Open during the day, the well-known banh mi counter on rue Saint-Viateur Ouest now has its evening counterpart: the Nili.
The same owner, Mikey Levy, took over the Mile End premises left vacant by the Maison Privée barbers.
But even though the Banh Mi Banh Yiu and the Nili are side by side, they have little to do with each other, points out their owner.
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The new restaurant is inspired by the famous Gitane cafe in New York, which is owned by Mikey’s uncle, and where he worked for years.
They serve unpretentious Franco-Moroccan dishes, prepared with fresh ingredients: hummus, baked feta with tomatoes and olives, crunchy salads (hearts of palm, avocados, oranges, endives…), and of course Moroccan couscous.
People go there without a reservation to take advantage of the small, intimate place either at the counter — with a pretty window overlooking the neighboring banh mi — or at one of the small tables that can accommodate two to four people.
255 Saint-Viateur Street West, Montreal