In a press release issued this morning, the owners of Mango announced they will leave their original Shrewsbury location to focus on the newer downtown store (located in the former Mosaic space at 11th and Lucas). Mango was and is still the only Peruvian restaurant in St. Louis.
A year and a half ago, SLM talked to owner-operators Jorge and Nori Calvo. Here's the opening paragraph from the Q&A:
No one deserves success in this business more than Jorge and Nori Calvo. In Peru, they owned four restaurants; when Peru’s economy went south, they went north, to St. Louis, started a catering business, and eventually were wheedled into opening Mango, the city’s first Peruvian restaurant. At an age when some successful restaurateurs are considering retirement, this endearing couple opened Mango numero dos in September at 1101 Lucas (Mosaic’s former space). If what the coastal foodies tell us is true—that Peruvian cuisine is the hottest thing since yucca fries—the Calvos’ timing is perfect. They were so passionate discussing their native cuisine that it fired us up as well. And that was before any pisco sours.
When the Calvo's opened the second location--which they thought to be better positioned to appeal to tourists and conventioneers...patrons more, well, willing to accept an unfamiliar cuisine that was gaining traction elsewhere (see that Q&A)--they told Relish off the record that they'd most likely sell the original space, but for a time were content to "see how it goes."
Well, it seems to be going better in the new location. In their terms, "the pulse of Mango has shifted downtown." Mango now has a late night happy hour; has placed a greater focus on pairing wines with their seasonal dishes; and has instituted an extern program for young Peruvian chefs, assuring that those seasonal dishes are fresh and current. I just hope they don't mess with the ceviche and those plantain chips.
The official closing date of the Shrewsbury location is still undetermined but, according to Jorge Calvo, "will most likely be the first week in March." The space is cozy, charming, and certainly worth a visit before the final bell tolls. In its place will be "an Italian/French restaurant"....stay tuned to Relish for further details.
