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Smoke's Poutinerie
Categories: Restaurants Fast Food Restaurants Poutineries Fast Food, Poutineries [Edit]
218 Adelaide St WToronto, ON M5H 1W7
Neighbourhoods: Entertainment District, Downtown Core
(416) 599-2873
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 11:30 am - 11 pm
Thu 11:30 am - 3 am
Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 4 am
Sun 11:30 am - 9 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night, Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
83 reviews for Smoke's Poutinerie
Review Highlights
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"French fries covered in cheese curds and gravy, how can you..." In 23 reviews -
"I had the Veggie Deluxe version with mushroom, caramalized..." In 4 reviews -
"...itself you'll find the regular size more then enough." In 5 reviews
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83 reviews in English
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Review from Samantha C.
North York, ON
4/19/2012
Every so often, if you go here at lunchtime, you can actually get your poutine in a timely fashion!
On the real, though, I love this place. I've ordered the same thing every single time I go -- "regular veggie nachos, diet coke" - but for some reason, I keep craving this place, and I love it.
Absolutely delicious. Don't be put off by the fact that they squeeze out condiments such as guac or sour cream via bottles -- this is actually a great tip that helps with even distribution. The jalapenos leave something to be desired, not very heated, but overall, I guiltily finish my meal every time.
Now, guys, just make more veggie friendly options! Soy meat is big, you know! the "Veggie deluxe" is pretty laughable.
Also, it's weird, but I hate mushrooms, yet love their mushroom gravy. -
Review from May L.
Markham, ON
5/12/2012
How can you not love fries, cheese and gravy? Smoke's Poutinerie goes just a bit further by adding a bunch of other yummy ingredients into the poutine, and makes it that much better.
I would have to say, I always have to share it with another person because one person alone just cannot put that much calories into their mouth. There are also so many different varieties that I am always tempted to go back to try that one that I didn't get last time. Been here many times and still haven't finish trying the ones I have on my "to try" list.
I would have to say, my favorite so far is the Nacho Grande.
A suggestion to the restaurant: please post up some nutritional value information in your restaurant or on your website! I know it's not exactly very healthy food, but I just want to know how bad it is! -
Review from EatingoutT O.
Toronto, ON
4/24/2012
3.5
Added onions are way too sweet, it throws off the entire dish. Had to use sriracha to balance. We prefer the classic. -
Review from Edwin A.
3/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place is not one of my favs.
Mainly for it's low grade of poutine and secondly the obnoxious clientele who frequent here.
This location serve a terrible poutine. Soggy half cooked fries and artificial flavoured gravy. If you don't ask to be light on the gravy you'll have a french fry stew. They are fast at taking your money though.
Because it's located near the club district, they get a steady stream of drunk people trying to soak up the alcohol in their system.
Last Fri night, friends ordered their poutines and I went to hunt for a table for us to sit at. I saw one girl passed out on a table, hands outstretched with her friends huddled around for support and just turning my head I saw another girl at the bar stools by the window with her friends huddled holding a paper takeout bag for her to puke into. So ghey go outside and save the disgust and smell for customers who just want to eat in peace. She did end up puking on the floor. And the next guy who sat at the bar stool when they left didn't even notice the mess on the floor underneath him. -
Review from Anne B.
1/17/2012
After a night involving more martini's than I can recall I wound up at Smoke's Poutinerie. The line up was massive but it moved quite quickly (in spite of douchie young drunkards - most likely fresh from a nearby disco-tech - attempting to cut the line) so don't be alarmed if you find yourself in a poutine ravenous queue. You will be served sooner than later.
Now this might be the least Canadian statement I'll ever utter, but when I'm not inebriated I actually don't really care for poutine. I'll occasionally steal a fry from a friend's poutine, but I'd never soberly order it for myself. I think it's because I like my fries to stay crispy. Perhaps I would be on board with a thicker gravy that didn't saturate into the fries so readily. Regardless - poutine? Not really my thing.
That being said, I can appreciate that this is pretty much the food of the gods to those who have had one drink too many. In spite of the copious amount of alcohol I'd consumed, I woke up the next morning hangover free! I do, however, feel that they could put a lot less salt in the gravy. Even with a gin-drenched palette I still found it to be comparable to salt lick. -
Review from Philip L.
