Mile End Deli — Restaurant in New York

Possibly the best dining experience I've had in 5 countries. You approach the location uncertain- it's off the beaten path and the other dining in the neighborhood leads you to expect solid casual fare, but this is something more. A quick read of the menu might leave you uncertain- smoked meat burger doesn't sound incredible at first glance, but then you realize understated and straightforward is a clever style choice. Walking in is warm, friendly, and a mix of gourmet and comfortable. Three tables and a bar, a server out front and a chef behind the counter. The chef is a mix of the clean professionalism you might expect of a bright young executive chef's kitchen, and someone you believe learned every one of grandma's secret recipes by heart. The server combined the charm and friendly nature of an old world Irish pub with the fresh energy of a rock concert. At thus point I'm not sure what's happening with this place but I love it. The beer list was creative, sourced from unusual small breweries around the country. Most unusual and delightful was a blackberry ale called dog ate my homework. The food was excellent and prepared right in front of you the kitchen was clean and spotless filled with fresh well organized ingredients. It was clear the staff was passionate and lived what they do. Their joy was infectious and made a dinner alone unexpectedly bright and fun. If I lived in NY this place would be a regular visit for me. As it is, it was a delightful find within walking distance...

I used to live and go to school in Montreal and my mom’s family is from Quebec City. Two of my very favorite foods in the world are Montreal-style smoked meat and poutine. I know these two foods better than most.

Mile End has no business trying to pass itself off as a Montreal-style smoked meat restaurant, as the meat tastes nothing like what you’d eat in Montreal. Go to a classic Montreal smoked meat deli - places such as: Reuben's, Schwartz's, Bens (now sadly out of business), and even La Belle Province – and you’ll immediately understand that Mild End tastes nothing like it. Montreal smoked meat sandwiches have a very different flavor and cut (smooth slices vs. rough cuts at Mile End).

On to their poutine -- I was not impressed. The cheese was most certainly not authentic Quebec cheddar cheese curds which tastes amazing and squeeks when you chew it...and poutine is all about the cheese. Even McDonalds in Quebec makes a half-decent poutine because they get the cheese right. Mile End seems to serve some sort of bland mozzarella substitute - blah. The fries themselves were excellent, the gravy was just ok, but the cheese just wasn’t even close to the real thing and ruined the dish.

There used to be a place in the Lower East Side called T-Poutine that served real poutine -- but is now sadly out of business. Pommes Frites on Second Ave (East Village) serves poutine with the real cheese curds imported from Quebec, but their fries are not exactly the best...

We got there almost right after they opened, so there were only few people in the inside, but it quickly got busy. The inside is rather small, they have nice counter seating on one side, and large picnic style tables on the other side. The tables are large, and are meant to share with other customers. The entrance side of the wall have large windows from floor to ceiling, flooding the inside with natural light, illuminating their simple, sleek interior.

We started off with a nice cup of coffee. We wanted milk to go with the coffee, and it took as asking 2 different servers 2-3 times for it, before they finally brought the milk... The service was not consistent, it was ok at the beginning, but quickly became the game of catch. It was not easy to get their attention, even though it was not packed. I guess it was a bit more relaxed atmosphere, which we were ok with, but when we needed milk for our coffee, or refill of water, or wanted to get a check, it took more than enough effort and time. Other than that, they were very nice and helpful (once you catch them).

The food was very good, even though a bit more pricey than I prefer, but they do come with high quality food. I have not had any disappointing food from any of their location, so you know I will be going back for some more soon! Read my full review of this restaurant and food on my food blog,...