Regional Special
Local specialties from Canada
Canada is a melting pot of different cultures and this is also reflected in the diversity of the food. Depending on where you are in the country, you will find other and unique specialties.
On this page we would like to present good, famous or unusual restaurants and locations that we have particularly liked for a variety of reasons.
Poutine
Everywhere throughout Quebec
Wikilink
Description: Poutine is a Canadian fast food specialty. It consists of French fries, cheese curds and gravy. The dish is available on almost every corner and in all possible combinations. There are even restaurants that exclusively offer poutine.
Our rating: One thing in advance. Even if you get the feeling that poutine is the national dish in Quebec, it was only partly our thing. We tried it a few times and in different variations, but we could not really get excited about it.
It wasn't that we didn't like the dish at all, but it certainly won't become our favorite meal either.
Description: A bagel is a yeast-based pastry with a hole in the middle. Before being baked, bagels are boiled. If you would like to learn more about the history of bagels, you can find it here. The bagels are made on site in both stores, and you can watch them being produced. There are also around 10 different types of bagels that you can try.
Our rating: There are two bagel brands in Montreal. Some swear that Fairmount makes the best bagels, while others say exactly the opposite. We can't decide, because to us, both bagels simply tasted like bagels. We couldn't really tell the difference. So let's put it this way... If you want to try a delicious, homemade bagel in Montreal, you can't go wrong with either store. Our favorites were the sesame bagels (Gerd) and the raisin bagels (Uschi).
Beavertails
3700 rue St-Patrick, Suite 106, Montreal
Website
Description: Beavertails are a Canadian specialty known as “flat doughnuts.” They are fried pastries made from yeast dough that are hand-shaped into a form resembling a beaver's tail. They are topped with various sweet or savory ingredients. The first permanent location opened in 1980 in Ottawa's Byward Market.
Our rating: I don't know what anyone could dislike about a beavertail. If you like doughnuts or similar fried yeast pastries, you'll like beavertails too. Our favorites were the ones with sugar and cinnamon and with apple sauce. Delicious.
The Persian Man
899 Tungsten St, Thunder Bay
400 Balmoral St, Thunder Bay
Website
Description: The Perian originated at Bennett's Bakery in Port Arthur, where it is served with a sweet pink glaze made from raspberries or strawberries. According to tradition, the Persian was named after US General John “Blackjack” Pershing, but the exact date of its creation and the circumstances surrounding its invention are no longer known. The recipe remains a secret, and there has been much debate over whether the glaze contains raspberries or strawberries.
Our rating: Actually, you already know what a Persian tastes like when you see it. It's a doughnut with sugar on top. Since we don't really like that on doughnuts either, it was pretty clear beforehand that the Persian wasn't going to be our favorite pastry. But hey, when there are highly praised local specialties, you have to at least try them. It was okay for our taste, but definitely not a highlight.
