I could pretend I was eating something healthy. The cheese was my favorite part. I was surprised that I liked the gravy, but maybe that's because the only other gravy I've tried has been nasty pre-packaged Thanksgiving stuff.
I will definitely come back here if I return to Montreal. Eating on the patio in the summertime was really lovely. Also, I need to redeem myself and clean my plate.
Here's how the conversation went between me and my Montrealer friend, in my first visit to his hometown:
- Have you tried the poutine yet?
- Yes, but I didn't find it too special - well, maybe because I've tried only the ones from Harvey's and Burger King...
- Right, so you haven't tried the poutine yet.
If this is how poutine is, it's tremendously good. We had the Matty, and the large portion satisfied me and my wife. All of this for only twenty bucks. The atmosphere is perfect for a good night of talking, laughing and eating.
Surely will come back whenever possible.
This place is a 24 hour diner but the service was surprisingly slow around 1 p.m. (tail end of lunch hour). There was plenty of hustle and bustle and action, but you had to literally make direct eye contact with a waitress and "glamor" them like a vampire before you got them to come over and take your order. Just a heads up to those who expect service right away. Then again, the lack of attention may be their style like some places that pride themselves on rudeness.
The poutine is basic (even though they boast 24 different varieties). And I'd recommend sticking to the basic building blocks (fries, gravy, cheese curds) and maybe adding onions and ground beef because...
Well, seriously, what isn't better with onions and ground beef? Keep in mind that this is Montreal's version of the LA street taco, NY pizza, Chicago hot dog, or whatever other iconic local fast food you can think of and this is the best known place for it. So even if you don't like it, don't say you don't like it to locals. That's like telling an Italian that the Vatican is just another chapel or church. That's a huge no-no. Just smile, eat the dish for what it is. French fries with gravy and cheese...nothing more, nothing less. Maybe try a beer to go with it. The local blondes are great...er...beer that is. Remember, Poutine is a heavy dish so prepare yourself for it. As in....don't have a heavy breakfast (which is hard to do when there are so many delicious pastry shops and croissants to be had).
Cheers!
I am so glad I don't live anywhere near a place that serves poutine, because I'd probably eat it every day.
Bacon poutine is amazing. Service is --like most places in Canadia--very friendly.
Version française coming soon!
Listed in: LOVE!!! (Restaurants), Celine Dion
Based on Yelp Talk forums, this is the place for some poutine. The best time to come is for dinner or late evening so that what we did. We headed here around 8:30PM and didn't have to wait long to get a booth.
The place was playing some French hip hop tunes which was pretty cool to listen to. We got our waters and menus and here's what was ordered:
-Large size poutine - 3 Amigos ($12.40 CAD): smoked sausage, pork and beef sausage and Merguez sausage was the addition to the standard gravy, cheese curd and french fry dish. It was okay...I couldn't really find the 3 different sausages...only found 2. The sausages tasted like hot dogs and I found the addition of 3 meats a bit too salty for me.
-Regular size poutine Classique ($5.80 CAD): the standard poutine dish. I enjoyed this more than the 3 Amigos. The simpler the better! I didn't know what to expect with cheese curds, but I thoroughly enjoyed them and am now wondering...what exactly are cheese curds?
-Cider Mystique ($6.25 CAD): I asked the waitress if this was a fruity cider and when she simply said "apple cider," I knew I wanted it, even though it was more expensive than their beers. Light and fruity...it was tasty, but I still enjoy Lambic!
The portions are adequate. We had 3 people and were able to finish both plates of food. The regular size is a good portion for one person. If you have a group of people, the larger size is probably better. Don't forget, it's basically a dish of fries so you will get full fast...especially if you're downing a cold beer!
They do serve other items than just poutine and the place is open 24hrs so it's a great place for some comfort, filling food. Apparently, after 9PM you're required to pay the bill before eating vs. paying the bill after you've eaten.
This is a great place for groups and when you just want to relax and kick it with some friends. A definite low-key, no frills, local type of place.
Listed in: Experiencing the French…
Returned to La Banquise on Friday night, wait, technically Saturday morning. My friends and I had the small Classic, T-Rex, and Poivre.
The classic is the best that I've had so far. The T-Rex was way too salty with all its smoke meat. The poivre (pepper as in salt & pepper pepper) sauce didn't go as well with the frites as good old gravy does. It's best not to diverge. The Italian sauce isn't as good as gravy either.
