Hot Rod’s Grill won La Poutine Week’s Judge’s Choice award. (HANDOUT)
Ladies and gentlemen, here are your winners.
Winnipeg restaurants served up their best poutine creations earlier this month in the first ever La Poutine Week competition and diners helped to narrow down the best of the best.
Held February 1-7, the week-long indulgence of French fries, cheese and gravy — albeit served in creative and tasty ways — was a so-called “tour-de-poutine” for many local foodies.
Coming up in first place with the Judge’s Choice Presented by Kingsey award was Hot Rod’s Sweet Pork Longanisa Poutine by Hot Rod’s Grill at Vickar Ford.
“If the Philippines had discovered poutine, bites of longanisa with fries, gravy and cheese would be the perfect mix,” said the dish’s description.
Hot Rod’s used locally-sourced Bothwell SqueaK’r white cheese curds, crispy golden fries, slices of Hot Rod’s premium lean sweet pork longanisa sausages, and savoury adobo pork gravy.
The restaurant has also been featured by Vice Munchies in Chef Matty Matheson’s “Matty In Manila” back in 2015. In 2017, Hot Rod’s Longanisa was featured in a short digital travel documentary by National Geographic Canada.
The People’s Favourite award went to St. James Burger & Chip Co. for its Shepherd’s Pie Poutine, which sold itself as being double fried, thick cut chips, spiced with signature St. James Chip spice, gravy, real mozza and cheese curds.
St. James Burger & Chip Co. won the People’s Favourite award at La Poutine Week. (HANDOUT)
The Most Original Poutine award went to Kyu Grill for its Deluxe O.K.O Poutine with a savoury egg-pancake, grilled sake-marinated octopus, mozzarella cheese, spicy-unagi sauce, all on fresh-cut Shichimi Frites.
Kyu Grill won the Most Original Poutine award at La Poutine Week.
(HANDOUT)
For the full list of national winners, visit LaPoutineWeek.com.