1/27/2012
My first poutine and we loved it! Cheese curds were the best part, like stretchy and flavorful mozzarella.Tried a bunch of different flavors and liked them all. The ones with meat like philly cheesesteak and country style chicken had plenty of it, they didnt skimp!
Portions are pretty big, everything was fresh. Wish they had this in america! -
Review from Sandy C.
Scarborough, ON
1/13/2012 3 photos
Out of all the locations I've been to for Smoke's, this is probably the best one I've been to. The decor for the place is fun and there is actually places to seat. Plus reading some of the chalk drawings on the blackboard provides some entertainment while eating there.
My friends and I came here for lunch one day where we shared a large Triple Pork. The pulled pork melts in your mouth and is sweet and tangy. The bacon was crispy and the sausage was to die for. My friends and I wanted to just buy the meat and not the fries!
The only complaint I have is that the fries are never hot enough when you eat it. But overall, this is a great place to eat poutine (although I wouldn't recommend it on a daily basis). -
Review from Madelaine D.
Toronto, ON
10/17/2011
The good: We got free poutine!
The bad: The place was a littered in empty poutine boxes.
The ugly: There is nothing ugly about free poutine at 4am.
We stumbled into this place after a night at the bar and the guy behind the counter said people weren't picking up the poutine they'd ordered and paid for up, so we could have ours for free!! We were soooo excited. That sort of lucky awesomeness doesn't happen too often.
The poutine was good with delicious fries covered in cheese curds, drenched in gravy and a perfect size for sharing. The gravy was only okay though, kind of tasted like Swiss Chalet Gravy.
There were empty, or partly empty abandoned poutine containers all over the restaurant which was a little gross.
It's a cool place to stop into after a night at the bar.Listed in: 30-Day-Challenge
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Review from Lynn C.
1/14/2012
Introducing an American to poutine can be a nerve-wrecking experience. Is this not the few things Canadians are known for? Even though I knew that my boyfriend loves fries and loves cheese, I was still worried that he wouldn't love poutine--why? Because, to be honest, I don't have a thing for poutine. In fact, after having clubbed by smoke's for the last couple of years, I've only had one bite of a bacon cheeseburger poutine, and I don't even remember how it tasted.
When my bf ordered the pulled pork poutine (he also loves pulled pork), I thought he wouldn't be getting the full poutine experience and the pulled pork would overpower the gravy. The fact is that it did, which made him say that poutine is similar to a chili cheese fries at Taco Bell. Since I don't eat fries in general, I have no idea whether the comparison was fair, but I actually quite enjoyed the pulled pork poutine. Maybe next time, I'll try the curry chicken poutine... -
Review from Kate P.
10/5/2011
FACT: Poutine is one of Canada's national food groups.
FACT: I am Canadian.
FACT: I hate Poutine.
But I do love fries, and I love things on my fries.
So in a late night Doctor says "you can't eat after midnight" walk around Downtown T(dot)O (dot) to find something to fill me up I stumble into a Poutine place.
Why on earth would i do that? For fries and stuff on my fries of course!
The fries at Smoke's are golden yellow fluffy on the inside and the perfect crunch on the outside. In the world of 'fast food' fries they come close to perfection. So I don't know why people want to muck them all up and put gross gravy all over them. But I guess that's how we Canadians are, and judging on how many people ahead of me asked for extra gravy I'm going to just assume if you are into that sorta thing Smoke's Poutinerie gravy might be pretty tasty.
All is not lost though my yelping friends. Because here they pretty much put anything and everything on, or should I say in, Poutine.
I ordered a small which made me miss the USA because it was the size of my face. I asked for the pulled pork (which totally hit the spot) and added peas.....and cheese curds of course!
"no gravy please"
"no gravy?"
"no thank you"
"we have veggie gravy you know"
"no thank you, no gravy"
I paid with a Canadian bank card as to say 'it's ok I'm still Canadian.'
The staff was friendly and the place was full...... I left with my big box of fries, pork, cheese, and peas, and walked back to my hotel happy to dig in.....and well I can't complain. It was some cheap, good, solid, stick to my arteries, fill up my belly, late night dinner.Listed in: Life is a Highway, I AM Canadian, the T(dot) O (dot), Cheese Please.
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Review from Justin R.
