Boston's Best Poutine
The Red Sox and the Blue Jays are at the bottom of the barrel this year. With Canada's only Major League Baseball team in town this week, what better way to drown all of our collective sorrows than with a heaping help of the Canadian comfort food, poutine.
Those who are unfamiliar with poutine, allow us to explain. It's a combination of French fries, gravy, and cheese curds! Several Quebecois villages lay conflicting claims to inventing poutine in the 1950s.
Like hockey and curling (which was actually invented in Scotland), poutine is growing in popularity south of the Canadian border. Boston restaurants have been some of the first to catch on to a growing trend. And some have even managed to master the art of this delicious Canadian dish. Here are a few of the best when it comes to poutine.
Saus
33 Union Street
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 248-8835
http://www.eatfrites.com/
Apparently French Fries were actually invented by the Belgians. At least that's what Wikipedia says. And hey, Wikipedia is never wrong, right? Anyway, it shouldn't come as a total surprise that you can find a fantastic poutine dish at Saus, a place that claims to be Boston's first Belgian street food café.
The Gallows
1395 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02118
617-425-0200
http://www.thegallowsboston.com/
In a glorious salute to Canada, The Gallows dedicates an entire portion of its dinner menu to poutine. The first option under poutine is "Simple," consisting of hand cut fries topped with house made gravy and cheese curd - poutine in its purest form. There's also a vegetarian option and an "Out of Control" plate that can change from night-to-night and season to season. Some of the non-traditional "Out Of Control" toppings have included Thanksgiving dinner, lamb, chicken, and who-knows-what else.
Grass Fed
605 Centre Street
Jamaica Plain, MA
(617) 553-2278
http://www.grassfedjp.com/
Go for the burgers, but stay for the poutine. You ask any of the local foodies and they'll tell you Grass Fed has some straight-up authentic Quebec-style flavor packed into their poutine.
The Beehive
541 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 423-0069
http://www.beehiveboston.com/
You're wondering about whether The Beehive has good poutine? Well, Beehive general manager Bertil Jean-Chronberg is from Montreal. Need we say anymore?
The Lower Depths
476 Commonwealth Ave
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 266-6662
http://thelowerdepths.com/
The Lower Depths dumps Gravy, Fried Cheese Curds, Melted Cheese and Scallions on top of tater tots!!! This not-so-traditional version of poutine may have your French-Canadian grandmother rolling over in her grave. But before all the traditionalists start picketing this list, take a second to think about that. Tater Tot Poutine.
Note: Lower Depths is Cash Only!!!
