Bar and gastropub Northside Yacht Club is now legendary for its themed culinary pop-ups, ranging from becoming a Northside Applebee’s to Nihilist Arby’s.
And the next transformation arrives just in time for Halloween: Poutine Wolf. It’s a pun — on poutine and the classic 1980s lycanthropic coming-of-age tale (tail?) Teen Wolf, starring Michael J. Fox.
And while werewolves typically feast on human flesh, this pop-up is instead encouraging customers to dine on gravy-covered french fries.
There will be five different options on the Poutine Wolf menu:
- Classic Canadian Poutine ($10) — Fresh-cut fries, duck-fat gravy, cheese curds and scallions. Add tofu or beer-can pulled chicken for $4.
- Veggie Mushroom Classic Poutine ($10) — Fresh-cut fries, veggie mushroom gravy, cheese curds and scallions. Add tofu or beer-can pulled chicken for $4.
- Smoked Margherita Poutine ($12) — Fresh-cut fries, marinara from smoked tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil and balsamic reduction. Add tofu or beer-can pulled chicken for $4.
- Paneer Butter Masala Poutine ($12) — Fresh-cut fries, curry made with paneer, spices, onions, tomatoes, cashews, butter and coriander. Add tofu or beer-can pulled chicken for $4.
- Buffalo Poutine ($12) — Creamy garlic Buffalo sauce with cheese curds, blue cheese crumbs (or ranch dressing), scallions and celery shavings. Add tofu or beer-can pulled chicken for $4.
NSYC co-owner Stuart MacKenzie says he was inspired to create the poutine experience after he was denied cheese-free poutine from an area restaurant.
“OK, full disclosure, when I had this experience, I was coming from an 11 a.m. tequila class and had a bit more personality than I normally do,” he writes in an email. “Being Canadian, I was stoked to see poutine on the menu. But being lactose intolerant I was bummed at my own existence. So I ordered the poutine without cheese curds. The server came back and said the lunch chef said ‘no.'”
“I was bummed and he said, ‘Well, if you don’t like it, start your own restaurant and serve it how you want,'” MacKenzie continues. “I am petty so I did exactly that and won ‘best poutine’ in an article in Cincinnati Magazine (5 of 5 maple leaves). If you don’t want cheese on it, I will be happy to still charge you full poutine price and keep my cheese. Also, don’t fuck with lactose intolerant people: We live a sad, cheese-lessness existence and have nothing better to do.”
The Poutine Wolf pop-up starts 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 9 and runs through 10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15. NSYC is closed Mondays.
NSYC is located at 4231 Spring Grove Ave., Northside. More info: northsideyachtclub.com.
This article appears in The Fall Guide.
