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The space is -small-. Three or four tables and a counter with as many stools cram the space - outside which crowds wait on the weekends. The staff is super friendly and I felt welcomed, always a nice thing when going into a new place for the first time. They were out of the Ruth Wilensky (salami pressed on an onion roll), so I ordered the Smoked Meat Sandwich (all of the meat, fish & vegetables are house pickled, cured, and smoked using local, pastured, line-caught & sustainable ingredients whenever possible). Two slices of soft, pillowy Rye bread contain a large pile of the fatty, smoked meat. Mustard is smeared on the bread to provide some bite.
It was a big sandwich, but not ridiculously so, and at first I thought I'd only eat half, but it was so tasty I ended up polishing it off in one sitting. But soon, my stomach made me regret my decision. I have a pretty steely stomach, too, so I'm not sure what this says about this sandwich. I don't think the meat was bad, it just ended up hurting! I just don't get the rabid following Mile End has already established within a few short months time. The menu is so small, and what's on it is slightly different versions of the same thing, so it feels even smaller. I do hope they succeed, maybe they can add a veggie option to the sandwiches, and maybe they can find a better way to deal with that bagel situation!
8 comments:
Sorry. I walk past that place and say what? What a gas guzzling waste when Hello? we are in New York. I'll NEVER go here.
You guys obviously don't know about Montreal Style Bagels! I used to get them in BC when I lived in Seattle. They are so good and chewy! Different than NY style bagels. It is a shame they drive them down (environmental and freshness issues), and don't just make them here...
Here is the Montreal Bagel info from Wikipedia:
"The Montreal bagel ... is a distinctive variety of hand-made and wood-fired baked bagel. In contrast to the New York-style bagel,the Montreal bagel is smaller, sweeter and denser, with a larger hole, and is always baked in a wood-fired oven. It contains malt, egg, and no salt and is boiled in honey-sweetened water before being baked in a wood-fired oven, whose irregular flames give it a dappled light-and-dark surface colour."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal-style_bagel
Hey CGdesigngirl, I get that these bagels are different and probably awesome (you're right, I haven't had them). I just think it's a bit excessive to be driving to Montreal and back every Friday for a batch. Can't they be made here? Is there something about the Montreal honey or something, that prevents them from being made anywhere else? (Akin to how some New Yorkers feel that bagels outside of NY taste different because of the water they're boiled in isn't NY water). I'm obsessed with food, but I wouldn't go that far for anything.
I agree that driving them from Montreal is VERY excessive.
From what I read in some of the other press/blogs about this bagel stuff, its actually two old friends of the owners who are coming down in a car packed to the brim with them. Before the owner was shippping small batches at a much higher cost...this new bagel express stuff lowered the price of the dozen by 10$.
Also - I am originally from montreal and can explain why the bagels can't be made elsewhere. One major factor is the montreal water, and the honey boiling process. That they are had rolled and baked in a wood burning oven that is over 50 years old.
They try to make a few versions of them in Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver, and I have tried all of those and they arent quite the same. I think its really cool that these are availible so fresh down there. They are like any other special imported product....a treat!
It seems like bagels really induce serious obsession! gocanadago: I can appreciate that these are special bagels, and thank everyone who has commented in defense of them.
Too bad you had an off-putting experience there. I really enjoyed the sandwich. Gonna go back as soon as I get home in a few weeks.
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