What could be better than hot crisp French fries covered in melting cheese curds and home-made gravy? If you’re a fan of Friday-night comfort food then poutine might interest you.
This classic Canadian dish from Quebec is loved by foodies and late-night snackers alike. Poutine, meaning ‘mess’ or ‘messy’, was invented by restaurateur Fernand Lachance in 1957 when a take-out customer at his restaurant requested French fries and cheese together in a bag. And until recently, poutine connoisseurs here could only reminisce about their favourite indulgence.
Now, three childhood friends, brothers Ahmed and Moutaz Al Ghussein and Chef Serge Takelian, have brought Canada’s best to Dubai for the first time. Serving purely Canadian food, The Maple Leaf seeks to beguile us with its luscious smoked meats and poutine. The trio tirelessly searched for the best produce to source for the restaurant, including top-notch organic Black Angus beef for their sandwiches. “We are currently serving two different types of poutine — classic and Italian,” says Moutaz.
The classic version comes with crispy skin-on fries smothered with oozing cheese curds and rich gravy while the Italian poutine is a delectable blend of a signature Bolognese sauce, smoked meat, piquant curds and fries.
Indeed, the word is spreading quickly within Dubai’s Canadian community, testifed by numerous exclamations of delight heard in the restaurant.
Others such as New York Fries claim to be the people who perfected poutine, though they don’t quite make the cut. But if you are in the mood for something extravagant, Canadian chef and restaurateur, Chuck Hughes takes poutine to the next level — his lobster poutine is exquisite — while Fraiche in JLT offers crab poutine that’s great too.
It is difficult to typecast Canadian cuisine as it has drawn from indigineous and immigrant influences over the years. But swing by the Maple Leaf, and you won’t be thinking about anything but food.
