For the longest time, Montreal foodies hungered for the day the city would finally allow food trucks to take to the streets, a hot potato that burned successive mayors fearful of lifting the 60-year old ban over “hygiene concerns”, but really just antsy at facing the wrath of traditional restaurateurs. Thankfully, the tentative 2013 pilot project was a success, with Montrealers eagerly lining up all over the city with an almost defiant stance given the pricey menus. Most food truck offerings will cost you upwards of $15 for a small entrée and a drink.
(Mind you, the onus is not so much on the food trucks themselves, since the city has been adamant that only trucks showing originality and creativity would be approved. No 3-buck hot dog truck, if you please! Yet even at these prices, survival remains an issue, with many trucks advertising their availability for private gigs and events, and reportedly no truck generating profit in the summer of 2014.)
The Lucille’s Guédille au homard or Québec-style lobster roll. Generous.
While a Global article from two years ago predicted 200 trucks would be patrolling the streets by now, less than 50 have been confirmed for summer 2015. All had to pass muster with a small committee nominated by City Hall, including famous TV show Les Chefs judge Pasquale Vari of ITHQ, Street Cuisine cookbook author Christine Plante and esteemed chef Jean-Paul Grappe, who has taught generations of Québec cooks. For reasons of their own, it seems popular trucks like Mr. Crémeux and Winneburger won’t be back, while 8 new trucks will vie for your favour.
Already a classic: The lamb curry tacos of Grumman ’78, featured at this First Fridays.
The buffalo burger of L’Assommoir Mobile with Jack Daniels BBQ sauce and red cabbage slaw.
The 2015 food truck season is expected to run from May 1st to October 30, in 48 or so locations in six Montreal burroughs: Côte-des-Neiges/NDG, South-West, Mercier/HOMA, Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie, Verdun and downtown Ville-Marie. Like last year, every first Friday of the month will provide Montrealers with the opportunity to find all the trucks in one place, at the foot of the city’s famed Olympic Stadium. Forty trucks, wine and beer stands, DJs, a stage for bands, a dance floor under the stars: “Les Premiers Vendredis” as they’re called promise one helluvah party. Click here for the official Facebook page.
With mobility the name of the game, you’ll want to follow the trucks on Twitter or Facebook to find out their locations, especially since bad weather can prompt early closing. There are also multiple real-time apps to keep you informed. I personally track down trucks through my iPhone Street Cuisine Montreal app.
Over the past two years, a few trucks have drawn greater attention, such as Grumman ’78, whose co-owner Gaëlle Cerf spearheaded the food truck lobby, Landry & Filles and, à tout seigneur tout honneur, Au Pied de Cochon. I for one am also looking forward to finally trying the curry poutine of newish truck Traiteur Guru, which popped up in a couple of street festivals last summer. Bonne route!
The first line-up of The First Fridays held on May 1st, 2015 goes to Au Pied de Cochon, without surprise. I rarely tow the line, so I’ll be looking for their foie gras poutine once the truck hits the road.
In the making: The famed pulled pork of Pas d’cochon dans mon salon (whose BBQ cookbook I recommended in Véro Magazine, so we go back 🙂
Here are the trucks approved for Summer 2015 by Montreal City Hall. Most have a Twitter feed, so look for them online:
• Cuisine authentique polonaise (new in 2015)
• Decca 77 Mobile (new in 2015)
• Duck Truck MTL (new in 2015)
• La Cantine libanaise (new in 2015)
• Le Nice Truck (new in 2015)
• L’EXPRESS mobile (new in 2015)
• Queen B (new in 2015)
• Traiteur Guru (new in 2015)
• Alexis Le Gourmand
• Boîte à Fromages
• Café mobile Dispatch
• Camion Au Pied de Cochon
• Crêpe-moi!
• DAS Truck
• Dim Sum Montreal
• Gaufrabec
• Grumman ’78
• Landry & filles
• L’Assommoir mobile
• La sandwicherie Zoe’s
• La Panthère mobile
• Le Cheese truck
• Le Quai roulant
• Le point sans g
• Le Supertruck
• Le Tuktuk
• Lucille’s
• Lucky’s Truck
• Nomade So6
• Pas d’cochon dans mon salon
• P.A. & Gargantua
• Phoenix 1
• Pizza no. 900
• Ô sœurs volantes
• Route 27
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