12/28/2011
The best poutine spot I've had thus far. Thanks to the Toronto Transit Commission the subway rides were fun and efficient. I really love poutine, it's simple, playful and it tastes great. It's a canadian staple and if you google it, apparently there's a lot of history behind it. Smoke's takes it to another level, they have several types of poutine.
I went downtown today with my cousins, they originally wanted Burrito Boyz. Unfortunately when we got to Burrito Boyz, they were closed and we could see them renovating the place. Smoke's was located right above them and after all that walking from the subway, that was our only option.
I ordered the Nacho Grande but they had some teaser choices too that made it hard for me to decide. The Nacho Grande was poutine dressed with beef chili, sour cream, guacamole, jalapenos and tomatoes.
The fries were made from great quality potatoes. I ordered a regular size and I was struggling to finish it. I almost ordered a large. Shout out to Andrew for giving great customer service. Even bigger shout out to the chick holding it down in the kitchen by herself. They got slammed with customers but they did a great job! -
Review from Brian T.
12/22/2011
I'm beginning to feel that the joy of Poutine is also the torment: it's nearly impossible to find the "perfect" poutine, despite its simplicity. Maybe the simplicity of it can also be its downfall?
But Smoke's makes a nice Poutine. Particularly because the fries, the foundation of this dish, are excellent. I found the gravy lacking a developed beef flavor, and the cheese curds too melted (hence, lacking any squeak), but if the fries are as good as this, it all can't be too bad.
For the record, some reviewers have remarked that the gravy seems flavored with actual smoke, but what I taste is rosemary! And it's a nice overtone to add to the gravy. -
Review from Cheri D.
9/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was excited to FINALLY get some late night, post-drinks poutine the other night. I gotta say, I was disappointed.
I ordered the original, regular ole' poutine, and my friend got the pulled pork poutine. While the pulled pork poutine was delicious!!, i wasn't too thrilled with the original. The gravy was too thin! I like a good thick gravy that sticks to the fries! Tres triste. The pulled pork one could get away with the runny gravy because the taste was so spectacular, all spicy and chipotle-like. Mmmm.
But really, if you can't make the basic poutine right, then i can't give you more than 3 stars. -
Review from Randy G.
Toronto, ON
10/18/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Is it completely authentic? No, I'm quite sure you can get better in Quebec quite easily.
Is it good by Toronto standards? You bet.
Are there lots of flavours? And how. The menu is extensive in causes of premature delicious death. One of my favourites is Nacho Grande, and the Thanksgiving Dinner one (turkey, peas, cranberry sauce and stuffing) was awesome.
Is it expensive? Yes. The large is by far the better deal - often $2 more for more than twice as much, and the small on some of the "higher-end" poutines is often in the $7-8 range. Don't plan on keeping the leftovers of the large around, though, because...
Does it re-heat well? Not at all. The fries have a tragic reaction to microwaving. Worse than Mickey D's fries.
Is the service good? Depends on who's behind the counter. I've had very friendly, and I've had people who would definitely much rather be doing anything else. Not bad, mind you, just... annoyed. Getting your poutine takes a while, as they seem to cook the fries on-demand.
Is it worth going to? Yes, but for your own sake, not too often. -
Review from Sam C.
7/9/2011
I had to write this review while it's still fresh on my mind. I just got back from Smoke's Poutinerie before i headed home. Wow...what a disappointment..in fact really..this is the sh*tiest poutine I've ever had. Pardon my french.
I've had their poutine before but with stuff on top like the Hogtown and etc. So I never really had a traditional poutine here. But this time i decided to do the traditional and found the fries to be cold, the cheese curds next to frozen, and the gravy to be like gelatin (ie. packaged gravy). They portray bags of fresh potatoes in the shop but honestly the fries are frozen before fried and you can taste it. The gravy is just absolutely disgusting. I guess when 90% of your guests are drunk when they order they can't tell the difference. It actually takes a lot of work to ruin a simple yet delicious dish but Smoke's manged to do it. Scary thing is they started to set up shops around the downtown core and even have a food truck, I would hate for visitors to think that's the best poutine T.O. has to offer. -
Review from bold c.
Toronto, ON
Recommendation: LINE UP IN THE RAIN THE FOOD IS THAT GOOD!
