We were strolling along Robson street shopping, and it was a little chilly outside. We wanted to get a bite to eat to warm us up, but didn't want to take the time to go to a sit-down place. In another post I mentioned how much we love street food, so we gave the app a whirl. The closest truck was Mom's Grilled Cheese Truck, and a fresh grilled sammy fit the bill.
As I vented in my Meat & Bread post, I am not a fan of "chose your own adventure" sandwiches. However, Mom's Grilled Cheese Truck does it right with only 5 choices of each of the following (forgive my bad memory):
- Pick your bread, like white, sourdough and marbled rye
- Pick your cheese, like cheddar, provolone and pepper-jacked
- Pick your add-ons, like smoked bacon and caramelized onion
We started with the chilli while waiting for our sandwiches. The portion size was much larger than we thought. We expected a small coffee cup of chilli, but it was more like a Starbucks Venti portion. It was topped with cheese, sour cream and cilantro. It was tasty, but not original. It wasn't disappointing, but it wasn't memorable. The truck has about 10 different hot sauces, and maybe it needed a dash of heat. It was just alright.
When they called us up to the window to pick up our sandwiches, I started to dread having ordered the side of chilli. We didn't realized that for $10 you also got local potato chips and a pickle wedge! It's practically a combo! I love potato chips and Stephen loves pickles, so we were happily surprised. The sandwiches are also massive. They're bread slices have about 50% more surface area than grocery store sandwich loaves. Many of the customers after us ordered one sandwich to share, and when the staff found out they were sharing, they gave them 2 "cones" of chips and pickles with their sandwich half at no extra charge (see the photos below to see the cones). A+ for customer service just for that. In Montreal, you would probably be charged an extra $2 for that. And since you probably put all your change in the tip jar, you probably wouldn't have the needed toonie.
I thought long and hard about how to describe the grilled cheeses. The most accurate description I can come up with is precisely what I said after my first bite: "Holy f*** that's good!" We ate at Meat & Bread a few days before and Mom's blows them out of the water. I didn't see it coming.
The rye bread was savory with bitter and sour undertones, the cheese was rich, oozing and mildly spicy, and the bacon...oh the bacon..it was salty, smoky and cripsy. I got a little cup of siracha in preparation for my grilled cheese, but it wasn't necessary. The outside had that perfect grilled cheese crunch before the soft, melty center.
So that was mine. Stephen's is a whole other story. It earned about 823 "Holy f*** that's good"s. The salami was just enough heat and saltiness, the provolone was a perfectly mild complement, and the pesto mayo gave you a slap in the face of tangy freshness. It was perfect. Hands down, the best sandwich I have ever had, and I dare anyone to challenge them for that title. You will lose! It was so good that we felt the need to go back to the window and tell the staff that it was that damn good.
You should always let restaurant staff know what you think of the food. I absolutely hate the apricot and meringue dessert at Europea (#3 on TripAdvisor for Montreal) that they plate to look like an eggs and bacon breakfast. I had no shame in telling the staff there that its pretty awful. The customer isn't always right, but if enough people voiced that it's not good, maybe the chef would take it off their tasting menu. My point is, when the staff asks, "How was your meal?" be honest and tell them.
So we told one of the lovely and energetic ladies working in the truck that the special was epic, and she said that we should personally tell the owner. She proceeded to call Cindy, the owner, and handed me the phone. I told her how amazing it was, and she was thrilled because she had just randomly thought it up that morning. Always remember that food is someone's work and art. Think about how it feels for someone to tell you how much they appreciate and admire your work. People in the restaurant business don't get those direct compliments often enough.
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| The Truck |
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| The Generous Cup of Chili |
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| My Mom's Grilled Cheese Bacon, Pepper-jack, Marble Rye w/ Side Pickle and Chips! |
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| Stephen's Mom's Grilled Cheese Salami, Provolone, Pesto Mayo on French Brioche |
THE STATS - Out of 10
Taste: 9.5 - I'm still reserving the 0.5 in case, but this might be as close to perfection as you can get
Creativity: 9 - The special of the day was almost risky, but it totally worked
Service: 9 - The staff was so warm, smiley and energetic; that kind of attitude brightens your day and is very courageous! Add to that the fact that they called the owner to let us give her our feedback first-hand.
Bang for your buck: 9 - BIG sandwich with chips and a pickle wedge is definitely a hearty lunch-sized meal
Overall experience: 9.5 - Again, "Holy f*** that's good." Enough said.
Would I go back? It might be hard for me to walk anywhere near Robson without being tempted to go back.
Who would I recommend it to? Everyone. Carnivores, vegetarians, kids, picky-eaters...there is something for everyone. The options are gourmet enough to keep foodies happy, but the "base model" is familiar for all.
For what occasion? Lunch, dinner or a snack on the go.
It was better than: Meat & Bread
It wasn't as good as: The challenge is open if anyone wants to go head-to-head against Mom's
Expect: Effing good food. It's about a 5 to 10 minute wait from the cash until you get your food, which is totally reasonable because each sandwich is assembled live. The staff is absolutely wonderful.
Top 50 Worthy? YES! I've noticed that since I posted the original Top 50 list from TripAdvisor has shifted in the past 11 days, with some restaurants rising and dropping by as many as 5 places. If Vancouverites know anything about epic food and give street food a chance, I strongly believe that by the time I write my last post in week 52 that Mom's Grilled Cheese Truck will have risen up from #161 to the Top 50.
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