The first store of its kind, Smoke’s Poutinerie serves one dish and one dish only – poutine. Consisting of french fries, fresh cheese and brown gravy, poutine is a popular Canadian staple. Using this traditional dish as the base, Smoke’s Poutinerie puts a modern spin on it with fresh and unique toppings to create signature plates.
Danny Rodriguez, one of the Berkeley location owners, discovered poutine while producing a film in Winnipeg, Canada. Rodriguez saw long lines at an eatery across the street from the movie set – Smoke’s Poutinerie. Immediately hooked on the delicious poutine, he introduced the dish to the cast, crew and his venture partner, Robert Parada.
Although there are over eighty locations in Canada, the Berkeley location will be the first US venture of the chain. By bringing the Canadian staple to an American audience, Rodriguez and Parada hope to introduce a new alternative to Berkeley cuisine.
Photo Courtesy of Smoke’s Poutinerie
With its signature blend of top-quality ingredients and seasonings, Smoke’s Poutinerie promises to deliver on both quality and taste. The fries are hand cut daily, and every dish is made to order, so each plate of poutine is guaranteed to be loaded with fresh, scrumptious toppings. The owners recommend the best-selling Bacon Cheeseburger Poutine, the Pulled Pork Poutine and of course, the Traditional Poutine.
In particular, Smoke’s Poutinerie aims to be one of the biggest late night joints in Berkeley. It will be open from 11am to 4am daily. Customers with poutine cravings can buy the menu items in three different sizes, ranging from the $3.99 “Snack Size” to the $12.99 “Wow Size.”
Before officially opening on Monday, December 9, Smoke’s Poutinerie will be giving out free poutine to Facebook followers on Saturday, December 6 from 1pm to 4pm. It is located on 2518 Durant Ave., Unit A (the old location of Manhattan Grill), so make sure to stop by for an authentic taste of the Quebec sensation.
Check out their Facebook page and Twitter page for more details.
A big thanks to the owners, Danny Rodriguez and Robert Parada, for the interview and delicious information.