No, that’s not a typo. I’ve always seen Poutine as the Great Québec Mistake, a culinary misadventure which for some reason has become sort of hip in our nation’s downtowns. Basically it’s fries and gravy and cheese. Except when it’s in a Thai restaurant.
Here we have deep-fried taro root with a lemongrass-chili sauce over tofu and hot peppers. I tried it. It wasn’t terrible. It wasn’t poutine either, which correlates.
This is at one of our local joints, named Bob Likes Thai Food; on the long walls are aggressively-modern paintings of a fork on one side, a spoon on the other; labeled “Bob’s Fork” and “Bob’s Spoon”. One time I asked the guy at the cash register who Bob was and he said “We’re all Bob“.
Also, they do a damn decent Penang Beef and Chicken Pad Pik King.
Comment feed for ongoing:
From: John Cowan (May 31 2012, at 22:21)
For "all Bob", see the Jargon File s.v. "bob" at http://catb.org/jargon/html/B/bob.html .
As for Poutine, wasn't he the Prime Minister that supported Bush?
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From: thedude (May 31 2012, at 23:56)
We're all Lorraine! and you will be Todd!
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From: Martin (Jun 01 2012, at 05:10)
Poutine is the best comfort food ever. The secret is in the curd cheese used: the fresher the better. Most restaurant out of Québec do not use the right cheese.
I agree that it is far from sushi on the delicacy scale.
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From: Russell (Jun 01 2012, at 10:53)
Interesting variation.
For poutine itself, I would conject that poutine served outside of Quebec is not poutine. The cheese curds used elsewhere are not raw, unpastuerized cheese so are basically what most Canadians refer to as "cheesy fries".
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From: Anton McConville (Jun 01 2012, at 13:24)
I've lived in Canada for over a decade, yet can't bring myself to try Poutine. I sort of want to, but even the idea of it makes me feel queasy.
So your title of Thai Poutine had me feeling pretty nauseous right away, thinking of a red curried version or something with cheese curd, gravy, lime and basil.
I've spoken to a few Canadians that are disgusted at the thought of British 'Chip Butties' - thick french fry sandwiches with lots of butter, salt and vinegar on the fries/chips - but I have the stomach for that.
I wonder if there is a genuine Thai equivalent to this kind of comfort food.
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From: J. King (Jun 01 2012, at 15:50)
Ah, routine poutine. You don't quite get the real stuff in Toronto, but you can find a close approximation if you look hard enough. Yum.
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