What Is Poutine? Canada's Most Famous Comfort Food

If you've never heard of poutine before, you're not alone. We spend half our time at markets explaining what it is, and the other half watching people come back for a second helping after they've tried it for the first time.

So, what exactly is poutine?

At its heart, poutine is a simple dish made up of three ingredients: crispy fries, rich gravy and fresh cheese curds. It was created in Quebec, Canada, and over the years has become one of the country's most iconic comfort foods.

Simple doesn't mean boring though.

When it's made properly, the hot gravy softens the cheese curds just enough while they still keep their famous "squeak". The fries stay crisp on the outside and fluffy in the middle, and every mouthful is packed with flavour.

Why are cheese curds so important?

This is probably the question we get asked the most.

Cheese curds aren't the same as mozzarella, cheddar or halloumi. They're a young cheese that's famous for its slightly springy texture and the little squeak they make when you bite into them. If you've ever heard someone talk about "squeaky cheese", this is what they mean.

For many Canadians, poutine just isn't poutine without proper cheese curds.

That's why we've always used real cheese curds. We could use grated cheese like some places do, but it wouldn't be authentic, and that's never been what we're about.

More than just chips and gravy

People often think poutine is just chips with gravy poured over the top. While the classic version is perfect as it is, poutine has evolved into something much bigger.

At Poutinie we've taken that authentic Canadian base and created loaded versions with toppings like slow-smoked beef, steak, buffalo chicken and creamy mac & cheese. Every one starts with the same foundations: fries, rich gravy and real cheese curds.

Why we started Poutinie

We wanted to bring authentic Canadian poutine to London because we couldn't find the real thing ourselves.

Since then we've met Canadians who tell us it reminds them of home, and we've introduced thousands of people to poutine for the very first time. One of our favourite moments is watching someone take their first bite and immediately understand why Canadians love it so much.

Where can you find us?

You'll usually find us at Tooting Market in South London, and we're also out at markets and pop-up events across London, including Victoria Park Market.

If you're curious about poutine, come and try it for yourself. Whether you go for the Classic or one of our loaded creations, you'll find out why this Canadian comfort food has built such a loyal following.

And if you do visit us, don't forget to say hello. We always love hearing whether it's your first poutine or your hundredth.