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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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Just like at Café Gitane, Moroccan couscous is one of Nili’s signature dishes.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
A small window pierced in the adjoining wall allows you to see what is happening on the other side, at the Banh Mi Banh Yiu.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
At Nili, we favor the counter or tables of two or four, in an intimate atmosphere.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
For the wine list, Mikey Levy called on the sommelier of the restaurant Ile Floating (neighboring Saint-Viateur Street), Jade Labonté Harvey.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Located to the east (rising sun), the Vietnamese sandwich counter is open during the day; to the west, its neighbor Nili takes over when the sun goes down.
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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