Earlier this spring, we had the delight of being at the launch party for two brand new food trucks. Europea lauched its own food truck as well as a name we had not heard before: Jerry Ferrer. Certainly, it rang a bell; and then Europea’s Jerome Ferrer reminded us that he had opened a small casse-croute in the style of La Belle Provice but with a real ‘Great Cooking From Quebec’ feel.
Oh right! To be honest, we had not tried. Our mistake. Because since that small casse-croute and independently owned food truck, that name has literally exploded all over Quebec. June 8th was a perfect example of that, as we were graciously invited to Jerry Ferrer’s first of 9 (so far) franchised expansions, Le Casse-Croute du Terroir, in the beautiful South Shore borough of St-Bruno.
The small place was hard to miss with the second Jerry Ferrer food truck (already!) parked out front. The opening was a bit of a mystery as one would not expect a Belle Province to have a big party opening. Well, that is what Jerry Ferrer did, and we quickly learned… this was no Belle Province! In the small-ish space with maybe 75 seats, it seemed like the entire neighbourhood showed up to try the new joint. Packed to the rafters with locals, food would come out in vast trays to be shared among those who were lucky enough to grab some, but oh did it go fast! And that was hardly surprising. The food is amazing!
The poutine is predictably delicious. Looking ready for a photo shoot, it comes out with a generous helping of cheese curds on top and fresh chives sprinkled all over. With a deeply earthy taste, the Poutine à Jerry has a rich mushroom flavour which does not overpower the golden fries ($11.50).
The Fish’N’Chips is also a great pick with big chunks of battered white fish and an excellently tangy tartar sauce. Complete with a little salad and a portion of fries, the whole thing is light enough to satisfy without getting that greasy heaviness typical of such a dish ($11.50). There were also pulled pork sliders and absolutely massive One Foot Beef Hot-Dogs flowing around, indicative of the kind of choices readily available in the little diner.
Aside from the good food, what makes Jerry Ferrer interesting is the throwback to an older style, not just in décor, but also in the playfulness of the menu and options. For example, kids under 12 pay their age for a meal and ice cream. Or why not order a lunch bag for the office complete with sandwich, salad, and pie ($11.50)?
Our favourite, the Prière à Sainte-Culpabilite: vanilla ice cream with a sucre à la crème sauce for $9.50 of which $1.50 goes to the foundation of Soeur Angele. The place just seems more down to earth than a regular fast food joint, where they normally don’t care what your name is or what kind of food quality they produce.
Finally, we were immensely impressed with the expansion. Jerry Ferrer Casse-Croute du Terroir will be an established chain in Quebec in no time and we are glad for them. Look for further spots to open this summer in Boucherville, Saint-Hubert, Laval, Saint-Anne, Longueil, the Old Port, and in the Bell Center, among others. This expansion may be the most interesting part, because franchise opportunities are still open and the requirements don’t seem as extraneous as one might expect from such a big name!
2240 Boul Sir-Wilfrid-Laurier, St-Bruno-de-Montarville, QC
(450) 441-7447
Photos by Jonathan Brouillette (@darksteelangel) and Jerry Ferrer Casse-Croûte.
