Conveniently located in Mile End where everyone wants a fairly priced meal in a relaxed but sleekly-decorated location, Restaurant Mais has its vintage and cocktail-loving clientele cornered.
The spot is tiny, doesn’t take reservations, and has an open kitchen. Hipster-friendly? Check. Check. Check.
Expect a line-up for brined and grilled chicken wings and Big Kahunas (dark rum, orange juice and bitters – $8.50).
Big Kahuna – dark rum, orange juice and bitters, served to us on our up-cycled tabletop
Follow with braised calamari salad with orange segments and perfectly toasted Marcona almonds. Not much Mexican about it, but it’s refreshing.
The scallop and avocado tostada moved a little more into Mexican waters, with creamy, gently marinated scallop wedges on top of a heap of mashed avocado, seasonal radishes and cilantro. Made intentionally mild, if you saved pickled jalapenos from the chicken wings, now’s the time to use them. A squeeze more lime in the avocado purée would perk things up, too.
Tacos
The real draw here are the tacos ($3-$4.50!). Served on a circular platter for sharing, the Berkshire pork, sustainable Arctic char, and hormone and antibiotic-free beef bring on the flavour.
Better tha Baja, the char ($4.50) comes perfectly grilled with salt-seasoned skin topped with lightly pickled cabbage and creamy avocado. This one’s meant for heat-fearing French people, but there’s a bottle of hot sauce on the table. The house-made salsa verde or rojo (green or red) goes for an extra $2.
But woe is the side order of guacamole ($3) that comes solo, under-salted and under-lime juiced with nary a tortilla in sight.
A whole pile of tender strands of beef knock were made to be wrapped in corn ($4). Paired with marinated onions and cilantro, this taco’s like pulled pork for sophisticated grown-ups.
The only disappointment is the vegetarian taco with squash, green onions and pumpkin seeds. Our fault, though, as our lactose-intolerant party had to get ’em without the queso that would have kicked it up a level. It would have also been better with salsa in our cheese-less case, but as mentioned above – $2.
In and out in under an hour to catch an early show, we didn’t have time for paletas (homemade popsicles in flavours like lime-cucumber, mango-chamoy, and choco-mint from popsicle makers extraordinaires, La Catrina).
Sink or swim?
I think Mais will swim as long as the service is always as good as it was the night I was there. And they’re working on a little terrasse, which will help push the summertime cocktails. In winter it’s cozy enough inside to lure heat-seakers in…as long as the salsa is included and the guac comes with chips. Can’t get those endorphins going without some capsaicin. But, $4 tequila shots and affordable, high quality tacos will lure you back time and time again. If they gave the salsa for free they’d have to charge more for the tacos, and heaven knows Quebecers generally don’t like spicy anyway. What a waste all those bowls of gratis salsa would be. May we suggest $0.50? Or $1 max?
Restaurant Mais
How much: $14 for three tacos including tax and tip, or $30 with an app and a cocktail or beer. You’ll be stuffed.
When: Tues-Wed 5pm-11pm, Thurs-Sat 5pm-midnight
514-507-7740
5439 boul. St-Laurent
Leave a Reply