Though La Banquise's poutine isn't other worldly, it's still the best that I've tried in Montreal. One cab driver was trying to convince me that the poutine at Costco there was good too. Somehow, I'm skeptical.
What's with the line at 2:30am on a Saturday morning (well, more like Friday night) to get into no,… Read more »
I greatly enjoyed La Banquise when I visited a little while ago. Poutine is typical winter food for me; when it's -30 Celsius outside, all my body wants is fat in a warm and edible form. The poutine at La Banquise certainly met all of the requirements.
When we got there, it was extremely busy but the waitress managed to find us a small table within a few minutes. The décor was brightly funky, bright, and cheery; the music also feel into that category. There's nothing calm about La Banquise, but it has a fun warm atmosphere that is appealing at 11pm in February. The waitress quickly brought us menus and we settled in to peruse the options. The menu hosts about 24 different varieties of poutine, along with burgers, hot dogs, and other fast food fare. I would suggest going with the poutine though; that's what they're known for and is probably why your there.
I ordered a plain poutine, while my friend ordered the T-Rex. The plain poutine consists of French fries, cheese curds, and gravy, while the T-Rex adds sausage, bacon, and ground beef on top of that. The price might seem a little high for French fries, but I found the servings to be more than generous. The first thing I noticed was that the French fries were made there; you can see the tubs of peeled and cut potatoes beside the deep fryer. The cheese curds were a perfect combination of chewy, rubbery, and soft. The gravy was a little too salty, but the endless glasses of water that our waitress poured us made it tolerable.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed eating a La Banquise. I think that this restaurant is very unique to Quebec. It's a great place to hit up after a long run, a night of dancing, or as a chaser to an evening of beers.
I had the T. Rex poutine two nights ago. I still don't think it has left my system. I don't think I want it to, either. Great compliment to a very filthy lap dance down the street.
Three hungry ruggers failed to take this one down. Maybe on the next trip we will destroy it.
- Juggernaut approved
Okay, so I'm not from Montreal, nor am I a poutine expert. But, I've tried it more than a handful of times at various places. The classic poutine is made up of 3 items (fries, cheese curds and gravy), so how difficult can this be, right? LOL
So, after reading some very positive opinions, I finally tried La Banquise over the past weekend. First, I love the fact that it's a great hangout place and that it's 24 hours. It's a very lively and fun atmosphere. The fact that clubbing and beer-drinking crowds can come here in the middle of the night will ensure that the food has a high turnover rate and remains fresh. And from reading the history on their menu, the dining area was expanded. From what I saw of the crowds, they put the extra room to really good use. And the cute hostess and servers just added to the enjoyment :)
So, I ordered the classic poutine and the hot dog (steamed) "all dress", ie, with all of the typical toppings. I noticed that the cheese curds didn't squeak as I had expected them to, but hey, can't have everything in life, you know? The fries held up well under the cascade of gravy, which was plentiful and tasty. The hot dog, my first fully-topped one in Montreal, was notable for one difference from New York, and that is they take the trouble to steam the bun too and make it nice and soft, a nice touch...the dog itself doesn't have the snap of the natural casing that I really like, but hey, it's their style...the toppings were nice and in this case, I thought, a necessary accompaniment to a silent hot dog (which I think was a mixture of beef and pork). Would I call this the best poutine and/or hot dogs in Montreal? Probably not...I've not had enough to know. Also, I've had comparable poutine at La Belle Province and comparable hot dogs at the Montreal Pool Room...but it's an overall wonderful experience, and even if the food is less-than-superb, it's all about the company and the experience after all, isn't it?
I'm just curious about one thing though....I was asked to pay upon ordering (I ate in) and was wondering if this was just their peculiar practice at La Banquise....I mean, I didn't mind at all, I just thought maybe with the crowds coming in, the staff might have had difficulty keeping track, so this might make their lives easier...
AND its gets an extra half a star just because it's in MONTREAL!!!!!!! To paraphrase Gertrude Stein, America is my country, but Montreal is my hometown :)
Poutine. Gravy, cheese, and fries. A combination so good that I planned my night around it. After many pitchers of beer, I had set things up so that my friends and I could stumble into this place. Granted, I barely remember getting there, but boy do I remember gobbling fries and screaming, "Another order please!!!"
Open all night, you will not find a better late night eats.
