About
NEW OWNERS AT MONDELLO
BUT IT'S STILL VERY MUCH A FAMILY AFFAIR
For Sicily, geography has always been destiny. And that destiny has echoes even in far-away places, like Seattle's Magnolia neighborhood, at a tiny cafe called Mondello.
The rocky isle of Sicily itself, a land mass the size of Vermont, rises from the Mediterranean like a giant pebble kicked by the toe of Italy. Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans all viewed it as a strategic military and cultural outpost. Ringed by rich waters and covered with dense forests, amazingly fertile hillsides and ancient vineyards, Sicily is both a crucible of original recipes and a melting pot of culinary traditions.
Enza Sorrentino, known to all as Mamma Enza, grew up in the island capital of Palermo, a coastal city the size of Seattle, surrounded by small farms, vineyards and fishing villages of the Mediterranean. For many years, in much-loved restaurants like La Vita è Bella and La Cucina di Enza, the Sorrentino family have served as culinary ambassadors, bringing the spirit, flavors and hospitality of Sicily to Seattle.
Over a decade ago, Enza moved from Upper Queen Anne to Magnolia Village, and began cooking at Mondello, owned by her oldest son, Corino. (Among Mamma Enza's guests and admirers: Jeff Bezos, Martin Selig, Gordon Bowker, Howard Schultz.) After she passed away unexpectedly, her oldest daughter Sofana stepped in as Mondello's guiding spirit.
And now it's official: Sofana and her husband, Bruce Laible, are taking over as Mondello's new owners. Sofana's daughter Aurelia is on hand as well, and Mamma Enza's cherished family recipes remain on the menu: her pastas, ravioli, lasagna, and tiramisù, alongside daily catches of fresh seafood and shellfish, old favorites like spaghetti carbonara and specials like veal saltimbocca.
More than simple generosity, Sicilian cuisine embodies a culture of abbondanza: a surfeit of good things to eat and drink. For everyday, a lavish buffet. For gala occasions, a cornucopia of antipasti, multiple courses of pasta, endless meat and vegetable platters, and an infinity of desserts. Mangia!, they say: eat and enjoy! As indeed, good guests, you should!
--Ronald Holden, Food Critic, Author of "Forking Seattle"