Trinidadian food trike bringing doubles around Toronto
Some foods are too delicious not to quit your job for and base your entire life around immediately.
For 23-year-old Lucas Boers of Toronto, that food is doubles: A Trinidadian street snack that pairs freshly-fried flatbread with saucy, spiced-up chickpeas to make heaven in your mouth.
Boers is the man behind Manipura Doubles, also known as Doubles Food Trike, Toronto's latest mobile food offering of note.
"After I first tasted them on Ariapita Ave in Port of Spain, Trinidad, I fell in love," he tells us. "I fell in love with them because they hit all the flavours I look for in one bite: spicy, sweet, savoury and acidic."
So, with 10 years of cooking and some food truck experience already under his belt, he decided to start his own business earlier this year.
You may have seen him since, surrounded by hungry park goers in Trinity Bellwoods park, serving the office lunchtime rush at David Pecault Square, or cruising around Caribana with his food-toting tricycle.
He isn't the first chef to serve doubles in our fair city, but Boers is the only one serving them around the city from a tricycle.
And, while we've seen some critical comments about the fact that Boers isn't Trini, reception to the business has been great in both Toronto and Trinidad.
"People are loving the food and have given great feedback about my pepper sauce and chutneys," Boers told us, noting that the trike itself is also popular among customers "because it's environmentally friendly, which is a strong focus of my business."
Boers, who was born in Toronto, says he's struggled to educate some Torontonians about what doubles are â but he's careful to ensure that they know its Trinidadian food.
"I'm thankful for the friendship and mentoring my Trini friend has given me through this process," he told us. "I work to do Trinidad and Tobago proud for their amazing cuisine and culture."
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