WATCH: Quebec poutine has become so popular that it’s being made around the world. But one restaurant in Toronto is turning head with its new creation of the dish. Phil Carpenter explains.

Send this page to someone via email

One Toronto restaurant is taking poutine innovation to a whole new level.

Story continues below

Owners at The Enchanted Poutinerie on Wilson Avenue in North York created a new “unicorn poutine” that they say is meant to cheer up clients.

“The unicorn poutine is basically a classic dish,” co-owner Carmine Riossi explained.

“We use real Quebec curds and real potatoes from Prince Edward Island.”

The difference between unicorn poutine and the traditional variety, though, is that they add food colouring and use white gravy.

“We’ve come up with a way that we can create a white gravy and make it taste exactly like regular gravy,” Riossi claimed.

According to Riossi, the dish is popular with their clients. Even the Canadian government tweeted a picture of it, saying, “If you didn’t think poutine was magical enough, #Toronto‘s Enchanted Poutinerie has got you covered!”

Story continues below

In Montreal, though, in the province where poutine was invented, clients and staff at famous poutine restaurant La Banquise were surprised and amused at the creation.

“Oh my God,” exclaimed client Philippe Groulx when he saw pictures of the Toronto poutine for the first time.

“That’s so crazy. It’s like so many colours — blue, purple, pink.”

Another customer, Charles Bender, vowed to go nowhere near the stuff.

“I don’t think I would eat it,” he said, frowning at the first sight of it.

“It doesn’t seem appetizing at all,” he laughed.

Groulx said he wouldn’t mind trying it, though, because he said he’s used to trying different kinds of poutine. That’s why he goes to The Banquise, where waitress Marie-Claude Proulx told Global News that they serve up to 30 different varieties.

Story continues below

“It’s nice to mix different cultures and sometimes you’re surprised that it’s so good together,” she stressed.

Groulx agreed.

“It’s so boring,” Groulx said, “having like the regular cheese and same sauce and it’s nice to add stuff.”

Subscribe to updates from Global News Unsubscribe from Global News updates