Make room for Poutine King
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/08/2023 (870 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
MINNEDOSA — While I was excited to attend Rockin’ the Fields of Minnedosa for the very first time last weekend, I have to admit that one of my first stops when I reached the festival grounds was the food truck area.
Not only was the congregation of smells tantalizing, but I recognized several of the vendors from my stint doing the Brandon Sun Food Truck Review last summer and couldn’t resist another taste.
One of the trucks that immediately caught my attention belonged to the Poutine King, since his highness served up a phenomenally filling and memorable dish (“Mighty Buffalo”) the last time I entered his domain.
Wanting to explore the menu a little further, I decided to order “The Cowboy” poutine ($15) this past Friday afternoon, expecting the same bold flavours and large quantity of ingredients that I experienced before.
For the most part, I think “The Cowboy” delivers on this promise, although the sheer size of this dish may scare away the uninitiated.
The first thing I noticed about this poutine was its weight, since I felt like I was carrying around a small medicine ball rather than a recyclable container full of fries, cheese curds, gravy, pulled pork and dusted onions.
Just like with their “Mighty Buffalo,” the Poutine King’s staff didn’t skimp on the ingredients with “The Cowboy,” providing a meal that could easily be shared between two or three people.
Despite the sheer enormity of this dish, it never devolved into chaos and was very well constructed overall.
The top layer consisted almost entirely of pulled pork and a garnish of dusted onions, with the potent aroma of barbecue sauce reminding me of a well-done steak right off the grill.
While I’m the easiest mark in the world for pulled pork, the protein included in this poutine was particularly tender, which pairs up nicely with the crunchiness of the dusted onions.
A closer look at Poutine King’s “The Cowboy.” (Photos by Kyle Darbyson/The Brandon Sun)
Given that the people who run Poutine King are also in charge of Smoked and Sauced, another local food truck that specializes in mobile barbecue, it’s no surprise that they really nailed this part.
Underneath this upper layer, the rest of the poutine managed to maintain its structural integrity, offering that classic combination of fries and melted cheese that has already captured the hearts of countless Canadians.
That being said, attacking “The Cowboy” solo was a physically demanding feat, comparable to a long-distance run given how much I was sweating by the end of my meal.
Admittedly, my perspiration might have been due to the muggy weather conditions that blanketed Minnedosa last Friday, but the sheer amount of food that the Poutine King manages to pack into that one container didn’t help.
Still, the staff are definitely giving you your money’s worth with this dish, since it’ll probably fill you up to the point where you can skip your next two meals.
But devouring this poutine all in one sitting might be a tall order for some, especially if you, like me, struggle skewering all those thick ingredients with a little plastic fork.
LEFT: Poutine King owner Jay McCallum serves up an extra-large version of “The Cowboy” this past Friday afternoon at Rockin’ the Fields of Minnedosa. RIGHT: A closer look at Poutine King’s “The Cowboy.” (Photos by Kyle Darbyson/The Brandon Sun)
The Poutine King food truck sits parked on the Rockin’ the Fields of Minnedosa festival grounds this past Friday. After attending a variety of events in Winnipeg throughout the month, Poutine King will return to Brandon in September for Food Truck Warz.
To be fair, Poutine King owner Jay McCallum told me on Friday that he and his team are thinking about introducing smaller portions somewhere down the line, so that issue is at least on their radar.
If this change comes through, I could see it being a boon to the business by encouraging customers to mix and match different items on the menu, including dishes that feature less conventional ingredients like Korean beef (“Kalbi BBQ”) and tofu (“The Garden”).
But for right now, Poutine King still manages to deliver a satisfying dining experience through “The Cowboy” that’ll fill you up and get your taste buds singing.
Just don’t be surprised if you feel like taking a lengthy nap afterwards.
Verdict: 4.5 out of 5
The Poutine King is scheduled to return to Brandon in the fall for this year’s Food Truck Warz (Sept. 15-17) after attending a variety of events in Winnipeg throughout the month.
The King is also planning to drop by Minnedosa Fun Fest on Aug. 19.
The Brandon Sun will be publishing a new food truck review every Wednesday and Friday all this month.
» kdarbyson@brandonsun.com