After a successful first year, PA Poutine Week is returning from March 17-26.
Seven Prince Albert restaurants are competing to win the Gravy Bowl Championship and Poutine Choice Award, while also raising funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS).
“Last year we tried this as a new event and everyone really had a great time with it and over 1,000 poutines were sold,” BBBS development coordinator Natasha Thomson said. “This year we hope to raise even more funds to help us match waiting youth with mentors.”
The Knotty Pine Bistro at Little Red was a double winner in last year’s event with their Dill Pickle Poutine.
“We have the defending champion with the Knotty Pine Bistro of course,” Thomson said. “It’s fabulous. We are so happy to have this event back again. It was a huge success and everyone is excited about seeing it return.”
Until March 26, $4 from each poutine sold will go towards local youth mentoring programs. Food lovers can vote on their favourite poutine by sharing their poutine picture on Facebook or Instagram with #papoutineweek.
“We encourage everyone to go out and try a poutine. By taking a photo of the poutine and posting it on Facebook or Instagram, people might win a $25 Gift Card. We are giving away a gift card every day for just going out and eating poutine,” Thomson said.
“It’s always exciting to see the variety. Poutine is such a versatile dish that it is amazing all of the different ways you can take it.”
The Knotty Pine Bistro hopes to hang onto the trophies with this year’s entry Poutziki. Other restaurants with a special poutine added to their menu for the event are Boston Pizza with the Memphis Chicken Poutine, Lulu’s Kitchen with Crispy Pork Citrus Poutine, Original Joe’s with Southwestern Poutine, Ricky’s All Day Grill with The Loaded Poutine, The Rock & Iron with Chicken and Waffle Poutine and Shananigan’s Bistro Coffee & Dessert Bar with Three Cheese Curry Poutine.
“We had seven restaurants last year and we have seven this year, We have had a couple new ones join us: Lulu’s Kitchen and Ricky’s All Day Grill,” Thomson said.
The restaurant that sells the most poutine will become the Gravy Bowl Champion and the one with the most votes on social media will win the Poutine Choice Award.
The addition of the fundraiser has provided some much-needed help for BBBS. Thomson said that there are currently around 12 children on their waiting list.
“It’s always an ongoing challenge,” she explained. “We are always fundraising to help us help as many youths as possible. We are hoping Poutine Week continues to grow as a part of our fundraising calendar.”
To see the poutine menu and learn more about PA Poutine Week, visit their website at princealbert.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca
