Larry Mongo, the popular owner of Cafe D'Mongo's Speakeasy on Griswold, will debut his new restaurant, Hotel D'Mongo, with a soft opening scheduled for the last week of August -- purposely coinciding with Somerset's monthly CityLoft shopping hours.
Hotel D'Mongo is a tribute to Mongo's great-grandmother, a former slave from Kershaw, South Carolina, whose storied home cooking persuaded Kershaw's city leaders to integrate the Mongo's bordello on Sundays, when she took over the kitchen. The food is based on her 1897 recipes. "The food will be based completely off her slave recipes," Mongo says. That means smoked meats, soups and salads -- expect main dishes of Peking duck and salmon to grace the small menu.
The tiny restaurant, located in the Himmelhoch building, seats only 24 patrons inside. Expect to hear the strains of classical music while dining on antique furniture and heirloom silverware, surrounded by pictures of the Mongo dynasty. If the decor hearkens back to the late 19th century, the prices, Mongo says, will follow suit.
"I want the prices to be where the bicycle riders can come in and eat," Mongo says.
Hotel D'Mongo has obtained a BYOB license, and will charge a modest corking fee for patrons who bring their own wine with dinner.
When asked what Great-Grandmother Mongo would think of a restaurant designed in her memory, Mongo says he honors her one request -- protect the Mongo family recipes, which have been passed down for over 150 years.
"She'd probably say, 'Larry don't you ever give away that recipe. Because if
slavery ever returns, you can be in the house -- because you wouldn't make
it out on the fields.'"
Hotel D'Mongo officially open in the Himmelhoch building at 1545 Washington Ave in September. Winter hours are Fridays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Find out more at
cafedmongos.com.
Source: Larry Mongo, owner, Hotel D'Mongo
Writer: Ashley C. Woods
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