M. Wells Diner

Of all the restaurants for New York foodies to go atwitter over, a diner seems the least likely. But that's just what's happened with M. Wells, a new place in Long Island City that marries Quebecois cooking to the classic greasy spoon. The Voice's Robert Sietsema exemplified the chorus of praise when he described this fusion as "some of the most innovative cooking in the city."

We didn't have quite this same reaction. In fact, we almost left without eating because the air conditioner was struggling so fitfully against the heat and because our waitress forgot our drinks, wouldn't take our order until we flagged her down, and took our food to the wrong table. We stuck it out, though (oh, the things we do for this blog).

Our tortilla Espanola was serviceable but nothing more --- too soft all the way through and a bit bland. The Cubano, however, stands up to any in town, with a delightful mustard tang and a great crunch. While we're not quite sure what either dish has to do with Quebec, and we think all this hype is a bit much, the concept and the Cubano make us root for this place and hope that some day soon, as the slogan says, all will be well at M. Wells.