#le pickup

[meanderingspork]

Dépanneur Le Pick Up: Meandering in Montreal

Here at the Meandering Spork, we love us some hidden gems and hole-in-the-wall places. Enter Dépanneur Le Pick Up. In the course of our research into places to eat in Montreal (Yes we research places to eat and not tourist attractions. Don’t judge us.) we discovered this little gem that the kind Internet stranger told us served great pulled pork sandwiches. Knowing only that a dépanneur was a corner store, we went on the quest to find this mystical delicious sandwich shop. 

(Photo courtesy of Satellite Magazine.)

The Food:

Borscht ($5) and Kola ($3)

Look, more soup! Never having tried this eastern European staple, we figured we might as well give it a shot. Our verdict? It’s not bad! It’s definitely a soup, not a stew, given its thinner consistency. For its main ingredient, it had tomato as opposed to the more traditional beetroot, which we appreciate. (To be honest, we’re not sure how much we would like beetroot soup. Maybe we’ll find out one day.) The dollop of sour cream and dill garnish, as per tradition, was interesting, but the soup itself was warming with its assortment of veggies and chunks of meat. The artisanal Henri Sodas cola, brewed locally right in Montreal, was excellent. It’s not too sweet, made with cane sugar, and has a sharp flavour. Sure there’s a price hike, but if we could get this occasionally instead of Coca-Cola or Pepsi, we would.

Pulled Pork Sandwich ($8)

This pulled pork sandwich was the great draw of Dépanneur Le Pickup and it did not disappoint. The pulled pork was perfectly done, moist, very tender, and perfectly seasoned. Topped with a crunchy slaw, the flavours were excellently matched, and the BBQ sauce softened the roll just enough without it becoming too soggy or messy. Dan called it one of the best pulled pork sandwiches he’s ever had (and he’s had quite a few hehe). Between being hungry and the sandwich’s deliciousness, we devoured it in a matter of seconds.

Halloumi Grilled Sandwich ($6.50)

As Dan is a carnivore (Dan: Oh, only me eh? :P), we were surprised that he ordered (yes, he was surprised that he even ordered it to begin with) a vegetarian sandwich and at how much we liked it. The sandwich itself is pretty simple. Composed of mostly halloumi cheese, it is accompanied by sliced red cabbage and carrot to add a crunch to your bite. This was the first time that we had halloumi cheese and it was delicious, lightly salted, and almost meaty-tasting. As the server explained, halloumi cheese has a high melting point so it doesn’t just melt into your bread as most cheeses would, but rather remains chewy. The cabbage and carrot complemented the taste of the cheese and the lightly grilled rye bread was a great finishing touch.

The Wrap:

This is why we like our hole-in-the-wall places: Great food at great prices. Compared to many of our other meals in Montreal, Dépanneur Le Pick Up offered some of the best bang for your buck. If it was nearby in Toronto, we would definitely be coming back often for both sandwiches. Whether you need some quick convenience store goods or you have a hankering for a sandwich, salad, baked treat, or artisanal soda, we definitely recommend stopping by Dépanneur Le Pick Up if you’re in the area.

The Location:

Located in the Quartier Alexandra-Marconi (Dan thinks it says Macaroni XD), Dépanneur Le Pick Up is located in a mostly residential area just off of the main road. You can reach it by the 55 or 363 bus lines, or head to Station Jean-Talon if you don’t mind a bit of a walk. (Psst if you head down from Station Jean-Talon you can also hit up Marché Jean-Talon, the most famous farmer’s market in Montreal!

[djbono-blog]

Pick me up

Today class we visit the PickUP - a cornerstore with a soul. Sitting on a small stretch of Waverly, just south of JN Talon, this real gem has been up and running for what I'm told 3 years. No it's not about selling candies and cigarettes, it's about serving up some of the best food in the area. But then again - it's far from being about the food either - it's about the soul of the place, the ambiance; the fact that everybody's a "local" there. 

It sits in a semi-residential area of the Mile-EX, corner of Waverly & Mozart and sports a very authentic, old fashion look. Old brick, rusted metal work in the windows, old wooden picnic tables - all that's missing is an old dog. I'll give you - the two picnic tables or the 70's style arborite on the counter might not seem that inviting for the the common dinks or yuppies - but to me, it's paradise. It's what I look for in a place; somewhere with a background - somewhere that you know, some 30 years ago, somebody was sipping coffee - probably smoking a cigarette - while reading a copy of MAD magazine on the very same stool, with the very same vinyl on it. 

From what I can make up; the staff is almost solely comprised of emerging artists; Think of it - kinda cool being served an excellent pulled-pork sandwhich by the next soon-to-be Arcade Fire. I hear Beaver, who worked the Pied de Cochon for a few years and who cooked my delicious burger last week, is a signer/guitarist; and so is Joseph. But aside from that emerging artist-camaraderie and entraide, the staff seems united by bonds stronger that those of a family. You really feel like they're part of something good, something great. 

Now the food - well obviously you cannot expect a 3-Michelin star meal - or can you ? First time I brought a friend there, he had the grilled shark with roasted-garlic mashed potatoes; at 10$ it's kind of an incredible deal. Though don't expect that everyday, that was a menu-du-jour fantaisie; The usuals are Burger, pulled pork sandwhich, club sandwhich, salads just to name a few. It's simple - but it's fantastic. In those days it's rare to find a tasty burger that's made of real meat; not frozen substitutes. I tell you - this is some tasty sh*t. Their club sandwhich is also something - made up of grilled chicken breasts, and served with fresh veggies - and foremost - their magical chipotle mayo. Don't forget they also serve breakfast - brunches actually, and wild one at that - all the week-end long. That's actually my favorite b'fast spot (ok - mainly because they still serve b'fasts at 3PM)

If you like deserts - then also you'll want to hit this place. The cookies, brownies (even the delicious nataj ?) are cooked locally - and if you're lucky enough, you may catch some straight out the oven. They also usually sport a wide variety of cakes and pies... which will all make you say "10 mins more on the stepmaster tonite" (don't worry for me though, I don' train - nor do I feel bad about eating hypercalorific meals.)

Folks - I can't press it enough how much this place is a real gem; I've been going there bi-weekly for the past month++, and still surprises me every time. Go there for the food, the coffee, the ambiance - and if you don't mind eating between strangers (or between Chips Ahoy! and Tampax). By all means hit this joint!

Bring cash - depanneurlepickup.com