Montrealers were lining up in place such as Place du Canada and Victoria Square for outdoor eats Thursday for the first time since the food trucks were banned in 1947.
The ban was lifted by former mayor Michael Applebaum and the trucks now are rolling in to fill up appetites.
And the decision is proving popular all around.
“I think they just realized that Montreal really needed this and that Montreal didn't have it. I mean all big cities have street food,” said Gaelle Cerf of the Quebec Street Food Association.
Lowbrow fare like hot dogs and pretzels are absent from menus, instead the four-wheeled restaurants offer fancier fare such as the raclette plate, which is on offer at the Boite a fromages.
In case you’re curious, that recipe consists of: “Boiled potatoes that we fry with a little oil and then we have a cheese called raclette that we melt on top of the potatoes,” according to the Boite’s Alexandra Bonnet.
The city says that the outdoor food experience could soon be expanded to other boroughs, assuming the experiment proves successful.
One rambling restauranteur had more customers Thursday than food.
“We’ve already had to call food in by taxi,” said Nick Morena of St. Viateur Bagel. “We ran out of food. We underestimated. It's been overwhelming.”
Those seeking to keep track of the trucks can consult the website streetfoodmtl.com.
