Encompassing Designs
  • Home
  • Shop
    • Kits
    • Patterns >
      • Christine Little >
        • Signature Designs
        • New Designs
        • Seasonal Designs
      • Deborah Sweet
      • Susan Leslie
      • Patricia Perry
      • William Morris
    • Supplies >
      • Backings
      • Frames
      • Hooks
      • Books
      • Extra
    • Wool >
      • Abrashed
      • Custom Dyeing
      • Dyed Bundles
      • Dyed Curly Mohair
      • Dyed Spots
      • Dyed Values
      • Dyed Yarn
      • Jacquard Dice Dyes
      • Natural & Colours
      • Plaids & Textures
      • Dye Books & Swatches
  • Ordering
  • Blog
  • Workshops
  • Our Story
  • Contact Us

The Gecko Bus

8/23/2016

1 Comment

 
Picture
What’s green and red, has scales, sits on four tires and offers the best burrito in town?   No joke or guessing here, it’s the Gecko Bus!  It’s an oddity, a bit of Mexico in the heart of Halifax, an overlooked gem that I would have missed altogether if the friend with us hadn’t pointed it out. The bus is clever and innovative, marketing at its best.  

Hubby and I and a friend were in the city on a shopping excursion for our boats when lunch time rolled around and are tummies were growling so we started throwing suggestions around on where to eat.  Even though we were shopping at what one might refer to as “men stores” for boat parts, these guys don’t like to shop any more than I do and wanted to get home so we needed something quick.   It was a necessity buying trip, in and out as quick as possible, scratch the items off the list and head home before lunch but all good intentions need to come with a plan B.  All the stops took longer than anticipated and we were running out of steam.     

Several options were suggested, fast food places kept getting a thumbs down until Chris suggest the Gecko Bus.  “What’s that” I said immediately intrigued.  I’d crawl naked over glass for a good Burrito, so the bus it was.  

It was quite the experience to see this big green anomaly as we parked beside it.   Someone had welded metal shaped lizard body parts to an old school bus then painted on the details. Scales, legs, big eyes and a tail that wrapped around the back of the bus and flipped up over the top really transformed the old yellow bus in a giant Gecko.  The lips were bold red and full and you could imagine them holding back a bug eating tongue.  This metal reptile looked out of place in the concrete and asphalt jungle but at the same time, added a bit of interest, the bright green against the grey, drawing your eye in and peeking your curiosity to see what might lie within the belly of this beast.    

You enter into the head area and once inside running along the length of the middle were a couple of tables along the port side and cooler chests were along the starboard containing icy cans of thirst quenching drinks.   

At the back, rump part of the beast, were four guys taking orders and preparing the food.  There were three kinds of rice, I choose curry and raisin and three kinds of meat, I chose the pulled pork.  Once these two choices were made they started heaping on the toppings, handfuls of lettuce, corn, beans, salsa, guacamole, hot peppers, olives, red onion, you pointed to it and it went on the pile.  I looked on as customers ahead of me ordered their lunch, thinking each burrito was a work of art, a smorgasbord of colour, a feast for the eye. 

Like Harvey’s (as in “makes a hamburger a beautiful thing”), the fillings were displayed behind a splash guard and they asked what you wanted and then piled it on.   I had the mango mayonnaise squirted on the top and then they rolled it all in expertly until the flour tortilla encompassed all that wonderful goodness.  The last step was to wrap it in foil. It looked under pressure, like it might blow any second but it held together.    
 
The guys were super friendly, clearly enjoying their work, weaving in and out with one another, working their small space like a fine tuned instrument.   It was such a happy environment that it was almost flirtatious.  When asked if I wanted my burrito  heated, I didn’t know, I’d not been there before so I said, “what would you do?” And he smiled and said “heated” and I said “do it” and winked.   They were so friendly it was contagious. 

Although there were a couple of chairs and tables inside we opted for the picnic table outside and sat with the gecko’s eyes keeping watch.  The burrito was delicious.  I worried I might not be able to get my lips around it without unhinging my jaw but apparently I have a big mouth because I didn’t have a problem.  Hubby had his served in a dish like a giant salad and tackled it with a knife and fork.  I really liked the wrap. It kept the juices in and the ingredients mixed for optimum flavour.      It was a wonderful experience.  The afternoon sun burning down and the fresh food transported to Mexico.
​
I love cilantro, a dominant flavour throughout.  All the ingredients were fresh and crisp.  The pulled pork was delicious!  The service and burrito was divine, a ten out of ten and all for $8.00 plus a bit of change!   Why doesn’t Mahone Bay have one of these metal beasts serving amazing food for lunch?  I don’t know when I’ll be in the city next, hopefully they hang around a bit before the weather gets too cold, I really want to give this another whirl.   If you’re in the city check them out.  They park in front of Kent in the Bayer’s Lake Industrial Park.  Two Thumbs up from this foodie!
1 Comment
Audrey
8/23/2016 06:21:46 pm

Sounds big and yummy. Glad you enjoyed it.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Christine Little has been ranked #5​ out of the 60 top rug hooking bloggers by Rug Hooking Magazine!

    Picture
    Picture
    Max Anderson, Australia, recipient of my Nova Scotia Treasures rug.  An award of excellence for promoting Canada through his writing.  
    Picture
    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    July 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    July 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012

    Picture
    Picture
    Gift Certificates are available for that special rug hooker in your life!  Any denomination, no expiry date! 

    Picture

    Categories
    (Click on the categories for past blogs)

    All
    Announcements
    Beginner Class
    Christmas
    Colour Planning
    Contests
    Copyright
    Coupon
    Customer Rugs
    Cutter Servicing
    Dyeing
    Equipment
    Featured Hooker
    Giveaway Draw
    Guest Blogger
    Guest Blogger
    Health & Fitness
    Home & Heart
    Hooked Rugs
    Hooking Groups
    Hook In Talk
    Initially Yours
    Jibber Jabber
    Just A Bit Of Fun!
    Life's Experiences
    Life's Experiences
    New Design
    New Ideas
    Pattern Of The Week
    Patterns Hooked
    Pets
    Rants
    Recipes
    Rememberingfbe7326ff7
    Rug Schools
    Show & Tell
    Show-tell
    The Rant
    Tips Technique
    Tips Techniquef0cd117ab4
    Visitors
    Workshops

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture





















    Picture
    We have a pot to "Fiz" in!

Shop Hours:
Monday - Friday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM 
Saturdays 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
We are closed during ice and snow storms
​so please call ahead.  If school is cancelled we probably are as well.  

Toll Free: 1-855-624-0370
Local: 1-902-624-0370​
encompassingdesigns@gmail.com

498 Main Street
P.O. Box 437
Mahone Bay, N.S.
Canada B0J 2E0

​Follow us and keep up to date
on our specials, new products
​and events!
Picture
Picture
Picture


Home
Shop
Ordering
Blog
Our Story
Workshops

Contact Us




​​​© Copyright 2023 Encompassing Designs. Website by SKYSAIL