A quick bite, monsieur?

Bengaluru's food truck game has never been better. Nikita Puri checks out the one offering toasted favourites from France

At lunchtime in Bagmane Tech Park, people snake around a food truck. Earlier that morning, an SMS had assured these techies that the truck, which promises French offerings, would be on time.

In the one year of its existence, Le Casse-Croute has quickly made its place in the vibrant food-truck scene in the city. Styled in the colours of the French flag, blue, red and white, the truck offers a quick and wholesome bite to people gathered at pre-decided spots across the city. 

Toasted on the outside and soft on the belly-side, freshly-made sandwiches called croques are the main attraction of Le Casse-Croute. The fact that each of these croques have been named after people or ideas has only helped it build a loyal customer base. Monsieur Dupleix for instance, which features chicken marinated in curry, is the most Indianised of their offerings because of the protein’s popularity in the country.

“It was only fitting that we name this sandwich after Joseph Francois Dupleix, the last Governor of French Pondicherry (now Puducherry),” shares Nicolas Grossemy. He’s one of the four French expats who’ve come together in Bengaluru to offer a taste of their homeland’s favourites at prices that don’t create a trench in your pocket (Rs 70-Rs 300).

Similarly, the simple Madame Belanger with herbs, cheese and capsicum and eggplants is a tribute to the uncomplicated life in the farmlands of northern France. While their bestselling croques include Monsieur Martin (bacon and béchamel sauce), Monsieur Le Goff (prawns with aioli sauce) and Madame Garcia (pesto with grilled almonds and mozzarella), the slow-cooked ratatouille is a winner hands down. Topped with herbs and well-stewed zucchini, yellow and red capsicum, eggplant and tomatoes, this one’s a heart-warmer come summer or winter.

The business of hits and misses is a constant with food and more so for Le Casse-Croute, as time has shown. After their  gazpacho, a cold soup made of raw vegetables had very few takers, it has been discontinued. “Only had French people asking for it so we’ve now replaced it with a homely soup with baby potatoes, pumpkin, carrots and cumin,” shares Grossemy as he describes the new addition to the menu, Le Veloute. 

While their fries, called Frites, are hand-cut and double-fried, for a healthier helping opt for the fresh green salad. Called L’estivale, this comes with tomatoes, cucumber and capsicum added to home-made buffalo milk bocconcini, fried onions and vinaigrette sauce.

In India, a land of desserts which are sweeter than the sweetest, the Le Casse-Croute team wonders how many find their Creme de La Creme,  smooth caramel cream concoction with salted butter, “too sweet.” But when had with French-styled cookies called Cat’s Tongue which are both crisp and soft, your initial resistance to caramel wears down as you progress from one bite to another. 

Besides croques and the ratatouille, another reason to follow this truck is for their home-made tomato ketchup as well as a mustard sauce which also doubles as a marinade: both come in handy jars. Then there’s always the Ch’ti pate which also comes in a jar. With pork and chicken liver marinated and cooked in beer and herbs, this one’s a good break from cheese spreads when hunger strikes.