If there was any lingering doubt that Montreal’s famous artery-clogging snack has become a Chicago fixture, yesterday’s first-annual, sold-out Poutine Fest squashed it. Two-hundred ravenous fried food enthusiasts gathered at Haymarket Pub & Brewery to partake in copious amounts of french fry/cheese curd/gravy creations from 11 different restaurants, all vying for the title of the city’s top poutine-slinger. With an addictive mashup of wild boar, pickled red onion, cheese curds, and fries, The Gage claimed both the audience’s and the judge’s votes. Festgoers went home with both a food coma and the satisfaction of supporting a worthy cause (100% of the festival’s proceeds benefit Common Threads).

Photography: Jeff Schear