Nostradamus

Location : Granville & W 10th

$7.75 for a sandwich and $5.90 for a hot dog

After commenting to Neil the other day that there are no street carts preparing really good burgers, (to which he replied he would definitely visit if there were), I came across this new cart. The name is strange, sending shivers down my spine, (why name your cart after a legendary prophet of unspeakable bad stuff)? but, the menu is long and varied, at first glance. Offering Chilean style sandwiches or hot dogs with a choice of beef or pork, I was momentarily distracted by the choices as I looked up to see a piece of beef dangling from the end of a pair of tongs, held forth and being offered to me by a man with a big smile. It tasted good, a little chewy as this kind of thinly sliced meat usually is, you know the kind, cooked almost like one continuous strand, but there was no need for the sample to sway me as I was going to buy anyway.

There are about 17 options (as you can see below), choices of toppings you would like to accompany your sandwich or dog. Ranging from bacon, melted cheese, red peppers, green sauce, mayonnaise etc., I was recommended to try the Mediterranean, full of bright green basil and cilantro sauce, but after my healthy first lunch from Num Num, I wanted something sticky and stodgy, so opted for the Rodeo, beef topped with melted cheese, bbq sauce and bacon. I was given a small tub of Chilean salsa as well, to dab on if I required. "it's not hot", said the owner, it wasn't and it added a real fresh zing to the sandwich, which was good, but I found the bbq sauce slightly overpowering with that smoky edge you sometimes get, (or maybe that was the bacon)? Either way, it was a little strong. I would definitely go back, however and try various other combinations, even with Neil who would find this cart the closest 'burger' like offering. The cart had a video playing of Anthony Bourdain's foodie journey to Chile, to promote the food, I suppose. Watching Anthony Bourdain oohing and ahhing over virtually anything he eats with extreme pleasure is a welcome distraction while waiting for your own lunch and has you thinking: 'will this taste as good?'