I think we can all agree that there aren’t many dishes quite as well known and widely loved in Canada as poutine is. It’s even considered by some to be Canada’s national dish! The country’s cherished specialty food is irresistibly cheesy, unabashedly savoury and addictive, and 100% Canadian. Although poutine is said to have originated in Quebec, it didn’t take long for it to become a staple eaten across the entire country.
With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that there is an entire week dedicated to the best versions of the crave-worthy dish: La Poutine Week. And it’s taking place this year in Ottawa from February 1st – 14th, 2022! The tenth annual edition of the (now two week-long!) poutine festival will give us all a much-needed chance to indulge in one of our favourite guilty pleasures.
Traditional poutine is actually quite simple to make: you just combine french fries, cheese curds, and gravy, and there you go, you’ve got yourself poutine! That being said, nowadays many restaurants try to put their own unique twist on the dish, and several popular variations of poutine exist.
This year, there are 5 different crazy poutine flavours for you to try including a Tao Poutine with Ribs, a Quezo-Rizo Poutine and a Buffalo Chicken! Which one do you think will be your favourite?
La Poutine Week festival is a tasty opportunity to discover new poutine creations, and you’ll even be able to vote for your favourite ones! There are several award categories such as ‘The Most Original Poutine’, ‘People’s Choice’, and ‘Judges’ Choice.’ Originally from Montreal, this poutine festival has grown a lot since their humble beginnings. Now operating in most major Canadian cities annually, they´ve raised over $400k in total and supported over 2500 local restaurants. It´s a fun way to get out and try top Canadian chef´s creative spins on a classic.
Don´t sleep on this delicious food festival of Canada´s most iconic dish. You´ve only got two weeks to try all the unique flavours you can!
When: February 1st – 14th 2022
Where: Check out all the participating restaurants in Ottawa here