M. Wells Diner and a Giant Hamburger
by Kiki on February 25, 2011
Ever since I moved back to the East Coast, I’ve been meaning to go to M. Wells, the recently opened Quebecois restaurant in Long Island City. I’ve only heard good things about it, and dig the fact that it’s in an old refurbished diner car. M. Wells served lunch and brunch only until about last week, when they started dinner service. I headed in there on a cold Wednesday night with a couple friends. I have a tendency to do a lot of recon when it comes to restaurant menus – I’m very indecisive and I need that extra half hour of menu gazing to decide what I want to eat. Unfortch, since M. Wells changes things so often, they don’t have their menu online and I went in pretty blind. I was pretty shocked to see a $42 hamburger on there, but was talked off the ledge by the waiter who assured me that it was meant to be shared among a few people. He pointed out the buns, in a glass case on the counter, and they were the size of my head. That’s about all it took to convince me, so the gang and I ordered one to share.
The $42 dollar burger
Friends, it was delicious. A lamb/beef mix, salt crusted and cooked medium rare, slathered with a special homemade ketchup and cushioned with springy greens, all resting atop pickles which even I, a non-pickle lover, loved. And the onion rings you see perched jauntily on top? The best any of us had ever had. We also shared a Paris-Brest (a divine cream filled choux pastry prepared, it must be said, by one of my dining companions, who is a pastry chef there) which was a praline cream dream. I have definite plans to go back.
M. Wells is located at 21-17 49th Ave in Long Island City: a hop skip and a jump from Midtown on the 7 train, or a slow zoom from Brooklyn on the G.
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6 comments
Question: how did you go there without me!? Brunch soon…please!
by Nina on February 25, 2011 at 8:31 am. #
I know! Who is this “gang” that doesn’t include me and Nina? I mean, I have already made my love of exorbitantly priced burgers clear (http://www.power-animals.com/2011/02/11/a-26-hamburger-thats-worth-every-penny/). But I guess you could argue that you *didn’t know* what you were going to order because of the lack of online menu. I guess you’re off the hook this time, Kiki! Consider yourself lucky.
But srsly, when are we going?
by Hillary on February 25, 2011 at 8:42 am. #
I went to the Chef’s restaurant in Montreal recently, and it was one of the most epic meals I ever had. It included deep-fried cubes of foie gras and duck carpaccio. I’m SO down with checking out the spot in Queens!
by Tammy on February 25, 2011 at 9:46 am. #
If you like diner cars, what about the old Summit Diner… Is it still there? I still have memories of some gargantuan plate of ham and eggs.
by Mamma on February 25, 2011 at 12:36 pm. #
I too am wondering about the “gang” mentioned. Suspicious. Regardless, that burger looks pretty awesome. Also, love onion rings!
by Thea on February 25, 2011 at 5:23 pm. #
[...] no! PA fave M. Wells is closing down. Who wants to go get in some last hurrah type [...]
by Computer Love: Our Favorite Links of the Week « Power Animals on August 8, 2011 at 2:59 pm. #