Cruiser's Grill

Thanks to poutine lover Kim for this review!

This summer my family and I drove from Victoria to Tofino BC for a spot of whale watching. Just before we went too far down the stomach churning Alberni Highway, we decided to stop for lunch at Cruiser’s Grill.

Having lived in the US for the last six years, I am always excited to have ‘real’ Canadian poutine, even if it is from the wrong side of the country. 

The restaurant served a side of poutine for a hefty $6.95….but that didn’t stop me. 

But they really did mean a ‘side.’

Overall, the fries were mediocre (the frozen store bought variety), there were no curds, only shredded cheddar, and there was nowhere near enough gravy. I give this poutine a generous 1 curd out of 5, only because I managed to keep it down over the next 3 hours of winding mountain roads. 

Cruiser's Grill, 3680 Alberni Hwy, Qualicum Beach, BC V9K 1X7

Phone: 250-752-4814

Hume Hotel

This review is from my friend Peggi who was recently visiting Nelson, BC and had to have a poutine fix. She was delighted to find it on the menu at Mike's Place Pub, located in the Hume Hotel.


I ordered the poutine and the waitress asked if I'd like the poutine warmed up to melt the curds. I said, "Oh, no, that's heresy!" and she laughed and agreed, but added that some people prefer it that way.


I don't know how you rate your poutine, but I found it a little salty - could just be me. The yam fries were wonderful, crisp on the outside and soft inside, nice and sweet. Curds nice and firm and the gravy pretty good. All in all, a pretty darn good poutine.

Hume Hotel, 422 Vernon Street, Nelson, BC V1L 4E5
Toll Free: 1-877-568-0888
Phone: 250-352-5331
Website: humehotel.com

Pirate's Lunch

Another review from our roving poutine eater Jack D'Mestiere. This time he was in British Columbia! Read on...Jack here. While motoring around Vancouver Island on an outing from Victoria, Dolly-girl and me ran into Pirate’s Lunch. We stopped quicker than a ’59 VW going up hill. “This is it, Jack, I just know this is it! Great road-side food, by the water!”


There were all sorts of signs advertising Pirate’s food offerings...


...and then one special one caught my eye. Yes, indeed, I was looking at a chance for poutine. Here was a chance to have a 5-curd poutine from a roadside stand, just like Ronna and Richard talk about! Great decor and poutine, too. I ordered it. Dolly-girl was right! This is it! But, I should have known: Pirate pronounced it "poo-teen."

The “Poutine” arrived. My excitement faded fast. While the fries were fresh cut and cooked just right--in fact, delicious fries--and the gravy, while likely from a can or mix was tasty--although not salty enough--the curds were--WHAT? Strips of American cheese (wait, I guess that would be Canadian cheese--or would it be? I think Canadians have more taste) had been torn up and laid to rest on the fries and gravy. IMPORTED AMERICAN CHEESE! Strips!

Sorry Pirate, poutine ain’t poutine without curds. Final score? 0, zero, nil, naught.

Poutine at Belgian Fries

This review is compliments of reader Michelle L. who now lives in New York. Here's what she has to say:

I want to assist you in updating your poutine sources for Vancouver, BC. Belgian Fries originated as a double fried chip and gourmet dip shop on Commercial Drive in a really diverse, somewhat bohemian, formerly Italian and now multi-cultural neighbourhood. It has an edge. In recent years in addition to serving deep-fried Mars Bars, they have become really creative with their gourmet poutine and expanded their shop to two storefronts complete with on-tap beer and summer patio.

My current favourite is the Beef Steak Poutine: marinated ground beef, mushroom and red pepper poutine. Talk about comfort food! The cheese is perfect and the gravy is vegan to suit the demands of the neighborhood. I have brought my 4-year old and 7-year old niece and nephew there and they love it too. It took 3 years for my niece to work on her palate since she is a picky eater, but she loves poutine now. And the CBC rated it: "Best Poutine in BC."

Thanks Michelle for broadening Poutine Chronicles' coverage of poutine in British Columbia to non-corporate entities. Hope I have the chance to experience it for myself one day.

And thanks to Lucy at VancouverSavvy.com for letting me use her photo of poutine at Belgian Fries (although it's not a beef one like Michelle reviews above). To read Lucy's review of Belgian Fries, click here.

To read another review of Belgian Fries go to OhMyCalico. Thanks for letting me use your exterior shot of Belgian Fries, Calico!

Belgian Fries, 1803 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC V5N 4A6
in between 3rd & 2nd (Cross Street: Commercial DR and 2nd AVE E)
Phone: 604-253-4220

Burger King, Vancouver

Thankfully, my friend Jack D'Mestiere from Portland, Oregon is a big poutine fan and has agreed to cover the west coast for Poutine Chronicles. This time, he was at the Vancouver, BC airport and stopped by the Burger King there. Here's what he had to say...


The presentation was vastly superior to A&W's feeble attempt. Uncovering the poutine revealed good curd coverage and meltage, the gravy was brown and salty, but otherwise unremarkable. The fries were soggy. This reporter suspects that a 4 curd poutine cannot be made with fast-food fries for that very reason. Although he hates to admit it, if any fast-food joint could pull it off, it would be McDonalds, but then the Scottish name would result in an immediate 1.5 curd penalty. Otherwise, there doesn't seem to be an incompatibility with fast-food. Burger King gets a solid 2.5 curds for the effort. Oh wait, We see on the receipt that they spelled poutine P-O-U-T-I-N. We will leave it to Canadian experts, but this reporter would suggest a half-curd penalty for spelling. And then there's the use of plastic, although recyclable.

A&W, Vancouver

This just in from Jack in Portland Oregon. While visiting the Vancouver, British Columbia airport, Jack dropped into the A&W and tried their version of poutine. Looks like there wasn't good gravy/curd coverage of the fries. He only rated it a 0.5 curds out of a possible 5. Yuck.