Poutine Rachel. So good you'll want to rub it all over your face!
my first poutine experience! read the raves on yelp and my local friend agreed - this is THE spot for poutine.
we arrived late thursday night and ordered between the 3 of us 2 medium poutines - one with veggies and another with green peppers, onions, and sausage. fresh, hot, large portions and i really enjoyed it! it does sound a little strange to the typical american - fries topped with cheese curds and gravy - but the cheese curds were melted, chewy, and fresh and we were all stuffed afterward!
b/c poutine is a great after-drinking snack, they require you to pay before you get your order but it actually works out pretty well since things get busy and it's hard to catch one of those (cute, young, friendly) servers.
Le Banquise 24h is a staple of Montreal. Just like Schwartz's or Biftec, it's one of those places that you don't necessarily go to often, but that you never forget and always crave.
This is probably Montreal's most famous restaurant (along with Schwartz's) and there's a reason why. It's cheap, it's open 24/7 and can serve a ton of people fairly quickly. But before you enter this establishment to try their famous poutines, you might want to join a gym and make sure you stick to a strict diet for a few months afterwards. But more on that later.
We went clubbing all night. We were drunk. We were hungry and needed to sober up on a Saturday night; actually morning, it was 3:30AM. We carefully made our way over to this place and low and behold, a friend that we thought we had long lost a few hours before was in front of the line waiting for us. We cut everyone and proceed to be seated about five minutes later. Sweet.
For those who might be left out in the dark, poutine is a local specialty from Quebec and consists of fries covered in cheese curbs and gravy. It's not a healthy meal but tastes delicious.
The three of us ordered three different poutines - shut up, we know it's unhealthy but we had to try it! - we settled for the T-Rex Poutine (minced meat, pepperoni, bacon and smoked sausages), the Obélix Poutine (smoked meat) and the Frank Poutine (merguez sausage). We paid right after ordering and just minutes later our three plates arrived.
After feeling a great deal of shame, we devoured each plates, each bite slicing our dignity (we had little left at that point) and we were left starring at the empty plates, embarrassed. We had each consumed a ridiculous amount of calories at that point, enough to discourage us from cabbing it back to the hotel; we instead walked all the way back which took over 30 minutes.
Months later I'm still burning that stuff off but hey, it was well worth it. Just make sure to try it if you haven't been, it's a must visit place in Montreal. The service and prices are excellent but keep in mind that the lines are long there, especially after the clubs close at 3AM.
Absolutely phenominal poutine! Such a choice of creative toppings. I had steak, mushrooms and green peppers on mine. Massive portions. The regular is do-able but not easy for all ;) ... I recommend having a salad to be sure to get some greens in ya with this one. The only one I didn't like of those I tried is what they call sausage is more like hot dog, so avoid that one and you're golden like the bed of fries under your deliciousness.
There is always a line ... this place is packed. Not Scwartz crazy line ... but it is a fav of many at about 3-5am and tends to get pretty social too :-).
This was my first authentic poutine in well over 15 years and it was just as good as I rememberd. There are a ton of reiews already, I just wanted to add that they are the only place I found while in town that has 100 percent vegetarian poutine (gravy included). I had both the traditional and the ground beef with onion variety. So good that I went back twice in the week I stayed in montreal. I adored my cide, Mystique and hope to find SOMEPLACE in the US to get it from.
ALL POUTINE, ALL THE TIME!
This all-night, artery-clogging joint was a gawdsend at 4am when my friends and I left the bar to soak up the alcohol we had ingested. That's extra hour of drinking provided a good excuse for me to partake in a large plate full of cheese, starch and not-too salty gravy, no matter how unhealthy it might have been.
The menu was full with many, many choices, but I settled on the Poutine Bacon that cost $7.
The place was packed and loud, and I'm impressed that the servers did not lose their cool. Working just as the bars are letting out of drunk obnoxious people must be a pain in the ass. I hope they get tipped very well.
Listed in: Montréal
*(New photo uploaded!)
My dinner companion and I had heard many mentions of La Banquise, however, neither of us had ever had a chance to visit it yet.
We made a last minute decision to check it out, as my friend was in serious need of a poutine that chilly winter night.
We were lucky enough to find street parking directly across the street. Considering that it was a rather busy Saturday night, we were seated almost immediately. I believe they accept cash only. There is a small ATM on-site, located near the door.
