Bocadillo & Co.

Over the summer the former location of Taco Bull was undergoing a slow transformation from an eatery I regretted spending only three dollars at, to presumably something at least marginally superior. A few glimpses of jerk and tandoori chicken dishes gracing the open grill in front of the building during the St-Laurent sidewalk sales seemed promising. When Bocadillo & Co. finally opened their doors last month I figured it was only a matter of time before I got around to stepping inside and sampling their menu.

When I did, it became instantly apparent where all the time had been spent. The renovations really opened up the space. Taco Bull was basically a square the size of my bathroom where you’d order over the counter, so I was surprised at how roomy the place felt in comparison. From the outside Bocadillo still looked a little claustrophobic, like you might have a waist high view of counter-waiting patrons while eating, but it’s actually quite comfortable. The hall continues to extend to a somewhat larger back room that accommodates a few extra tables into space I didn’t previously know existed and was probably greatly under-utilized under previous ownership.

“Bocadillo” is Spanish for “sandwich”, which comprises a majority portion of the menu. The cafe is an offshoot of Sablo Kafe on St-Zotique and, from what I can tell, seems to share similar menu items. Chances are if you’ve enjoyed the tandoori chicken or arepas there that you will enjoy them here also. When I inquired about the soup of the day, a young man called out to a woman sitting with her newborn child to ask their father what it was comprised of. A few minutes later she returned and informed me that it was pumpkin.

It was too warm of a day to sit and eat pumpkin soup indoors, so I decided on the jerk chicken sandwich and an espresso - in retrospect a decidedly unfavorable pairing - and Shannon chose the smoked turkey. We sat for a while discussing the merits of the renos, leaning in on our comfy chairs, the blue and brown hues lending a calming, almost nautical coffee shop ambiance. I scorched my tongue on the overly hot espresso and cautioned Shannon on her cafe au lait as she fumbled with an awkwardly designed sugar dispenser whose dispensing powers were drastically reduced when less than half full.

With an already seared tongue I was informed that my sandwich was very spicy and that our waiter would soon bring water. Water, in case you didn’t know, does nothing to reduce the pain of overly spicy food, and alerting a customer of spiciness after a sandwich has been prepared allows them no opportunity to decide if that was to their liking. The sandwich, at $5.50 if memory serves correctly, contained a reasonable portion of chicken breast encased in a large multigrain ciabatta-like loaf that was soft and flavorful. The meat was nicely seasoned with allspice, garlic and similar Jamaican spices, but packed a very dry mouthful of heat in every bite. The sandwich consisted of nothing but chicken, bread and a touch of what I assumed was mayonnaise. Some crisp vegetables, a light sauce; anything to add contrasting texture, flavor and moisture would have been greatly appreciated. After a few bites, my otherwise naked plate was starting to feel much more empty without any garnishes, side dishes or condiments whatsoever.

Shannon’s sandwich of smoked turkey, Gouda and pear was much lighter and I stole a bite for a refreshing break from the heat. The combination of pear and smoked turkey is a nice one and the contrasting flavors made this my favorite of the two we’d ordered. Our tab for two sandwiches and coffees came to $20 (including tip), which hardly breaks the bank, but left a little to be desired. A few tweaks are needed to separate Bocadillo from serving top-rate food for a mall food court to a worthwhile cafe lunch location on the main.