Poutine at Chicago's new poutine shop.
posted April 5, 2014 8:49 PM   RSS | iCal | +googleCal

Fri May 2 at 7:00 PM, The Big Cheese Poutinerie
3401 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL, USA (Map & Directions)
A new poutine shop has opened! Let's go!
They have veggie poutine, and apparently gluten free and vegan cheese options too. So there's no good reason not to come!
posted by garlic to Meetup (14 comments total)

Oh, but it's in the worst neighborhood ever. Is there a game this day?
posted by Juliet Banana at 9:10 AM on April 6, 2014


There is, but it's at 1:20.
posted by Fig at 9:17 AM on April 6, 2014


I went after a baseball game yesterday around 6. There were peeps on the street still, but not so much drunken carousing as to make it awful.
posted by garlic at 1:12 PM on April 6, 2014


WAIT WHAT THIS IS STUMBLING DISTANCE?!?! How the everlovinfuck did I miss that detail? Goddamn what a terrible weekend I have just endured that I talked with several people about this place and never noticed where it is.

Sure, I'm in. Although Juliet Banana makes what might be the most important point.
posted by crush-onastick at 7:43 AM on April 7, 2014


My wife and I checked this out last week. They are off to a bit of a rocky start. The Notorious P.I.G. that we had was without sausage because they had run out and the staffer said they had no diet coke after looking at their fridge (filled with reg cola and pop shoppe bottles) but then when we sat down we noticed they had a fountain cola machine. I expect those issues will be sorted out pretty quickly.

I found the fries a bit too soft and mushy and the gravy too runny. Plenty of curds though. We had the small and I think it would be just about right for one person but it was a bit expensive for what you get (Maybe the missing sausage would have helped?). Their range of options are huge. You might develop neck strain reading their wall mounted menu. There is not much in the way of seating. Maybe enough for 4 or 5 small groups and a window facing counter with bar stools for about 6 more or so. Plenty of space for queuing and standing. They are right next to the L.

No recycling bin for the glass pop bottles.

I'd give this a C and I don't think it will ever be better than a B- unless they increase their fry quality.

I'd give them another try but I much preferred the poutine at both Dryhop and the Haymarket (perhaps because you can also drink beer?) Also Edzo's, my goto junk food option has such wonderful crunchy fries that it is a crime against Huge Man In Tee that they don't offer poutine.

Despite being a Canadian operation they are Calgary based business so they are roughly three times as far from Montreal as Chicago.
posted by srboisvert at 10:23 AM on April 14, 2014 [2 favorites]


Edzo's fries and variety of topped fries are so great. I've been thinking about suggesting they do a poutine the next time I'm in there.
posted by garlic at 3:57 PM on April 14, 2014


I usually make the gravy at home and send the spouse to 5Guys for the fries. 5Guys fries are the best and very versatile. You can eat them out of hand, put them under poutine, save them for a couple days then chop and cook them with soyrizo for breakfast burritos. Really versatile and yummy.
posted by crush-onastick at 7:41 AM on April 15, 2014


I'm pretty convinced the cubs game shouldn't contribute to a terrible evening based off of my experiences so far on days after cubs games.
posted by garlic at 12:03 PM on April 25, 2014


Although it's not far from Wrigley, it is off the drunken fan path.
posted by crush-onastick at 3:19 PM on April 26, 2014


This is also one of the places on the Brown Line Bypass demolition list. So it my just be a 'pop up' Poutinerie that can vanish before you get around to going.

I've been twice - once on the weekend. Not crowded at all.
posted by srboisvert at 11:46 AM on April 29, 2014


Yep. 3401 N clark is on this list.
posted by garlic at 1:42 PM on April 29, 2014


I hope the L expansion happens. It sucks for the short term (and very much for some property owners) but if we don't increase capacity on the CTA now and regularly, we are long term screwed.
posted by crush-onastick at 1:50 PM on April 29, 2014 [3 favorites]


This is showing up in my Google Calendar as starting at 9. I will not be there at 9 unless I have been eating for two hours.

(Possibility slim but I wouldn't say none.)
posted by MCMikeNamara at 8:57 AM on May 2, 2014


I screwed up the timezone I told IRL about.
posted by garlic at 9:19 AM on May 2, 2014



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