TRAVEL
IT ’ S CLEAR THAT THE ONLY THING BETTER
THAN POUTINE IS FREE POUTINE
34 six star magazine
There are no rules when it comes to poutine . The dish can even be enjoyed as a hearty breakfast , as fans of the Old No . 12 Café and Lounge can attest . Located in Ste . Anne , this poutine includes grilled potato chunks , fried onions , bacon , cheese curds and gravy , all piled high . You can make a mini-vacation of your visit by staying the night at the scenic campground and browsing the farmer ’ s market for fresh produce the next morning .
Some 50 kilometres southwest of Ste . Anne , you ’ ll happen upon Lucky Luc ’ s Bar & Grill in Saint-Pierre- Jolys , where you ’ ll also find two of the greatest hits in Québécois cuisine in a single dish . This version has tortière filling , pastry crumbs and ketchup aioli with spicy kicks joining curds and gravy on top of freshly cut fries . If you ’ re stopping by in mid-July , check out the village ’ s infamous frog-jumping championship , part of its Frog Follies and Agricultural Fair activities .
By this point in the journey , it ’ s clear that the only thing better than poutine is free poutine . If you ’ re up for a challenge , TaLL Boys Grill & Pub in St . Claude presents their Ginormous Poutine Challenge . If you can muster the intestinal fortitude to eat three pounds of fries accompanied by two pounds of meat , shredded cheese , cheese curds and gravy in 30 minutes or less , they cover the tab . ( Don ’ t let the measly 10 percent success rate dissuade you !)
While in St . Claude , you can work off all that poutine by participating in the town ’ s Bastille Day Celebration , which has taken place every mid-July for more than a century . You can also explore the Manitoba Dairy Museum or visit the local Roman Catholic Church , a stunning example of the work of legendary Franco-Manitoban architect Étienne Gaboury .
If you happen to be in Manitoba in the dead of winter , you can hit Winnipeg for an annual celebration that honours this deep-fried delight . Taking place each February , La Poutine Week is one portion of a nationwide party that began in Montréal in 2012 and has since grown to encompass 10 different Canadian cities . There are over 80 restaurants in Winnipeg alone that participate , making this just the ticket to satisfy your hunger and shake off the cold .
Photos : top left and middle courtesy of Travel Manitoba ; bottom left and top right courtesy of Manitoba Tourism