My friend ordered the "Three Amigos", which is a poutine topped with three types of sausages. I chose a Club Sandwich made with turkey meat and opted to upgrade my side of fries to a standard poutine. Although there seems to be a variety of local and microbrewery beers available on the menu, we ordered soft drinks with our meals.
Between the background music and the chatty crowd, the atmosphere was a bit loud for our tastes, making it a bit difficult to have a conversation across the table. Some of the decor is a bit kitschy, as we were seated under a pillar with a large artificial branches with a few oranges hanging down. Our waitress looked like a throwback to the 80's -- complete with big hair, bright scarlet red lipstick, overdone makeup, skintight black leggings, short booties and a huge bejewelled Madonna-style cross necklace! Luckily, she seemed to be the only one of the sort; the rest of the wait staff were dressed very casual and normal in style.
Our meals arrived relatively quickly; although I had to ask for mayonnaise (which is unusual in Montreal, most places almost always bring some with Club Sandwich orders). I also had to ask for a knife for my mayo, as we were only served with napkins and forks.
I am rather picky about my poutine and I was rather disappointed by the "standard" one served by La Banquise, as it wasn't exactly to my preferred tastes.
There are several sides to poutine lovers -- some absolutely demand the grease-drenched soggy fries, others prefer slightly floppy fries with theirs, and I am one of those that prefer my fries to be somewhat crisper and still have some shape to them.
The poutine had somewhat floppy fries and were a bit more greasy than I prefer. The sauce was a touch heavy and almost chunky in texture. At least the cheese curds were fresh, if not overly generous in quantity.
My dinner companion was fairly satisfied by his poutine, however he mentioned that what "made it" was the variety of sausages that topped it -- otherwise it was a rather standard fare poutine for Montreal.
For most people, the "regular" portion is more than enough; only order the large is you are *really* hungry or are sharing between two people.
Overall, we were slightly disappointed by La Banquise; mostly because we had heard such marvelous things about this place. If you have never experienced poutine, or have not had much variety in types of poutine, I could see how this place would seem heavenly.
However, as a long-time Montrealer, it was actually only a little above average -- the only major saving grace was the variety of styles of poutine offered on the menu. The prices were a little on the high side, especially for the more standard poutine styles -- you can get better for less money elsewhere in the city.
We're not sure if we would bother returning, as neither of us were particularly impressed by our dining experience.
BEST poutine experience of my life hands down. If you were to drive all the way to Montreal, order the Poutine Galvaude and go home, I'd say it was a worthy trip.
Deliciously prepared fries drenched with a deep, rich gravy, topped with pulled juicy chicken and peas. This thing is a full course meal itself. I've had wet dreams about this, no other poutine has come close.
On Mont-Royal, La Banquise is an incredible after hours munchies destination. They're open 24 hours and have over 25 different types of poutine ranging from the Elvis Poutine (Minced meat, peppers and sautéed mushrooms) to their Veggie Poutine (peppers, mushrooms, and sautéed onions).
My only gripe is that Montrealeans have perfected the art of fries, gravy and cheese to a point that Torontonians like me are just bitter and jealous. Why can't we have a place like this?
My favorite poutine place in Montreal!
* Open 24 hours
* Large list of different toppings for poutine
* Fresh curds
* Gravy that is not too acidic, salty, or runny
My typical order is the two hot dogs (toasted all dressed) with a side of original poutine!
Poutine!
First time having it, and it was truly epic. I will definitely be eating there again upon my next visit to Montreal.
I normally don't eat fries, but then again this place doesn't serve fries, they serve Poutine!
I loved the variety and the portions were huge. After a long day of snowboarding, extra bacon and gravy was in order.
I am a big fan of this place after trying it once. A visitor to Montreal should stop in for some great and diverse poutine. They also have non-poutine items for those who are interested.
We tried the the T-Rex and the Mexican and both were good. THe staff also speaks both English and French, so no worries from either side.
I know there is a ton of reviews on this but I have to add mine as a recent Montreal defector, who now lives in BC. This place is horrible. Haha no justa kidding, open 24hours the best service you can find at 4 in the morning and the food is pure laine 100% Quebecois! This what clings to your ribs when it's -40 below or just finished a Forty.. The girl that served us on the day I left was so nice that I didn't want to leave and just remember that January night. Poutinesss, think of it like an ice cream shoppe except for fries, cheese and gravy as the base. If you go to Montreal GO THERE!! Danse la Poutine!
