When I strolled into the restaurant called The Big Cheese Poutinerie, I was greeted by the classic Tracy Chapman tune “Give Me One Reason” playing from the speakers inside. In light of this, I hoped I would be given many reasons to stay there and potentially come back for more. The Big Cheese Poutinerie, originally established in Canada, now possesses a U.S. location at the intersection of Clark and Roscoe, just a short walk from Wrigley Field.
Contrasting the accepted Chicago hotdog or deep-dish pizza joint, our new Canadian friend serves exclusively a dish known as poutine. Prior to arriving, I hadn’t the slightest idea what a poutine was but soon learned that it’s essentially a helping of French fries loaded with cheese curds and gravy. There are a myriad of variations that can additionally crown the poutine, mostly comprised of assorted meats.
One of the options is titled “Hogzilla,” illustrating that these poutines are the epitome of hearty. Nevertheless, the menu did include multiple vegetarian options, which I especially appreciated since I don’t eat meat. The restaurant functions as a typical walkup where, upon entering, I went to the counter and ordered then sat down to wait for my food. The worker who rung me up wasn’t particularly chatty but was adequately polite.
I ordered a small Loaded Veggie poutine for $6.99. I thought this seemed rather pricy especially since it was the smaller of two size options. Once they called the number located at the bottom of my receipt, I grabbed the hot sustenance from the counter and was eager to find out if this foreign dish would be as enticing as it sounded. My particular poutine, the Loaded Veggie, featured mozzarella curds, caramelized onions, peas, mushrooms and other vegetables drenched in a spicy gravy sauce, providing a greasily blissful experience for the taste buds.
Though quite tasty, my one criticism is that the bottom layer of fries was very soggy from an excess amount of gravy at the base of the container. The place itself is quite small, but didn’t feel cramped and was clean and welcoming. There were several tables near the back section of the restaurant and a counter with barstools lining one of the sides. Other features included an exposed brick wall, some Coca-Cola paraphernalia and numerous vintage-looking black and white photos decorating the walls.
The atmosphere was fairly dull since the workers, a few other customers and I were the only ones in attendance; however, this is because the restaurant is presumably busier on weekend nights when catering to those who are out and looking for some late-night chow. On Fridays they stay open until 4 a.m. Since I had no knowledge of what the establishment would be like, I went during a weekday and around lunchtime when there unfortunately wasn’t much activity or liveliness.
All things considered, The Big Cheese Poutinerie sports some good eats using the wonderfully unfamiliar concept of the poutine. The surroundings are inviting and would be even more so on a weekend night or perhaps after a Cubs game due to its proximity to Wrigley Field. Despite the items being a tad overpriced, it’s safe to say that the food did give me a reason to stay and I will definitely be returning in the near future.