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The Main Media Inc. 2026

✦ Built By Field Office
    The Main

    Montreal's Cultural Directory

    Help us improve! Share your thoughts on how we can make your experience better.

    Leave feedback

    For partnerships and collaborations:

    partnerships@themain.com

    Explore

    • About us
    • Shop
    • Advertise
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    • Twitter
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    Legal

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    The Main Media Inc. 2026

    ✦ Built By Field Office

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      • Arts & Culture

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      • Beyond Montreal

        Travel, adventure, and global perspectives.

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        The best of Montreal design.

      • Food & Drink

        La bonne bouffe.

      • History

        Stories, lessons, and context.

      • Newsletter

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      • See all original stories
      Explore Montreal
      Popular Guides
      • The Best Restaurants in Montreal
      • Best new Restaurants
      • Best Cafés
      • Unique Boutiques
      • Romantic Restaurants
      • Best Bookstores
      • See all Guides
      Neighbourhood
      • Downtown
      • Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
      • Mile End
      • Mile-Ex
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      By Jean Bourbeau @ URBANIAOctober 20, 2025 - Read time: 14 min
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      This story originally appeared on July 25, 2025 in URBANIA, an online magazine based in Quebec focused on pop culture and society.

      “Go on, try it before you call it disgusting,” orders a customer with a flawless hairdo, upon learning I’m from Montreal.

      Golden fries cooked just right, fresh squeaky cheese curds… and that creamy white sauce, sometimes with a yellowish tint, poured generously over the top. A heresy for purists. A local pride, insist the people of the Outaouais, where it’s been simmering for decades without fuss, served on poutines as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

      But cross the river, leave the region, and it’s a void. Nowhere to be found. Unknown. Even scorned. People raise their eyebrows, call it blasphemy.

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      1. Articles
      2. Beyond Montreal

      The Mystery of White Sauce Poutine

      A deep dive into the belly of the Outaouais.

      By Jean Bourbeau @ URBANIAOctober 20, 2025 - Read time: 14 min
      The mystery of white sauce poutine

      This story originally appeared on July 25, 2025 in URBANIA, an online magazine based in Quebec focused on pop culture and society.

      “Go on, try it before you call it disgusting,” orders a customer with a flawless hairdo, upon learning I’m from Montreal.

      Golden fries cooked just right, fresh squeaky cheese curds… and that creamy white sauce, sometimes with a yellowish tint, poured generously over the top. A heresy for purists. A local pride, insist the people of the Outaouais, where it’s been simmering for decades without fuss, served on poutines as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

      But cross the river, leave the region, and it’s a void. Nowhere to be found. Unknown. Even scorned. People raise their eyebrows, call it blasphemy.

      Free account required

      For readers who care about Montreal

      Create a free account to read this story and access 3 articles per month, plus our weekly Bulletin.

      Independent. Local. Reader-supported. Join 10,000+ Montrealers today.

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