Chez Tousignant, Impasto's New Snack Bar, Delivers Sizzling Menu Details

In a Montreal Gazette profile this past weekend, food critic Lesley Chesterman persuades Stefano Faita, Michele Forgione, and Yann Turcotte, to provide some precious intel about Chez Tousignant, the trio's soon-to-open take on classic Québécois bouffe. The snack bar is ultimately the brainchild of the classically-trained Turcotte, the only chef de cuisine Faita and Forgione have had at Impasto. With places like La P’tite Bouffe in St-Alphonse-Rodriguez, and Restaurant M Patate in Varennes in mind, Turcotte will take —from burger buns to poutine gravy—the from-scratch high road at Chez Tousignant. No shortcuts, in other words; only the condiments will be store-bought. "We can’t compete with the taste of Heinz’s ketchup, French’s mustard, Hellmann’s mayonnaise and Kraft cheese," Forgione tells Chesterman.

Though it's been hinted at for months now, here's what diners can expect at the Jean-Talon Market adjacent restaurant on Drolet, corner Bélanger: hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, Michigans, french fries, poutine, rotisserie chicken, lobster and shrimp rolls (in season), milkshakes, homemade sodas, frozen custard, chocolate pudding, and sugar, apple, and pecan pies. Chez Tousignant will serve a 'greasy spoon' breakfast on weekends, offer delivery, and takeout, and will sell cretons, baked beans, bacon, roast chickens, smoked hams, and hot dogs. As for prices, a hot dog at Chez Tousignant will come in at $5. You will get what you pay for, Forgione promises. "At the Bell Centre you pay $5 for a hotdog half the size of ours, and it’s a commercial hotdog."