Montreal’s Poutine Week takes over town in 2014

Forget the polar vortex, residents of Quebec and Ontario are now bracing themselves for mass hysteria of a different kind… a delicious kind… Montreal’s second annual Poutine Week!!!

Clambering over and fighting for the closest cardio machines, the people of Montreal are preparing themselves for the second annual New Year’s resolution-busting Poutine Week. For the first week of February, 30 restaurants from across the city will take part in this gluttonous curd-fest battle royale to crown the city’s best poutine.

“It’s the gravy that keeps us together and I love that about Montreal,” says Na’eem Adam, Poutine Week’s head curd and gravy pusher. “It’s a great way to see how restaurants put their own spin on this traditional Quebecois dish.”

Thierry Rassam, co-founder of the event, adds “The unique offerings from the restaurants on a traditional Quebecois dish are a reflection of our mixed culture in Montreal.”

There are some new faces on the restaurant roster this year putting forward some interesting and unique versions of the classic poutine: Uniburger’s chilli cheese fries, Icehouse’s coffee and donut poutine, as well as highly anticipated Imadake Izakaya’s “Attack of the Imadake’s プーティン Disaster 2014.” Known for their whimsical dishes and names to match, it’s been hinted to contain some sort of okonomiyaki and “Japanese gravy” in the mix. Reigning Poutine Week champion Poutineville’s 2014 offering will be a closely guarded secret until it’s unveiled on February 1 and will likely set the bar as high as their winning “General Tao” poutine of last year.

Restaurants will call upon their poutine-loving fanatical guests to vote for their poutines via Poutine Week’s official website, where public votes, as well as those of guest celebrity judges, will be tabulated before a winner is announced on February 8 in a grand closing party.

2014 is the second edition of Montreal’s Poutine Week but also marks the inaugural Poutine Week for neighbouring cities of Quebec City, Ottawa and Toronto, where the same formula applies and bragging rights are equally up for grabs.