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Tacofying city hall

Marc-André Leclerc and Hilary McGown hope to bring their taste of Mexico to Montreal’s streets—legally

 

 

There is something deliciously dirty about street food. Whether it’s a New York dog or a L.A. Korean taco, street vendors are a whole other realm of foodism. Across North America, the idea of street food has been undergoing a serious makeover, with cities like Portland and Seattle creating specific areas where people can go to get a variety of cuisines, all served in makeshift kitchens in the form of trucks, caravans and trailers. The Food Network has also jumped on board, with a reality show where street food vendors race from city to city across America trying to make the most profits out of their respective “mobile kitchens.”

 

Montreal, well known for its affordable, diverse, quality food, has unfortunately been left out on the curb. Since the Jean Drapeau era, laws were put in place to prohibit the sale of food on the street, mainly due to hygiene and quality control. Luckily for us, two young, ambitious Montreal foodies, Marc-André Leclerc and Hilary McGown, are trying to invoke change by striving to bring their taco truck to a neighbourhood near you, in the most legal way they can. McGown states, “It does the city a disservice. Street food culture puts people on the map—it gives food identity. Right now the street food identity of Montreal is hot dogs and poutine.”

 

LUNCH IN LIME GREEN

 

You might have seen this truck around recently, and it’s hard to miss. Lime green in colour with a headless horseman riding along the side, taco-shell head in hand, this macabre cartoonish character was hand-painted by local artist Dave Arnold (Mr. Sign—see People column, p. 9). The choice of mascot is fitting for an enterprise that seems to have so much stacked against it.

 

Leclerc and McGown are both professional cooks and avid food lovers with Leclerc having worked under Martin Picard (Pied de Cochon), David McMillan and Frédéric Morin (Joe Beef, Liverpool House, McKiernan’s), and McGown doing some time in several upscale Toronto restaurants. For them, this taco truck is a means to an end, a way to create some hype before eventually opening up their Mexican street food restaurant in St-Henri. Called Grumann 78, the name is the make and year of the Hemingford Fire Department command centre they converted into a taco truck.

 

“Mexican food is not authentic in Montreal,” says McGown. “It’s all tex-mex, with a lot of cheese, sour cream and dirty meat. In Mexico, the food is super fresh and light. Eating it here is like eating a bag of rocks.”

 

Using the medium of a soft tortilla, they’re creating simple tacos from whatever’s fresh and local. Inspired by Mexican street food, Leclerc is making lamb, confit duck and octopus tacos, just to name a few, for something that is very much his own style.

 

The idea of the truck has always been something Leclerc wanted to do. “If you want authentic street food, why not a truck? It’s not made for super stuffy restaurant people, but people who like to eat.” Yet despite the enthusiasm that they have about their business, there is still no legal way they can openly sell their tacos on the street corner. Leclerc explains, “it would have been way easier to just build a regular kitchen, have a regular restaurant, but it’s not nearly as fun. We’re hoping that there can be an area in Montreal that will allow the opportunity for talented people to serve good food without having a restaurant.”

 

McGown likens their cause to soccer, for chefs—“all you need is a ball, and then you can play the game.”

 

MEALS IN WHEELS

 

Inspired by the DIY approach Frédéric Morin personally undertook at his own restaurants, the actual truck is pretty darn cool. Leclerc outfitted this 14-foot space with two long wood countertops, two flat grills, a steam table, a rice cooker, an induction stove, running water and the latest green-friendly generator. All you have to do is flick a switch and pop open the side window (which according to Leclerc was “a fucking bitch” to cut) and it’s taco time.

 

Besides being bounced back and forth between city hall and the surrounding borough offices to try to negotiate the proper permits, Grumann 78 has been doing events (which is legal with a special permit from the city) and private functions where $5 will get you two tacos. Keep your eyes peeled for a Grumann appearance on a busy downtown street corner offering free tacos to create some street food propaganda. If it works, it will be worth it. Playing with food combinations, flavours and bringing his personal style into the mix, Leclerc swears that tacos are the ultimate sandwich. “You can taco*fy almost anything”. Hopefully even Montreal food laws. ■

 

 

Short URL: http://www.montrealmirror.com/wp/?p=13747

 

 

 

http://www.montrealmirror.com/wp/2010/09/16/news/tacofying-city-hall/

 

 

YESSSSSSSS PLEEEEEEEEAAAAAASE!:highfive:

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If you want hot dogs out of a street cart, head to Quartier Dix30 in Brossard, where they have at least one street food cart, and it's allowed!

 

Well, it's not about hot-dogs (that would be nice though). Street Food of higher quality CAN be served. In fact, that's what these guys are proposing. And what about roasted chestnuts and hot spicy wine in winter? That'd be great! Tons of other possibilities also..... I think we should have this here, and make something more fancy out of it. With the occasional hot-dog stand, yes. I was in Vienna, and they have this. It doesn't "cheapen" anything.....:stirthepot:

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Well, it's not about hot-dogs (that would be nice though). Street Food of higher quality CAN be served. In fact, that's what these guys are proposing. And what about roasted chestnuts and hot spicy wine in winter? That'd be great! Tons of other possibilities also..... I think we should have this here, and make something more fancy out of it. With the occasional hot-dog stand, yes. I was in Vienna, and they have this. It doesn't "cheapen" anything.....:stirthepot:

 

Glühwein and warm chestnuts in the winter...great idea!

