When most of us think of Mardi Gras celebrations, we rarely ponder the ones in Canada. However, Quebec celebrates much the same way as New Orleans, except it is a bit colder. During Mardi Gras in Quebec, you can purchase their special Mardi Gras pastry, a Beaver Tail (sometimes called a snowshoe). Universal Orlando decided to sell two versions of Beaver Tails for the 2023 Mardi Gras event. Yet, guests can also purchase Poutine with Short Rib Gravy in a Canadian style at the Mardi Gras Canada food truck.

One of the two familiar food trucks used for seasonal food festivals displays a Canada sign for Mardi Gras. The Mardi Gras Canada Poutine with Short Rub Gravy costs $9.99 before applicable discounts. The menu description reads, “crispy fries with short rib, cheese curds, and brown gravy.”

This menu item needs to be more consistent. However, consistency involves the availability of ingredients rather than the flavor. For example, the poutine came without gravy on the opening day of Mardi Gras. On another day, the Mardi Gras Canada location lacked short rib meat. Eventually, we enjoyed this poutine like Universal Orlando chefs wanted us to taste it. For the record, Universal Orlando still charged full price for this item when the poutine lacked components. Our advice when trying this Mardi Gras Canada option is to ensure all ingredients are available. You may need to check with a few team members first and expect some strange looks when you ask.

If you receive the intended poutine with all proper components, this Mardi Gras Canada item brings a reasonable amount of savory poutine flavor. The individual components function as just average by themselves. Still, mixing them creates some Canadian-style comfort food. We felt this tasted better when you got a correct version than the February limited-time poutine over at The Daily Poutine.

We did hear multiple complaints about this poutine from opening day. The criticism of very few cheese curds included stands as valid. The fries taste okay but serve as a medium for the rest of this Mardi Gras Canada creation. Can the short rib meat function as a good value on its own? We agree with opening day criticisms that the short rib meat needs more quality to hold this poutine together without the gravy.

Nevertheless, we found the correct version of this poutine very pleasing and a solid value for theme park festival food. Once again, check on ingredients being available before ordering. As always, eat like you mean it! Let the good times roll! Remember, Mardi Gras at Universal Orlando Resort runs through April 16.