Rejoice! Smoke's Poutinerie Is Coming to Las Vegas

They do one thing, but do it right. "Clogging arteries since 2008," Smoke's Poutinerie is now repeatedly asserting they are coming to Las Vegas to serve up the classic Quebec dish of fries, seasoning, gravy and curds, with the bonus of more than 30 extra topping options. And that is all they do, in dozens of Canadian locations.

They won't be the first poutine focused project rumored to hit Vegas, but Smoke's has the resources of a rapidly expanding franchise base behind it and this week they planted their brand flag across the border in California. Their Berkeley branch debuted this week, close to campus and serving long lines of customers until their scheduled 4 a.m. close.

Creator Ryan Smolkin offers three sizes of fried dishes, "snack," "meal" and "Wow," which, when fully loaded, can weigh up to three pounds. On top of the classic fries, curds and gravy, guests can add a wide range of toppings such as pierogies, chicken, pork, baby green peas, kosher dill pickles or homemade chili.

No specific location in Las Vegas has yet been hinted, but owner Smolkin already has another U.S. site being built in West Hollywood slated for opening early next year. His further plans call for expansion into Arizona, New York and perhaps five more in Northern California.

As to the mysterious face on their logo, Smolkin likes to keep it an enigmatic secret, explaining to the Toronto Globe & Mail, "he’s the man, myth and legend...He’s the sixth astronaut to land on the moon, that anonymous, unidentifiable, silent third party figure now has a cult following." However, Eater Vegas has discovered the company's trademark application lists the image as belonging to Alan Howard Smolkin, described as "a living individual whose consent is of record." Mystery solved.