10 Sec Summary
-----------------------
1. Cool ambiance
2. Hard Rock music
3. Polite and efficient staff
4. Wonderful smelling food
5. The Pulled Pork was the best Poutine I have ever enjoyed!
6. POP shop available
Under $15 can feed two people -
Review from Carma G.
Mississauga, ON
1/25/2012
got the small bacon cheeseburger poutine and it was delicious. brought potine to a whole new level. Although the box of a small was fairly tiny, I did not even finish half of what was in it, and i was very hungry to begin with too. The box was loaded with lots of beef, cheese and lots and lots of bacon. if you like bacon, this would be the poutine for you. the staff was fairly friendly and was very helpful in recommending different things.
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Review from Yvonne T.
Headed to Smoke's Poutinerie after having boozed and dances the night away down the street at Bar 244. It was not too crowded but had a few occupied tables.
We ordered the traditional and pulled pork poutines. The pulled pork is a chipotle pulled pork and was very tender with a hint of sweetness to it. Both poutines were topped with a generous amount of gravy and cheese curds.
2 stars deducted because the service was slow, a bottle of water costs $1.70 and the fries were just meh. Personally I prefer the poutine at Poutini Poutine House. -
Review from Elisa L.
8/10/2011
After all the recommendations I was getting, me and a coworker decided to try this place out. This is a place you would walk/subway to, there's not a lot of street parking.
As the name implies, it is pure poutine. Even their "Nachos" are actually just mixed sauces put on fries to make it have that Nacho-y taste. We got the Nacho poutine, and it was extremely large and filling. It was pretty good, just very thick and made us feel oily/fat afterwards, which is expected of poutine I guess. The service is pretty good, our poutine came within 7 min.
The place is quite popular, and fills up quickly due to low numbers of seating. It is fairly clean, although there are people that litter outside the door sometimes. -
Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
3/4/2011 5 photos
Now I know poutine tastes much much better if you get to share with someone!!
This is my second Smoke's Poutinerie location I visited. The first time at the Queen St West location which I found my traditional poutine a little too oily, the gravy a little too salty.. if did not get me too excited.
Second time the Veggie Deluxe poutine which I have the pleasure to share that with another yelper after an intense HOT yoga class tasted so much better!! Especially when your friend kept telling you how good this is!
And I have to say I love my Veggie Deluxe poutine!! Cheese, green peas, mushroom and cooked onions can taste that good?!! We finished the Huge Large order in record speed.......
BTW, this location is so much more spacious.. and at least it has real tables and chairs not just bar stools!Listed in: A Day in the Entertainment…, Poutine in GTA
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Review from Alan W.
Toronto, ON
4/4/2011
Poutine, glorious poutine!
I stopped here for lunch and made the mistake of ordering a large size bacon poutine.
The appearance of the large box versus the regular size box didn't look that much bigger and it was only $1.50 more for the large, so I went for it.
Boy, was I in for a challenge!
The large box was pretty much almost double the size of a regular box and in that box was a hefty serving of yummy thick cut fries, cheese curds and smothered in gravy (all was good). Then on top of that was a huge heaping of fried bacon.
I mixed it all together and quickly devoured half of it which is when I felt really stuffed and poutined out.
I like that they have more than a dozen different variations of poutine. The restaurant itself was nothing special, but in a good way. It has a certain nostalgic humble charm without being a hole in the wall.
I will definitely return for another try (the curry poutine sounds interesting) once my arteries has recovered.
One thing this place needs is a liquor license. A cold pint would go so well with a heap of poutine -- how Canadian is that? -
Review from Jonathan L.
Richmond Hill, ON
1/2/2012
Pretty good poutine, but I only really come here after clubbing and need a midnight snack. I can usually taste the poutine in my mouth still the next morning because it is just so salty. Still...it always satisfies that late night post clubbing craving for something savory.
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Review from Laura T.
2/20/2011
Sorry Smoke's lovers, I am unimpressed!
I LOVE poutine, but just can't get myself to enjoy it here. The gravy is...smokey? I guess that's an appropriate description. I think a top quality poutine should showcase the cheese curds, but at Smokes the cheese doesn't really melt all that well, aren't that flavourful, and the gravy has a very overwhelming/dominant flavour. The cheese is almost squeaky...
