Thick Comme Un Brick

Recently I had read about French Tacos, a new fast-food that was an invention of North African immigrants living in the less glamorous banlieues (public-housing suburbs) in France. It wasn't actually anything like a taco but rather a cousin of the burrito.

As I walked through Little Italy, I realized that I didn't have to go to Paris (or perhaps Montréal) to try this hybrid. A new take-out spot called Brick'n'Cheese (a Vancouver franchise of a French food) had a board on the sidewalk proclaiming it had "original French Tacos". On Saturday, after doing a deep clean of my apartment, I headed to Brick to try one.

Looking over the menu, I opted for a Farmer Brick ($14.99). This flat, satisfyingly heavy, tortilla wrap came with grilled chicken, chicken nuggets, fries, shredded cheese and a mysterious "cheese sauce" that internet sleuthing suggested some combination of gruyère and other cheeses. I headed over to Fred Hamilton park to give it a go.

I anticipated a messy dinner from the sauce but it was surprisingly drip-free. The fries and nuggets gave both crunch and greasy goodness. The chicken was reasonably tender and was better quality than many shawarma spots. I mostly enjoyed the unusual flavour. It neither had the beans and guacamole taste of a burrito, nor the tangy, grilled offering of a falafel wrap. It was its own (pretty tasty) thing. As for the shop, many owners have tried this half-basement walkout. It's hard to do take-out in Little Italy. There's not enough office workers during the day, and people want that fancy/trendy restaurant experience at night.

After finishing my tacos français, I took a walk through Ossington. This strip has been busy during my afternoon Yoga classes, but it was hopping in the evening. Prior to the pandemic, there would still be a crowd but with most people eating inside, there wasn't the same buzzing vibrancy. I suspect most businesses want the curbside patios to be permanent.

I headed west along Dundas and noticed that there was an outdoor concert in the old Beer Store parking lot. The building was now a presentation centre for the condo that will eventually spring up here. But tonight, its painted brick and advertisement served as backdrop to a free show hosted by Lula Lounge. On stage, Eliana Cuervas sang both Spanish and Brazilian Latin-Jazz songs accompanied by her pianist Jeremy Ledbetter and a full band. I last saw her at The ROM more than a year ago. Their up-tempo music kept people dancing and grooving.

I would have stayed to see who else was on the schedule. But I had forgotten the lackadaisical fashion that concert folks prepare between sets. It took Cuervas' band 15 minutes to pack up (with lots of chatter). And with no sign that the next performers will be on stage soon, I headed home for an early sleep.