The city of Kelowna has a sizeable variety of food options to offer. From the classic fast-food spots like Triple O’s and A&W, to higher end favourites like The Keg and Earls, there is a good distribution of places to cater to different tastes. For any foodies in Kelowna, finding a go-to location for specific dishes is a must do. The easiest way to track down the best of the best is the old reliable trial and error.
As a self-proclaimed foodie, I’m always looking for new places to eat. Recently, I decided to visit a few restaurants with some friends in search of what I hoped would be my favourite poutine yet. Inspired by Buzzfeed’s “Worth It” series, I decided to visit one fast-food spot and two higher end ones with the aim of discovering which poutine amongst the three is the most worth it at its given price point.
The Reviews
New York Fries
| Criteria | Review | Score |
| Cheese | The cheese curds managed to hold their form while still being melty when mixed in with the poutine. They were solid, but not anything to write home about. The only issue was that there weren’t enough of them. Unfortunately, the second half of the poutine was cheeseless. | 2.5/5 |
| Fries | The fries were served generously. They all had the perfect crunchy texture and were still fluffy inside. They needed to be salted more but the cheese and gravy compensated for this. | 4.5/5 |
| Gravy | The gravy was quite average. Not very flavourful, but perhaps that’s because there was barely any to begin with. The little gravy there was, got soaked up by the fries. A lack of gravy made the poutine a little too dry and I found myself needing a drink to finish the meal. | 2/5 |
| Average Score: 3/5 | ||
Smokes Poutinerie
| Criteria | Review | Score |
| Cheese | As classic poutines go, the cheese curds were standard. They were not overly squeaky, and yet still had a decent bite to them. On the other hand, they could’ve been meltier. While cheese curds don’t typically melt, we agreed that borderline-melty cheese curds make a poutine more wholesome, rather than more rubbery ones that act like an extra addition. | 2.5/5 |
| Fries | The fries were nice and crispy. There was a good mix of fries that soaked in more gravy and those that kept a crunchier texture. They could’ve used more seasoning to add some flavour. | 3.5/5 |
| Gravy | The gravy had a great consistency. It was thicc 😉 but not too heavy. It also had that “mmm mmm mmm, the flavours are melting on my tongue” quality. Truly I can’t stress enough how much the flavour was flavouring. | 5/5 |
| Average Score: 3.6/5 | ||
The Canadian Brewhouse
| Criteria | Review | Score |
| Cheese | The cheese in the “Canadian Poutine” managed to achieve a decent melt but still keep the same recognizable cheese curd bite. Where the cheese fell short was the quantity. While it was mixed in well, the cheese to fry and gravy ratio was just a little off. | 3/5 |
| Fries | The fry element was probably the strongest part of this poutine. Whereas the other poutines used a typical skinny fry, the Canadian Poutine was made with potato wedges instead. They had the perfect texture. Just crispy enough to keep their structure when mixed in with the gravy and cheese. | 5/5 |
| Gravy | The gravy was great as well. It tasted like your usual gravy but was elevated by a delicious maple bacon flavour. It coated the fries perfectly and was served generously. The only shortcoming of the gravy was that it was possibly a little sweeter than some would like. | 4/5 |
| Average Score: 4/5 | ||
The Verdict
Assuming the numbers speak for themselves, then the Canadian Brewhouse comes out on top in the search for the best of three poutines. However, in my opinion, a 0.4 improvement in rating doesn’t account for a $5.59 difference in price. Therefore, my worth it winner is Smokes Poutinerie. Their poutine is classic and reliable, and their gravy was on point on the day that it mattered. It also helps that they have a great variety of poutines that you could try for yourself! I hope this review inspires you to try out your favourites around the city.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alvin Nganga is an International Student from Nairobi, Kenya. He’s an international relations major and a lover of basketball and all things creative. As a summer content creator, he’s looking to entertain and connect with the UBCO community. In the process he hopes to meet new people and have a lasting impact in whatever way he can.
