NDG’s New Fast Food Restaurant Crusty’s Is a Study in Excess

A flashy new restaurant dishing excessively cheesy, Doritos-dusted fast foods opens in NDG today.

Crusty’s comes from two faces that’ll be familiar to fans of hit Quebec reality show Occupation Double (OD), where participants must couple up to stave off elimination and win a grand prize. Rym Nebbak and Chris Robbins were contestants on the show’s thirteenth season, which was set in South Africa and aired in 2020. They announced last month they’d be opening a restaurant together. (Quebec’s business registry lists several other backers, including Ali Sekar, an owner of Crémazie area halal fast food joint Tasty Mtl.)

The new arrival to Sherbrooke Street West is serving a number of decidedly unrestrained fast food items, including burgers brimming and dripping with sauces; chicken tenders coated in seasonings like Doritos, Cheetos, or chipotle; and something it’s dubbing a “signature cup.” A photo of the “dish” posted to Instagram shows a drinking glass overflowing with a mess of melted cheese, a creamy sauce, and a spattering of julienne chip sticks. The caption helps clarify what’s going on over there: Tucked beneath the blanket of cheese is either some fried chicken, popcorn shrimp, or beef — depending on what diners choose.

As for the look of the place, it appears to be a pastiche of Americana artifacts, featuring posters of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley, a retro-looking Coca-Cola clock, roadside signs, a gas pump, and the boot of a yellow vintage car jutting out from a wall. It’s all very Drive-ins, Diners, and Dives, the TV series where expert of over-the-top comfort foods Guy Fieri drives coat-to-coast in search of the U.S.’s best greasy spoons.

For those drawn in by the OD connection, take note: According to Hollywood PQ, Nebbak and Robbins are planning to screen the reality TV show’s ongoing season on-site.

This week, Crusty’s is open from 3 to 9 p.m. at 5899 Sherbrooke Street West. Hours are subject to change thereafter.

• Rym et Chris d’OD ouvrent un resto à Montréal cet automne et se confient sur leur projet [Narcity]
• Ce resto décadent ouvre cette semaine à Montréal et le menu va te faire baver [Narcity]