Ma Poule Mouillée is a Portuguese rotisserie chicken spot that just happens to serve the best poutine in Montreal. They first opened their sole location in Le Plateau Mont-Royal in July 2013. To date, they are one of the only places in Montreal allowed to operate an indoor charcoal rotisserie grill.
Chicken Over Charcoal
Translated, Ma Poule Mouillée means “my wet chicken” in English, which might sound a little unappetizing, but it captures just how succulent and juicy this rotisserie chicken is.
As soon as you enter Ma Poule Mouillée you are hit with the mouthwatering aroma of the roasting chicken. The charcoal grill is huge, spanning ten feet easily.
On slowly turning spits, the glistening whole chickens cook slowly, dripping their fat through the coals onto already cooked chicken, which is stored underneath in metals drawers beneath. This genius design allows the already cooked chicken to stay warm and catch all the delicious juices from the still cooking chicken above.
The Man Behind the Ma Poule Mouillée
The man behind the chicken is Owner and Chef Tony Alves. After growing up in his family’s restaurants, he always dreamed of one day opening his own. Alves’ dedicated commitment to perfecting one dish with Ma Poule Mouillée is to be admired.
For over a decade, he has fine-tuned his recipes. Not only is his juicy and tender chicken a feat of careful effort, but his sauce has also been diligently refined. There is a spicy and non-spicy version, and it is even available for purchase by the bottle.
In fact, Alves sees the Ma Poule brand as being built on his sauce rather than the protein. He explains, “It is the sauce that makes the difference because everyone is able to grill a chicken.”
The first item on the menu is named for the owner and chef himself, and it sums up his philosophy of simplicity. Le Tony Alves is a whole roast chicken.
That’s it.
“Seul” as the French menu notes, which means alone.
The rest of the menu at Ma Poule is tight. There are only about a dozen items, including a few tempting iterations of the house special. Le Louis Cyr is half a chicken with your choice of fries or salad. Le Tremblay is just the breast, while Le Victor Medina is just the leg. Alongside these options, sides, salads, and a few sandwiches is one lone poutine dish.
Interestingly, kitty-corner to Ma Poule Mouillée is another renowned poutine spot: La Banquise. This 24 hour poutinery offers dozens of iterations of the French-Canadian classic. Perhaps this is why Ma Poule Mouillée decided to simply offer one.
Montreal’s Best Poutine
Alves also seems to be the type of chef who opts to execute a few dishes exceptionally well. Plus, his chicken is so good it deserves to be the star.
The full name of Ma Poule’s poutine on the menu is “Bon, Les Portugais Font de la Poutine. This translates to, “Good, the Portuguese made a poutine.” And I concur.
Ma Poule Mouillée’s Portuguese poutine comes with fries covered in Alves’ signature sauce, roughly chopped roast chicken (skin and all), sliced Chouriço, and São Jorge cheese curds. The hard-working team even takes the time to sprinkle a little parsley on top, too.
Of course, the cheese used in Ma Poule Moulliée is also Portuguese. It is named after the island of São Jorge in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The island is so famous for fromage that it is also known as the land of cheese. The São Jorge curds are mildly salty and savoury, creamy but not too heavy or rich. Plus, they melt beautifully.
The $19 price point for the larger “regular” size is reasonable, and the portion is immense.
Thoughtful Fast Food
Ma Poule Mouillée often has a line, so be prepared to wait, although it does move fast. The team works like the well oiled machine that is their rotisserie grill. The thud of the heavy knives echoes over the sound of the crowd as staff chop chicken with gusto. At the end of the day, Ma Poule Mouillée is essentially just a fast food restaurant, although that almost feels like a blasphemous label for such thoughtful food.
Be mindful if you’re visiting for a smaller order (like the poutine) to try grab a seat as soon as you get inside, even if you’re still in line. Once you order, service is swift, so it’s best to stake out somewhere ASAP.