Props for creativity - ie bacon poutine. I ate the bacon off the top...
They also get points for quick service, and hilarious people watching during the after-bar hours. The best is when one drunk person tries to fork-feed another drunk person. Poutine is best served...to oneself. -
Review from John Y.
Toronto, ON
12/30/2010 1 Check-in Here
Poutine and nothing but Poutine, that's right you heard me right, if you don't like Poutine then get the f**k out of this store. Wow, so many topping choices (eg Philly cheesesteaks, pulled pork, chicken, etc)
I went with the original ( gravy & cheese curds) after all why ruin a good Poutinue with fancy toppings, that's like eating Pizza with Pineapple.
2 sizes available, normal and large, normal was plenty enough for me, however if you are training to enter the local Canadian Sumo academy then the large portion should give you a head start
There is limited seating on the main floor, counter top seating only, however I did see people going through another door so there could be additional seating that I am not aware of.
There was only one guy handling the front counter and cooking at the same time during my visit at 1100, be prepared to wait a few minutes as they cook up the fries when ordered. If you can't finish, then you can fold up the chinese type takeout box they put the fries in to take home and eat in your own privacy.
The waiting was worth it, my heart was telling me to stop but my taste buds overruled, you only live once. -
Review from Cristobal T.
11/8/2010
Poutine = Canada's version of California's version of Carne Asada Fries
Pretty good if you like to have clogs arteries and don't mind removing a few years off your life.
I had the Philly Cheesesteak Poutine here and they let you order in either a small or regular size. I got the regular and finished it all in one sitting, but I wish I got the small, because these babies got tons of carbs in them.
I'll give one of Canada's delicacies on a 4 stars rounded up from 3.5 - Probably would've tasted with some ice cold beer to wash it down with. -
Review from Justin M.
Milton, ON
9/14/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I eat poutine, if I can control myself, four times a year. Once per season. I will happily give Smoke's half of my annual poutine intake.
It's a gimmick, I'll admit, putting a variety of stuff on top of poutine. God, it's not another "thing", is it? Friggin hipsters.
But the poutine is tasty. Now, admittedly, I keep getting flavoured kinds, so I can't tell much about the gravy or the squeakiness of the curds. But I'm not a jerk from Quebec, so I don't like to complain about how "you can't get a good poutine in Hontario, calice tabernak". I will say that the pulled pork is nice and sweet, and the nacho poutine is a nice combination (although possibly excessive).
A small will do a normal human being just fine, and the variety is great. Go, get something there.
Just don't take any friends in wheelchairs. It's tiny, and it's up a flight of stairs. -
Review from Michael A.
5/10/2011 6 photos
I came here at the recommendation of a friend who had lived in Toronto for a while. I've known what poutine was for the past few years and always said I would try it when I got to Quebec...well little did I know it is not just available in Quebec but all over Canada!
I've been eating french fries with gravy my whole life, so I was really looking forward to trying something that combined my favorite with some cheese curds.
It was not a very difficult place to find, it is a short walk from the CN tower and very close to the fire station.
I was surprised how empty the place was, but did not let it scare me off since I was told this is great poutine.
A man wearing a boat-captains hat took my order. This place had a very hipster vibe going on. I went with the traditional, and also ordered a bottle of cream soda(pop). It was ready in about 5 minutes.
I let the box stay shut for a while because I had read Poutine is best when the cheese curds melt a little. I then dug in. It was good. and it was a lot. The small portion was so huge it could have fed 2 people. So you definitely get a bang for your buck. The taste was good, the gravy was yummy and the cheese had a nice flavor.
This is however something I would not crave. I am glad I tried it, but it was nothing extraordinary to me. I could see really craving it while intoxicated though(I really crave carbs after a few drinks).
If you are in the area give it a try, you get a lot for your money :) -
Review from Erin K.
Toronto, ON
9/11/2010 1 photo
Full of loud post-clubbers late at night, the poutine itself isn't amazing but it's filling and good for the post-bar stomach. Not a huge fan of their gravy - it's heavy and gelatinous but it does the trick when you need the fix. Their chili poutine is filling, but I find their pork options way too much even for my appetite.
I ate there for a pre-theatre dinner with friends. I remember feeling really heavy and quite frankly gross while Maria sang about the hills being alive. From this, I learned that Smoke's is only really good when you're tired & tipsy - perfect for stirring a greasy, heavy, appetite.
