Hollywood French Fry Spot Smoke’s Poutinerie Falls Victim to The Cahuenga Curse

Smoke’s Poutinerie served its final order of cheese curds and gravy-laden french fries on Sunday, a heartbreaking loss for Canadian expats and late-night snackers alike.

The company announced the closure via Facebook and alluded to a future opening in Southern California. In 2015, Smoke’s Poutinerie opened in a very busy but tiny strip mall on Cahuenga and Selma. Smoke’s had some big-name neighbors concentrated into that same complex, including Trejo’s Cantina, Stout, and Big Wangs.

Eater reached out to Smoke’s owners to learn why the Hollywood location is gone, but has not heard back. It is likely that the high rents that are a large factor in what is known as the Cahuenga Curse played a role in its demise.

Smoke’s now has only one west coast location in Berkeley, and three others in Philadelphia, Ann Arbor, and Glendale, Arizona. As one of Canada’s best culinary exports, the Quebecois street food is served at a number of LA restaurants. Both Spudds and P’tit Soleil have Montreal-inspired menus and serve the savory combination of french fries, cheese curds, and gravy. Animal and Badmaash offer poutine as well.

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