By Rebecca Henely
Sarah Obraitis, half of the team behind the much-mourned French-Quebecois diner M. Wells, is furious over a controversy spurred after she and husband Hugue Dufor had considered adding horse meat dishes to their new spot at art institution MoMA PS1.
“It’s not on our menu,” Obraitis said flatly.
M. Wells, opened as a stand-alone diner in Long Island City in 2010, had to close a year later due to disputes with the landlord. In the ensuing time, Dufor and Obraitis had showcased their Quebecois-style takes on traditional diner fare at food festivals and for special events, but last Thursday they opened a location in the cafeteria of the popular contemporary art museum, at 46-01 21st St. in Long Island City.
“It’s a wonderful fit,” Obraitis said about the opening of the dinette.
Obraitis said she and Dufor had served horse meat on a previous occasion and had thought about offering it as part of the dinette’s ever-changing menu later down the line. But since reports began circulating about the potential equine option, Obraitis said they have had people call them “disgusting.”
“It’s a total non-issue,” Obraitis said.
Quebec has a large horse meat business, and butchers offer the food in other parts of Canada. The United States removed a five-year ban on horse meat last year as part of the passage of the 2012 federal spending bill.
Despite the controversy, many came out to try M. Wells’ offerings last Thursday, with the dinette serving long lines of people in the last hour that day. Items on the menu included rabbit terrine, beef tartare, vegetable banh mi and cod brandade. The dinette also offered croissants, coffees, wines and iced hibiscus tea.
Before opening, M. Wells had partnered with MoMA PS 1 to provide food for an art fair in May. In homage to MoMA PS 1’s former life as a school, the dinette is set up like a school cafeteria with communal tables and the changeable menu written on chalkboards.
Obraitis said the new location initially presented some challenges, since it is a renovated schoolroom, but it turned out to be a perfect fit.
“In a way, it’s just another gallery,” Obraitis said. “It’s a gallery of food.”
The dinette is open Monday, Thursday and Friday from noon to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Reach reporter Rebecca Henely by e-mail at rhenely@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4564.
