A BY DANIELLE BRODY Long Island City steakhouse
is bringing the Canadian tradition
of celebrating maple
syrup season to the borough.
For the past few years, the
co-owners of M. Wells have
hosted an annual Sugar Shack
brunch series, featuring maple syrup
as the star ingredient on its menu and
in its activities.
“It’s a celebration of one of our sweetest
natural resources,” co-owner Sarah
Obraitis said.
The husband-and-wife team Orbraitis
and chef Hugue Dufour
opened M. Wells as a small diner
about 10 years ago. When the opportunity
came up about a year later
to open in a much bigger space, although
it was a risk, they took it. The
larger restaurant lends itself well to
parties and events that bring people
together, Orbraitis said.
In Canada, sugar shacks are small
cabins where sap is boiled to maple
syrup. Yet it also refers to a reception
hall with an interactive experience for
38 MARCH 2 0 2 0
people of all ages to enjoy traditional
meals, music and games.
Dufour grew up north of Quebec City
on maple syrup, where he remembers
afternoons spent on a sugar high. He
said that the celebration of syrup season
is very important there, and he
wanted to bring that experience to
western Queens.
“It’s foreign to most people,” he said.
The couple hosted a one-day sugar
shack event a few years ago, and it
took off from there; they turned it into a
month-long series, starting on a Sunday
in March when the harvest begins and
going through April.
“People will come back with the
same posse of friends or family. They
make it a family event,” Orbraitis said.
“It’s contagious.”
Dufour said he plans the menu
along with the staff about a month
before the first brunch. Each year, he
keeps some popular items from the
past, while introducing new ideas.
He grew up and spent most of his
FOOD + DRINK
Sweet Spring