M. Wells' Gravlax Pie Made Me Swoon Today

During a nice and productive meeting with a cool LICer, Anthony Cekay of Page4Music, I found myself at the much-raved-about M.Wells Diner.  What can I say, all the recent hype got me excited for it, and it seemed like Anthony picked up on this too, as he actually made the suggestion to go.

When we got there, the place was absolutely buzzing - so much so that we had to wait about 15 minutes for a table, which wasn't that bad in hindsight.  The place was packed at the seams - no empty seats at the bar, the long communal table up front completely occupied and the waitstaff was certainly working for their tips, running around like busy worker bees.

We were lucky enough to score a booth by the window.  It was hard to hear one another, per my above mention of the activity going on, but nonetheless, a great time was had.  Here's what we ordered:

Gravlax Pie - I had a hard time deciding between this, the seafood cobbler and a marrow sandwich.  Our gracious waiter highly recommended the Gravlax Pie so I took his word for it.  Wow, and am I glad I listened.  While I couldn't really picture what a gravlax pie would look like, the beautifully composed plate of vibrant colors and amazing textures surpassed anything I could've imagined. 

The actual "pie" was made of a flaky, buttery crust that was easy to break into, revealing a creamy interior filled with potatoes.  Topped with smoked salmon (or gravlax), a heaping scoop of velvety creme fraiche and fish eggs, it was the most intricately composed and well rounded salmon dish I've had to date.  All the flavors and textures worked perfectly together to create a little piece of Scandinavian heaven in your mouth.  Although I absolutely adored this dish, lactose sensitive friends should beware, for it's not easy on the tummy. But so worth every bite!

Cheeseburger - Anthony ordered the burger, which contained a mixture of beef and lamb, cheddar cheese, grilled onions and pickles.  While I didn't try it, he finished it to the last bite and said it was one of the better ones he's had lately.  He also revealed his best of the best burger of LIC, which is found at the most unusual locale.  I won't reveal it now but rest assured that I'll give it some properly-paid attention soon.

Iced Tea - I also got a simple iced tea, which was very well made and came in a very cool-looking glass that reminded me of a glass version of this.  It tasted fresh brewed and didn't need any kind of sweetener. 

Service and Cost:
Given the hectic atmosphere today, the service was still very much on-point.  We were served quickly and I definitely felt that our waiter paid enough attention to us.  He was quick with the check too, which was appreciated.

Costs are moderate to a little pricey with my entree at $16 and Anthony's at $12.  Total including tax and tip was $38.

3 Mmmms

M. Wells Diner - 21-17 49th Avenue, Long Island City NY 11101718.425.6917
7 Train to Hunters Point Avenue
mwellsdiner.com/