Talk about ‘poutine queen,” and the image is of a person who fancies themselves adept at making the traditional dish of French fries, cheese curds and gravy that has become a quintessential part of Canadian cuisine.
But talk about “Queen Pouteen,” and that’s different. It’s the poutine that is ‘Queen,’ not the person: it’s the best, the most memorable, the Queen of poutines.
“Exactly,” says Lisa Cormier, entrepreneur and owner of Queen Pouteen restaurants.
In pre-COVID days, Cormier had two Queen Pouteen stores – one inside the 400 Flea Market, and the other, a food truck located in the parking lot of the Alcona Canadian Tire Store.
The pandemic has closed the flea market for now, but on May 14 Cormier reopened her food truck at Canadian Tire – to immediate acclaim from customers.
Of course there have been changes in the way she operates. Customers can order in advance for pick-up, call for delivery using the local What’s For Dinner delivery service, or stop by to order in person.
In each case, customers are asked to practice social distancing as they line up, and to be patient. Cormier, behind plexiglass shielding, takes every precaution to protect herself and her customers – including subjecting cash payments to a “bleach bath” to kill any viruses.
She has been impressed by the patience shown by everyone who has come to Queen Pouteen, since it reopened.
“The first thing I noticed when I reopened was how patient everybody is, how gracious everybody is,” she said. “I put up a sign in my window that says ‘Wait times are not guaranteed’,” but so far there have been no complaints.
That’s because the food is well worth waiting for.
There are six different home-made burgers, including a veggie garden burger, as well as sausage on a bun, home-made pogos, peameal on a bun, and ten different kinds of poutine – from spicy buffalo, to Newfie poutine, and even a sweet potato poutine.
“I came up with all of them, I and my husband Ron,” Cormier said. The favourite, hands down? “Deep-fried pickle poutine is very popular. It really took off!”
The Facebook page calls it ‘exotic Canadian food,’ but, said Ron, “I call it comfort fast fried food. Our burgers are the best!”
Cormier is no newcomer to the fast food industry. “I’ve been doing this for a very, very, very long time,” she said – starting in 1995, with a Golden Fries food trailer in Timmins.
When she moved to Barrie, she worked in the corporate world, but never gave up the dream of getting back into the food sector. “I always knew I wanted to get back into it. I’m passionate about feeding people, and making good food,” she said. “I’m a natural entrepreneur. It’s creative.”
It was eight years ago that she opened the first Queen Pouteen in a booth at the flea market, three years ago that she opened the second location at Canadian Tire.
But this season has been like no other. When the flea market closed down two months ago, the Cormiers sat home, planning for their reopening. They worked on social distancing strategies, and even installed plexiglass screens and markers at their flea market booth, just to be ready.
But right now, all the focus is on the food truck – and, said Cormier, “We’ve had a great response.”
“We’re proud to be part of the community in Innisfil,” said Ron, despite all the challenges of COVID-19.
Part of the challenge has been pricing. In addition to the cost of extra cleaning supplies and protective equipment, the cost of ingredients has gone up. Cheese is more expensive, and the Cormiers just learned that the price of the hot dogs they use will be going up 30 percent.
Despite rising costs, so far they have held the line on pricing for the most part. Increases have been modest - “Nothing major,” Lisa said - and there plans to hold the line on the hot dogs, at least for this year.
“We have a lot of value in the menu,” said Ron, noting that it’s all part of the Cormiers’ approach to business. “Lisa has a group of followers. It’s about building relationships with the community.”
Queen Pouteen, located at 1455 Innisfil Beach Road, is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays, and Wednesdays to Fridays; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.
The food truck is closed Tuesdays – the only real change to the schedule that Cormier’s made during the COVID-19 crisis. “It’s my day off!” she said – a day for her own family.
For more information and to see a menu, click here.