I think I died and went to poutine heaven. Had the Classic, Veggie, and Dance. All were excellent, though I would go back for the Dance and the Classic. Three large portions were (almost) enough to satisfy three very hungry people.
Make sure you have cash ahead of time - their ATM was not working when we went, and the nearest one is in some weird bar down the street.
In all my trips to Montreal, I'd never had poutine before but we finally decided to try the local grub and when I say grub I mean GRUB.
I wouldn't describe poutine any other way. Maybe "slop".
Anyway, les gens du coin all said this was the spot to pop your poutine cherry, with its extremely long list of poutine plats and 24-hour 'round the clock service. So we plunked down around midnight and ordered a monstrosity... I believe it was called the T-Rex? A heaping plate of cheese curds & fries, doused in a deluge of gravy and in this case, topped with a couple animals' worth of meaty bits. To be honest, the meaty bits were pretty gross. I LOVED the cheese curds, and the fries with gravy were...well, fries with gravy. Tasty, but you never feel good about eating such nonsense. In retrospect, I would've been -much- happier with the "Classique", sans meat.
I'm going to give this place 4 stars because I imagine if you LIKE poutine, or you're a first-timer like I was, you can't get better dished up 'round the clock in Montreal than at La Banquise, nor can you get more varieties. However, it misses a 5 star review because it has just about the nastiest bathroom I have ever encountered, anywhere. Truly, it was awful. Two were out of order, and the one available had no paper, suspicious pools of liquid all over the floor, stench...needless to say I fled.
Oh, and after 22H you have to pay your waitress up front, in cash. Just FYI
Listed in: Out & About in QUEBEC
Easily the best
poutine in Montreal and
it's open all day!
I love this place, in the cold Montreal days/night, poutine is the way to go. Here's the skinny...
Food: 4.5 (burger?)
Decor: 5 to me, but I could see how others would say its too... loud, visually and verbally
Dress: No code here people
Price: Cheap! just the way I love it.
Food Ordered: Traditional Poutine, regular size, killed it... and a cheeseburger "dressed", it too well done for me.. I don't know if they have medium available.. but this review was for Poutine. Cheval Blanc which tastes like a Hoegaarden
Tip: After a certain time, waiters want to be paid first, which makes sense (drunken customers w/o cash).
Ehhhhhh... well... I was here at 3 or 4 am in the morning and had just finished a tour of long islands, so I can't exactly say I was uber sober or alert. This was my first poutine experience and it wasn't the beeeest, but I guess it did the job. They have an amazing selection of poutines, to say the least.
My next trip, I tried poutine at Frite Alors, which is a direct competitor of La Banquise and preferred it mucho. And the burgers at Frite Alors ROCK. I don't know. Something about Frite Alors poutine excited me more.
Want more of me? Video foodie blog at http://www.tastytwosom...
I'm a little obsessed with poutine, ever since having it in, of all places, Chicago. So when I heard that La Banquise had the best poutine in Montreal, it made my list for "must eat" destinations.
Um, this is not the best poutine in Montreal. In fact, I was only able to get poutine twice while in Montreal (I mean, there's only so much gravy soaked fries and cheese curds one girl can eat) and this was the second best.
I ordered the poutine with peppers and onions because I like to try to kid myself that I'm eating semi-healthy. Veggies help with this illusion. The poutine is a little pricey at $8-$9 or so, but not too bad. If you're dining alone, definitely get the regular. The large is enormous. Though this poutine was fine, I actually preferred the cheaper yet similarly sized pepper and onion poutine at Patati Patata.
I was able to sit on the patio in the back, which was very nice and the staff was friendly but overall, I wouldn't go out of my way to grab poutine at La Banquise while in Montreal.
Listed in: Megan visits Montreal
La Banquise has a big reputation to live up to. I finally tried it last week. I ordered the Obelix, my wife had the classic poutine.
I say - it's fun to have extra things on a poutine, but when it comes to their fries, cheese and gravy, la banquise is not the best. They make a great poutine, but this place is not poutine mecca.
Go and enjoy their fancy poutines, and make sure you order one of the special ones. Bring your extra wallet for la banquise's outrageous prices. It's nice to experience this place once, maybe even twice...but Montreal has more to offer (like decarie hot-dog)!
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