Armenia on the menu
Richard admits to being a little disappointed, because we did not mention his son’s restaurant in the selection for our world menu. So dry your tears, since justice will be done to him here, and the name of Putinie Yerevan, which was born in Armenia, will henceforth be engraved in our columns. Raffi Elliott and Haïk Kazarian, “two Montrealers who have been living in Armenia for several years and in need of poutine,” have opened their unexpected establishment in this small country. On their menu, where it is specified that the word “poutine” has nothing to do with the head of state, they offer a classic, but also an Armenian version, the same base, garnished with pastirma and soujouk, two national delicatessens. Hotheads can also add “hellish spicy mayonnaise”.
Check out the Poutinerie Yerevan Facebook page
Poutine salsa
PHOTO FROM THE POUTINE & POUTINE WEBSITE
Poutine with jalapeño peppers, chorizo and fried chicken
Jean, a resident of Quebec, presents himself as a regular in the Colombian capital, Bogotá. Around 2014, in the historic La Candelaria district, a surprise awaited him on a street corner, under the name “Putin & Poutine”, a small fast food restaurant obviously popular with students. “According to what I was told on site, this business was created by an Italian immigrant who discovered poutine in Quebec,” reports our reader. Ten years later, the establishment is still open and plays on a variety of local ingredients in its dishes. “They replace the cheese curds with small cubes of cuajada, a local fresh cheese,” explains Jean. There are also jalapeños, corn, olives, chorizo, cubes of ham, etc.
Visit the Poutine & Poutine website (in Spanish)
At the top in Tasmania
PHOTO PROVIDED BY OUR READER
Florence, daughter of our reader Michèle, had the joy of being able to taste poutine once at the top of Cradle Mountain, a rather unexpected place to find the Quebec dish.
That’s a poutine that’s worth it! During their trip around the globe, around ten years ago, Michèle and her family met an Australian police officer in Vietnam. Forming a friendship, they found themselves in Burnie, a town in northern Tasmania, the island where the officer resided. The latter came to pick up Quebecers at the port to take them to Cradle Mountain, a magnificent national park. “One hike later, we arrived at the summit, where there was a chalet and a restaurant. Our two children were able to have poutine there, to their great pleasure, having been away from home for six months! », says the mother.
Aruba Matata
PHOTO PROVIDED BY OUR READER
Since 2016, two expatriates have been serving poutine on the confidential island of Aruba.
Mme Martel is certainly an expatriate in California, but it was on the small island of Aruba, in the Dutch Antilles, that she came across a great address serving poutine. “I came across it by chance a few years ago, when they had a small secondary kiosk near the big hotels. It was actually the best poutine I’ve tasted outside of Canada,” says our reader. Information obtained, the restaurant was opened in 2016 by two Canadians who were spending their vacation on the island.
Visit the Alfies in Aruba website
You can find everything in Dubai
PHOTO TAKEN FROM THE TRIPADVISOR SITE
The chain took its liberties with the recipes, but these poutines nevertheless seem appetizing.
Vincent and his father, returning from Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, winced as they passed the sign of an establishment located at the city’s international airport. “This restaurant specialized in poutine only, and we had a lot of laughs seeing it in a region of the world that seems to us to be completely different in terms of gastronomy,” says the traveler. And he’s not the only one serving it in town! The international chain New York Fries, located in a shopping mall a stone’s throw from the immense Burj Khalifa tower, also has them on the menu – and they look very tempting. The company also has operations in Saudi Arabia and Oman.
Visit the New York Fries website
On a Panamanian beach
PHOTO PROVIDED BY OUR READER
Putin and Panama? It’s possible.
Fernand, a great fan of poutine before the Lord, writes to us from Playa Farallón, in Panama, where he is currently spending his vacation. That’s because his eye caught the menu of the Nico’s Beach restaurant where the Quebec dish appears. “The restaurant offers an excellent poutine as a starter. The sauce is super good, much better than many places in Quebec,” he says.
Visit the Nico’s Beach website (in Spanish)
Read our article “The incredible epic journey of poutine around the world”