Also, keep an eye out for the Smoke's on Wheels truck, touring Toronto -
Review from Jimi S.
ON
10/18/2009
I'm about half way through a regular AKA gargantuan box of pulled pork topped poutine. Though it's quite tangy, crunchy and replete with curds, I should have gotten a small (AKA something regular).
Other than my own gluttonous tendencies, i have not too much about which to complain.
(cut to many weeks later after having not finished this review and now im finishing it...)
so ive had two flavours, as it were, at the smokes, and the second one was the chicken with mushrooms or something like that, and i was not as impressed. i cannot quite place it, but for some reason i felt like i was eating severely processed chicken, and there were just a paltry few pieces of it. ive had better spam sandwiches. (by rights i suppose i shouldnt be complaining about processed chicken after trying to trump it with spam but...).
anyhow, im sure most would agree that for a fun change on poutine this is a solid place. i suppose once a section is created in the NOW for Poutine Places, we might be able to revise our reviews with a finer toothed comb but until then
stop smoking drugs and start smoking poutine. -
Review from Michelle H.
Vancouver, BC
Pulled Pork pountine is my fav! If it wasn't 2 in the morning, I would totally try the double pork or the triple pork! But I felt guity after finishing half of the poutine with my friend... I only wish they have something as good as this back home =(
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Review from Monique L.
6/26/2009
After a night at out a friend of mine came with me to try this place out. They have a ton of selection and different toppings try out but we went with the basic.
It was pretty good, but it's hard to mess up such a good thing, fries, cheese curd and gravy.....lots and lots of gravy!
I would have preferred NY Fries poutine but they just close too early! -
Review from Kathleen W.
9/1/2010
Maybe it was the booze. Maybe it was being surrounded by adults and eating Chinese food for every single meal that the 5 of us went a little nuts when we found Smoke's. We weren't sure when we'd get another non asian meal. The line at 2:30 am was long ... the women in line were loose. The men - normally who'd step aside and offer a drink to perky C cups and stiletto's didn't tolerate anyone cutting in line. Don't mess with a man focused on poutine.
We ordered the original, the Montreal (with pickles) and the pulled pork that had pulled pork and bacon . The latter was by far the best ... though all of them were pretty tasty. At 2:30 am, you can't go wrong with fries drenched in cheese curds, gravy and meat. -
Review from Melanie C.
Oakville, ON
9/17/2009
I was feeling experimental on my first visit to Smoke's and ordered the smoked meat poutine. I didn't think the combination of two of my favourite foods would be so weird. I think a regular poutine plus smoked meat would have been okay, but the addition of mustard added a weird taste to the gravy. I was also hoping for this "dill" that is supposed to be included as per their menu, but my poutine came sans pickle. Dave W.'s review tells me I was ripped off.
Second time around, I tried the nacho poutine, which was much better. I love guacamole, which is included in this recipe. It was a little messy due to the combination of ingredients, but the flavours seemed to blend together a little better compared to the smoked meat version.
The fries were a good thickness, the quantity of gravy was perfect (I didn't have to eat any dry fries) and the curds actually melted (I've had a poutine with cold curds before). While I enjoyed my poutines at Smoke's, I have definitely had much better poutines elsewhere (mostly in Quebec).
Bonus: I happened to go to Smoke's prior to the new shopping bag law and my take-out came in a biodegradable plastic bag. -
Review from Wendy H.
Toronto, ON
5/29/2009
I remember the day I heard about this mythical "all poutine" joint that would be opening up on Adelaide, and how my long-stifled gravy urges made a bargain with my junk food conscience. Their menu was so unique - beyond the usual curds & grayveh, poutine with curry chicken?! With pulled pork?! - I knew I had to give this ship a test drive.
So there I was on opening day, standing in line in the cold, waiting for some fries to warm my belly. I ordered the poutine with chicken and peas (what?! I like peas!!) and here's the verdict: the fries are perfect - spiced just the right amount and crispy enough to maintain a crunch even under a pile 'o gravy. The cheese curds are worthy of picking off your leftovers even when you're too full to finish, but the gravy wasn't hot enough to melt them (boo!). I thought this might have been first day jitters, but on my second visit it was the same deal.
