Unknown to anyone who does not know my real last name (Lee is my middle name), I am a loud and proud French Canadian (yes, Canadien). Despite being form just up and east from here in Minnesota, my culture is not always appreciated, which I guess is not unexpected as we are known being kind of blunt and perhaps not always super-friendly.
Others would say that would be poutine-it mildly.
(Ba-a ching!)
Poutine is by far one of my favorite dishes; this savory delight consists of a base of French fries that has been adorned with cheese curds and smothered with gravy; you you hit it just right, those curds have melted from the gravy, and that fry is a vehicle for a rich, gooey treat. It is all the things that satisfy. I love it so much that I have been known to jury rig a version of this dish from items available at the local DQ Chill and Grill. Despite its appeal, it is not an incredibly common dish stateside…I have not found it anywhere, actually, except for one pocketed area tucked away in the pits of Minnesota’s Iron Range, an area formerly a boomtown that is home to a restaurant that boldly and brilliantly applied this name to their adventurous, unique establishment.
Boomtown first came to be in Eveleth, Minnesota, where their menu and atmosphere became an instant hit (which is not always the case for restaurants in this area that expand their menus beyond the boundaries of burgers and fried fish). Wild boar, scotch egg, and my beloved poutine are just three of the exquisite, experimental flavors that float on the pages of the menu and are up for grabs to any patron who wishes to try something new (there are eight burgers combinations and an Up North Fish & Chips for those who like comfort in what they know).
Since their explosion onto the food scene of Minnesota’s northwoods, Boomtown has expanded to a second location in Hibbing, Minnesota. This location has further mined the Boomtown empire to include an on-site brewery, which is what brought me there in mid-December on a freelance photography assignment for The Growler (don’t worry–the poutine brought me back a month later when they were officially opened).
But don’t just take the pictures for their 1,000 words about it…take a bite and let it speak for itself.
Gotta love a good growler.
The walls are adorned with moments and memorabilia related to thew mining boom for which the area is noted. This is much in the same spirit of Zimmy’s, the previous tenants, who blanketed their walls with all things Bob Dylan (who’s real last name was Zimmerman). The building is in good hands.
Mmmm….flatbread.
Tanks. Where the good stuff begins.
Calamari and scotch eggs are just a few of the starters you can get before a delicious dinner.
A great story worth of a cheer. Prost!
NOT PICTURED: The Poutine. I can’t let it sit there, unloved and uneaten, long enough to take a picture…
