I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m Québecoise, so don’t mess with my poutine. For a long time after my displacement to the East Coast, New York Fries was the only place around that served up poutine. Still to this day, they are one of my favourite places for a bowl of golden fries, squeaky cheese, and piping hot gravy. Their fries are hand-cut with skin on, and cooked to crispy golden perfection. Their gravy has the right consistency and flavour that I’ve grown up accustomed to. A dark, rich brown gravy drowns not day-fresh but still flavourful cheese curds. If you’re not a traditionalist like me, who always goes for the regular poutine, you can always get your fries dressed in other popular methods: smothered in beef with red wine sauce, spiced up with some butter chicken, chili cheesed with sour cream, or meatless with tons of cheese and veggies. You can also round out your meal with a steamed hot dog. After a day of shopping, when a salad really won’t satisfy as a reward for traipsing through waves of hormonal teenagers and angry toddlers, I’ll make a bee-line for the fries. Out of my way, ladies with American Outfitter bags! Those taters are mine!