But here's the thing: Smoke's is open pretty late, so when you're a little tipsy and Lady Grease is calling your name, this is where the place really shines. I'm actually kind of wishing I was half drunk right now, so I could hit up Smoke's guilt free (when it comes to food, what happens at 3am stays at 3am). Who needs perfection after the party when you've got something warm, salty and oooooozy?! You know?
PS: The portion is gigantic, so if you're only a little hungry or have a small appetite, you should split with a homie. All the fancy topping versions are cool, but at the end of the day, I recommend going for the traditional - and BONUS - there are vegetarian versions including a vegetable gravy. Nice! -
Review from Jeannie D.
9/12/2011
OK, coming from the midwest we are known for our love of fried food, cheese, and gravy, so poutine is like a wet food dream come true! I got the double pork with bacon and pulled pork, my BF got the philly cheesesteak with peppers, beef, and cheese sauce. Each was utterly phenominal - spicey and sweet and salty and crunchy and savory in all the right ways. I've been trying to gather backers so I can open up my own shop in Minneapolis. If you want to join me, holla!
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Review from Joe H.
So after the first visit of smokes poutinerie, sober by the way, I've finally come to see why everyone comes here after the bar.
I ordered the small pulled pork poutine and had samples of the regular and Montreal poutines. First recommendation, order a small, I personally eat a lot but a giant amount of potatoes and cheese isn't really that easy to finish.
The pulled pork was quite a surprise. Personally I wasn't expecting it to be so sweet. Kinda turned me off of it and I didn't really enjoy it. The original poutine is MUCH better. The best thing about it is that the gravy isn't all too salty as other places can be. Other than that my only other complaint is that the cheese curds did not melt at all. That's kinda foreign to me as a poutine.
Final thought, I think the other flavours are gimmicky (the montreal poutine consisted of deli slices, mustard and pickles). Stick to the regular poutine. -
Review from Helen L.
Toronto, ON
8/25/2009
I've been craving for a good poutine for a while so we went to check out Smoke's Poutinerie. I had the Veggie Deluxe version with mushroom, caramalized onion and peas and it was glorious!
I am not sure if the cheese curds are "squeaky" enough by Poutine standards as I am no expert but there were loads of it. The fries were crispy even drenched in mushroom gravy. The gravy was just right (not too sweet, not too salty) and the veggies were delicious. I'd go back again for sure! -
Review from Daniel F.
Toronto, ON
4/22/2009
As a poutine enthusiast, I was initially really stoked to hear that there was a poutine speciality shop - I even took the day off of work make sure that I got their as they opened on opening day.
That being said, I was totally disappointed with what Smoke's had to offer. Fries were ok, and they used cheese curds (which is a plus, because if it aint curds it aint poutine, ya diiiiiiiiiig?!) but the gravy? ugh.
The "traditional" was a hybrid of beef and chicken gravy which was totally weird and unappetizing. Then I went again thinking that maybe I got a bad batch...but alas, this time was worse. The boxed meal of my people totally smelled like baby vomit. I thought that it was just me, so I asked someone else...and they concurred.
I have not gone back since and I'm debating giving it another shot. I feel like I owe it to them, but at the same time? sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeit. -
Review from Amy D.
Toronto, ON
2/17/2009
Whenever I'm asked what is a true "Canadian dish" poutine always comes to mind.
French fries covered in cheese curds and gravy, how can you not be proud?
This new take on Poutine has taken the dish to a whole new level. This new Poutinerie concept is the brainchild of a graphic designer, the attention to design is a dead give away. Once you're able to get up to the counter ( poutine is the drunk food of Canada) you're greeted by a plethora of choices and innovative toppings. I chose the pulled pork poutine and was not disappointed, although I was temped by the other interesting combos.
I highly recommend this late night spot, just not every night :) -
Review from Heather M.
6/6/2010
I did not understand all the kerfuffle over Smoke's Poutinerie. A colleague got the pulled pork poutine for me, and I thought I was going to be sick afterwards! (I at least felt like I was close to a nap.)
The pulled pork was bland, the gravy was salty and watery, and fries were ridiculously salty and soggy. The cheese was also not melted in some parts! GASP!
In Toronto, you'd be better off even going to a Harvey's (if you can still find one) for a poutine.
