Poutine Has A Hold On Chicago
The city's best bets for Canada's favorite late-night food
Poutine, Québec's popular late-night snack, has a steady hold on Chicago.
Case in point: Tickets to the upcoming Poutine Fest sold out in 30 minutes.
But not to worry; you can indulge in gravy- and cheese-curd-topped fries at one of our favorites any day.
Bite Café: Here, poutine is served in the morning, with poached eggs resting on a mound of crisp fries and curds ($10). Break the yolks, mix them into the bacon gravy, and enjoy the bite of the pickled chiles that cut the dish's richness. Added perk: Mushroom gravy is available as a vegetarian option.
Little Market Brasserie: Intensely flavored short-rib gravy lacquers Ryan Poli's spuds ($14.50). In a departure from classic form, the cornmeal-coated cheese curds are also fried, lending an extra layer of crunch.
The Gage: The most traditional of our favorites has all the elements of classic poutine: sturdy fries, mirepoix-based elk ragout, and cheese curds ($9) that achieve that elusive melty/squeaky balance.
The Boarding House: Born and raised in Québec, chef Christian Gosselin puts a lavish spin on the humble dish ($16) with a generous topping of lobster and an extravagant sauce Américaine–a silken, lobster-stock-based concoction–in lieu of gravy.