New Dominican restaurant opens in downtown Meriden
Published: December 7, 2015
MERIDEN ? When Manuel De Leon moved to Meriden in 1992, he recalls the city having a small Dominican population.
But 23 years later, encouraged by an influx of Dominican city residents, Manuel De Leon and his wife, Julia, have opened their own Dominican restaurant downtown. Mang?, located at 29 W. Main Street, opened last week, offering appetizers to guests and showcasing its menu.
Manuel De Leon believes Mang? is the only city restaurant of its kind.
?We decided to try it,? he said. ?Most of the Spanish restaurants we have around us (are) Mexican, Puerto Rican. There?s nothing Dominican... I think we are the only one.?
?It?s very important to introduce Dominican background restaurant to Meriden to share culture with other people in this town,? Julia De Leon said through a translator.
Mang? serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The restaurant is named after a Dominican Republic dish made from plantains, which is also offered on the menu.
Manuel De Leon said the restaurant?s location will help it prosper.
?Downtown is gonna be changing,? he said. ?New park, new train station, new buildings. I think the opportunity is right now.?
The lease to the building was signed in October 2014. Manuel De Leon said he has been excited for Mang? to open. ?We?ve been working on this for about a year now,? he said.
Julia De Leon hopes the restaurant becomes popular with locals.
?Hopefully everyone is pleased with the food, and they keep coming back,? she said.
blipiner@record-journal.com 203-317-2444 Twitter: @BryanLipiner
http://www.myrecordjournal.com/meri...can-restaurant-opens-in-downtown-meriden.html
Published: December 7, 2015
MERIDEN ? When Manuel De Leon moved to Meriden in 1992, he recalls the city having a small Dominican population.
But 23 years later, encouraged by an influx of Dominican city residents, Manuel De Leon and his wife, Julia, have opened their own Dominican restaurant downtown. Mang?, located at 29 W. Main Street, opened last week, offering appetizers to guests and showcasing its menu.
Manuel De Leon believes Mang? is the only city restaurant of its kind.
?We decided to try it,? he said. ?Most of the Spanish restaurants we have around us (are) Mexican, Puerto Rican. There?s nothing Dominican... I think we are the only one.?
?It?s very important to introduce Dominican background restaurant to Meriden to share culture with other people in this town,? Julia De Leon said through a translator.
Mang? serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The restaurant is named after a Dominican Republic dish made from plantains, which is also offered on the menu.
Manuel De Leon said the restaurant?s location will help it prosper.
?Downtown is gonna be changing,? he said. ?New park, new train station, new buildings. I think the opportunity is right now.?
The lease to the building was signed in October 2014. Manuel De Leon said he has been excited for Mang? to open. ?We?ve been working on this for about a year now,? he said.
Julia De Leon hopes the restaurant becomes popular with locals.
?Hopefully everyone is pleased with the food, and they keep coming back,? she said.
blipiner@record-journal.com 203-317-2444 Twitter: @BryanLipiner
http://www.myrecordjournal.com/meri...can-restaurant-opens-in-downtown-meriden.html