O Smoke’s Poutine!
Our curds and gravy man!
Honest fries in all thy boxes tan.
With drown’ed spuds we fork thee up,
The True North obviously!
From far and wide,
O Canada, we know you love poutine.
French fried poutine gravy and curdy!
O Canada, we know you love poutine.
O Canada, we know you love poutine.
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The official cold-weather anthem. Night nips these days – ‘fo ‘sho. Single digits at night. And moist. That rain again. Well, I believe that poutine can assist with this. I don’t believe anyone has ever attempted to prove poutine was in any way good for you so one should never be burdened with any delusions when consuming it. This also pretty much guarantees it’s delicious.
I got mine with sliced beef at a nearby Smoke’s. One day I talked to a friend of Smoke Putinerie’s owner, Smoke Junior. The smiling sticker that continues to make the rounds around town are of Smoke Senior, in memoriam. Or so I’m led to believe.
They’re not glamorous locations, I feel I should mention. Often not staffed by glamorous people. But in the coming seasons, Smoke’s is a warm and tasty hearth on vast cold city nights.
Ladies, could you see yourself meticulously pinning notes to Marc’s coat, perhaps as an aid for when he gets lost? Do you look at this photo and think romance? And love? Then consider dropping him a line.
There was a brief, bright flash of sun during which I ventured out to eat lunch — I’ve decided Sushi Queen is my sushi joint of choice along the Queen strip, despite incessantly playing Rogers and Hammerstein show tunes over the meal. Fresh sushi / sashimi, good tempura, and a teriyaki that actually tastes and smells good. Surprisingly rare, that last one.
Then it clouded over again in the afternoon, and everything goes kinda hazy again after that.
I believe Sarah Thomson threw in the towel and is now joining forces with George Smitherman in the upcoming election. And maybe it’s a fuzzy recollection but I thought I remembered the Star starting up a new series called “The Smell Test” where they dissect election promises for feasibility. Will the Star-backed champion win, I wonder?
But it may just be fuzzy dream also. Just that kind of a day, you know?
Ladies and gentlemen, Mister Chet Baker on vocals and horn, and Patrick on the shutter:
Yesterday, all was fine in the dandy neighbourhood of Regent Park. The sun was shining. People were trancing out to the drum group perched conspicuously beneath a Smitherman banner.
Connection established. We know who’s funding this thing.
The fish ‘n chips I was masticating weren’t satisfying.
I figured, hey, the menu says “our specialty”, so I ordered it. I’ve had good food at pubs before, it’s not unheard of (the Roast Beef Stuffed Yorkshire at your local Elephant & Castle, for example). Yeah, but not here. It’s on Queen Street. I want to spare them the shame so that’s all I’ll say. Maybe also that the pub has a black bull as a mascot.
Anyhow, really poor fish ‘n chips. And that bitter story, delivered to my table via the magic of the mobile age, along with mediocre tartar sauce.
Toronto is bouncing back from the recession.
The Conference Board of Canada is predicting the city will see a 4.7% increase in real GDP this year as housing starts rebound, the manufacturing sector perks up, people start shopping and major construction projects get underway.
I flipped my plate to try the pedestrian-looking fries. As I did that, I looked at the times on the stories. I’d read them backwards – Toronto’s on the rebound and then Toronto in decline. And the fries sucked too — straight out of a freezer bag.
Posted on
September 21st, 2010
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Comments Off on Sometimes the city says, “here buddy, take five…”
There I was outside the Second Cup today, praying for the city to show me the light. Something so I wouldn’t have to work hard. Right at that moment, I swear the city fucking winked right at me.
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