What is the allure of Poutine? I always wondered…
Being of Canadian origin, I had heard often of Poutine, but had yet to try it. I knew Poutine originated in Quebec and the mention of it always elicited “oohs” and “aahs” from my friends. I had also heard great things about the gastro pub The Federal Bar, but had not visited, yet. So when I heard that the Federal Bar transforms into a “Poutinerie” starting at 6 pm Mondays and Tuesday evenings I knew it was an opportunity not to be missed!
My assessment? Poutine is the comfort food of comfort foods! Rich and tasty, warm and filling with something for everyone – and the combinations you can make are virtually never-ending.
To start off, the Flawless cocktail looked refreshing – Grey Goose Pear Vodka, St Germaine Elderflower Prosecco and lime juice. And it was! Later on I tried the Red Rose, also a vodka-based cocktail: Hangar 1 Vodka, Charls and Charles Rose, fresh raspberries and lime juice. Stimulating!
Creating your Poutine is a 3-step process:
First: french fries, tater tots or sweet potato fries. Already off to a good start, eh?
Then choose your own:
Gravy (beef, chicken, bbq sauce, wing sauce, marinara)
Cheese (cheese curds, cheddar, pepper jack, blue cheese)
Protein (short rib, turkey chili, chorizo, soyrizo, vegan chili, bacon, pulled pork, ground beef, pulled chicken)
And finally, the toppings! – select two (mushrooms, pickled onion, grilled corn, crispy brussel sprouts, crispy onion, tomato, garlic, avocado, pickled Fresno chilis, pickled habanero, jalapenos, eggs cooked as you like).
Ah yes, it was as delicious as it sounds. My personal favorite was the sweet potato fries smothered with short rib, beef gravy, blue cheese, crispy brussels sprouts and crispy onions.
Just in case it all seems too much to decide, there are five premade poutine choices: The Classic, Poutine Cabrones, Angry Chicken, Breakfast (with bacon and eggs of course) and The Texas Poutine. The menu is here for you to see what is included in each.
The Federal Bar also offers live events: Comedy, Burlesque Shows, Fiction Series, live DJs and more. After enjoying the poutines I went upstairs to see he karaoke with a live band. Serious players here, folks! It was open and the band was excellent, and very welcoming.
The Poutinerie at the Federal Bar is a place I want to experience again!
Lesley was brought up in Canada and has had the great fortune to travel extensively throughout Europe and the U.S. Despite that fact that models are supposed to eat as little as possible, she couldn’t help but enjoy the delectables offered to her in Paris, Milan, Hamburg, Zurich, Tokyo and New York City.
After being cast in a touring play with Mickey Rooney that ended their engagement at the Pantages theater, the lure of Los Angeles was too much to resist. She moved here and has since been a model agent and a commercial agent. Her true passion is photography and she now spends her days bringing out the best of everyone who finds themselves in front of her lens.
