Revisit: M. Wells before their Hiatus

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: Due to the open kitchen at M. Wells, I leave smelling like a fryer. In this case, I smell delicious

I still don't know what the hell you are...like a fancy pants Moose thing...minus pants apparently

I pay little attention to places shuttering and closing mainly because they were not places that I frequent or bluntly put, were not really good or om nomz worthy places to eat it. But in the beginning of August, when the Motorino Brooklyn abruptly closed due to the Earth trying to sallow the building, the next day news of M. Wells closure was a shock. Due to a dispute with the landlord, they have no choice and close their restaurant at the end of August and find a new place. Not knowing when they will reopen and I have no plans to visit the great white north, I went to M. Wells for brunch before they closed.

Apparently, the rest of New York did not have plans of going to Canada anytime soon because by the time I arrived at 9:45am, fifteen minutes before the start of service, the line was already snaking past the front of the building and rounding the corner of the restaurant. I almost did not make the first seating, and I went to go do brunch solo. I gave my whole order to the server the second I got seated, a practice I generally reserve for dining at Shopsins which was good because M. Wells was packed and they tried to fit everyone they could in their boxcar diner. Food after the Jump, ehh!

M. Wells Diner in Long Island City

Om Nomz Hero Note to Self: I will stop making fun of Canadians Canadian Cuisine

M. Wells Diner Logo. 2 questions, what is that and is that on the menu?

I have not been to Canada in ages. Canada is not the most exotic locale and it is easy just to say that all they got is Celine Dion, hockey, socialized health care and that country that John Candy was able to invade. What is generally less know is that it has a thriving food scene from Vancouver to Montréal. I have already have it set that if I go to Canada, specifically, Montreal, even before booking a hotel and making travel arrangements, my first order of business is to book a table or even a seat at Au Pied de Cochon, but not just book one reservation, but a two day reservation just so I can eat through their extensive foie and pork menu and hopefully not result in a trip to a free emergency room trip. M. Wells is under the command of the chef de cuisine  Hugue Dufour, a veteran of Au Pied de Cochon and in July 2010, opened up Magasin Wells Diner, M. Wells for short, in Long Island City with his wife a Queens native.

Quebeco-American Cuisine inside!

I am a little late to the M. Wells train but this week was their first dinner service since opening and I figured that I had to check it out their brunch service. Although they are located in Queens, it is thankfully only two stops into Queens and the diner is conveniently located within a few steps from the stop. Unfortunately, since opening, M. Wells has developed a following which means people lining up even before it opens to get some morning grub. I arrived about 15 minutes before they opened and already, there was a few folks waiting outside. I generally avoid places that involved ridiculous amount of people waiting outside (I am looking at you Clinton St. Bakery!) I despise it so I avoid it as much as possible but I of course make exceptions and being an earlier riser now, I understand its advantages.