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:stirthepot: On a fait le débat plus d'une fois sur le sujet, et comme les saisons il revient périodiquement avec les mêmes propositions. Mais il faut toute une infrastructure pour réglementer et instaurer ce genre de service et la ville y trouverait peu de bénéfices en bout de ligne. Donc un investissement de temps et d'argent qui ne répond pas vraiment à un besoin réel de la population et risquerait d'augmenter, au passage, l'offre de malbouffe déjà passablement présente à Montréal, tout en augmentant en bout de ligne le budget de gestion de la ville.

 

Je ne suis pas un détracteur de cette idée qu'y se fait ailleurs bien que je demeure froid quant à son implantation généralisée. Il est facile de le défendre dans le cadre d'un festival ou d'une manifestation sur un territoire circonscrit et cela se fait déjà ici. Cependant il faudrait une armée de fonctionnaires pour surveiller et gérer l'activité qui entrerait en plus en compétition directe avec des établissements déjà établis et qui paient des taxes en conséquence.

 

On a déjà de la difficulté a trouver des consensus sur des sujets plus importants, à cause de la décentralisation de l'administration municipale. On a donc pas besoin de se diviser une fois de plus sur un phénomène marginal qui en laisse plus d'un sur leur faim.

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:stirthepot: On a fait le débat plus d'une fois sur le sujet, et comme les saisons il revient périodiquement avec les mêmes propositions. Mais il faut toute une infrastructure pour réglementer et instaurer ce genre de service et la ville y trouverait peu de bénéfices en bout de ligne. Donc un investissement de temps et d'argent qui ne répond pas vraiment à un besoin réel de la population et risquerait d'augmenter, au passage, l'offre de malbouffe déjà passablement présente à Montréal, tout en augmentant en bout de ligne le budget de gestion de la ville.

 

Je ne suis pas un détracteur de cette idée qu'y se fait ailleurs bien que je demeure froid quant à son implantation généralisée. Il est facile de le défendre dans le cadre d'un festival ou d'une manifestation sur un territoire circonscrit et cela se fait déjà ici. Cependant il faudrait une armée de fonctionnaires pour surveiller et gérer l'activité qui entrerait en plus en compétition directe avec des établissements déjà établis et qui paient des taxes en conséquence.

 

On a déjà de la difficulté a trouver des consensus sur des sujets plus importants, à cause de la décentralisation de l'administration municipale. On a donc pas besoin de se diviser une fois de plus sur un phénomène marginal qui en laisse plus d'un sur leur faim.

 

J'avoue être en désaccord avec cette vision. Il ne me semble pas que ce soit SI difficile de gérer ce genre d'entreprises. Et surtout, il ne faut pas seulement voir cela comme une mise en oeuvre peu payante en termes de revenus pour la Ville, mais aussi comme une forme d'ANIMATION de la Ville. Il faut que les rues soient considérées comme des endroits de VIE, et non seulement des lieux de transit entre un point A et un point B. C'est ce qu'il y a de si excitant à NY: en mangeant dans la rue, on VIT dans la rue! Ça rend la Ville plus vivante. Bien sûr, on n'est pas obligé d,en mettre partout. Ce ne serait pas viable. Mais on peut facilement cibler certains quadrilatères et certaines zones plus propices. Et pour la qualité, on n'est pas obligé de n'avoir QUE des stands à hot-dogs. De la bouffe internationale plus sophistiquées, des stands de fruits, de smoothies, de crêpes à emporter, de couscous sur le pouce, et en hiver, de marrons chauds, de vin chaud, de chocolat chaud, etc.

 

Moi j'y crois, et je crois à l'avantage pour la vie en Ville. Je crois que ce serait une erreur de s'obstiner à ne pas le faire......

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  • 6 mois plus tard...
Montreal foodies are likely celebrating.

 

There's word that city officials are considering a pilot project to allow street food vendors.

 

Ville Marie Borough official Jacques Alain Lavallee made the announcement on CJAD's Delmar at night.

 

The City has long opposed traditional street food vendors, concerned about food quality and competition for local stores and restaurants.

 

A Facebook campaign pushing to legalize street food vendors has attracted about 700 people

 

(Courtesy of CJAD)

 

:D

 

Now we are just missing alcohol. Would be great able to knock back a beer or some wine and go back to work.

 

NY (food trucks)

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Montreal's Ville-Marie borough could soon have vendors like this one selling food street-side.(April 5, 2011)

Updated: Tue Apr. 05 2011 9:41:59 PM

 

ctvmontreal.ca

 

MONTREAL — Montreal is famous for its food, but you can't find many street vendors in the city because the practice has been banned for years.

 

Now, the city is considering a pilot project that would allow the vendors downtown - a practice that's already common in places like Toronto.

 

Still, officials are worried about competition to local business and hygiene.

 

"You would need to have inspectors that would really make sure that health is being prioritized by these people," said Jacques-Alain Lavallée, spokesman for the Ville-Marie borough.

 

He says the city is carefully weighing the pros and cons.

 

If the pilot project gets the green light, street vendors wouldn't be allowed to set-up anywhere in the downtown core.

 

The city says it would select a few designated parks and public squares.

 

If approved, Montreal foodies can expect to see vendors hit the streets in the summertime.

 

http://montreal.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110405/mtl_/20110405/?hub=MontrealHome

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