On Tuesday, May 13 at 4:00 pm, restauranteur Dominic Saadi will cut the ribbon on Mondano, his new restaurant, bar, and banquet room on Main Street in Old Forge. Saadi is familiar to local diners from his previous restaurants: The Café in downtown Scranton, The New Café in Clarks Summit, and The Café at Greystone Gardens.

Mondano joins the dining establishments on Old Forge’s busy restaurant row, distinguishing itself by its global menu, which changes monthly. Working with local farmers, Mondano sources most of its fresh ingredients right in Northeast and Central Pennsylvania—and that farm-to-table freshness is on full display with the May menu, loaded with spring vegetables and boasting dishes from more than a dozen countries, including robust vegan and gluten-free options. May’s 14-ounce pork chop can be ordered in a Greek, Italian, or Vietnamese style, and the chicken cutlet can be prepared according to the style of four di􀆯erent countries: chicken marsala (Italy), chicken française (France), chicken katsu (Japan), or pomegranate lemon chicken (Lebanon). “There’s something for everyone here,” comments Saadi. “For those who prefer simpler, more familiar foods, there’s a steak, lamb chops, crab cakes, and homemade pasta. And those hoping for something a bit more exotic will find a North African Tagine Bowl, Spanish Romesco, Puerto Rican Tostones, and Monkfish. He adds, “If anything has struck us, it has been the immense popularity of our German dishes, like Jägershnitzel and Sauerbraten. I imagine there will always be at least one German dish on the menu for the foreseeable future.” Also always on the menu: the Mediterranean Tasting and Lebanese Baked Kibbeh—both from recipes passed down in Saadi’s Lebanese family, which has owned restaurants for three generations.

At the bar, Mondano has entered a partnership with Grovedale Winery of Wyalusing, allowing restaurant patrons to purchase wines by the glass, by the bottle, and even by the case. A wide selection of beers and classic cocktails is supplemented by a growing list of nonalcoholic cocktails, pursuing one of the fastest-growing trends in the hospitality industry. On Friday nights, Mondano’s bar offers a 5 to 7 pm Happy Hour, complete with a complimentary appetizer plate, drink specials, and live piano music.

While the restaurant launched in late November and the bar began serving alcohol a month later, Mondano’s banquet hall hosted its first event in April. Located on the lower level of the building, the Mondano banquet room can host dinners and parties of up to 150 people and meetings up to 200. With its own catering kitchen, bar, restrooms, coat check, and two entrances, the catering operation can function independently of the restaurant, while still offering the same high-quality food and exceptional service for which Mondano is already making a name for itself.

Mondano’s busy calendar is punctuated by special events. On the first Sunday of every month, Mondano hosts a Lebanese dinner from 1 to 5 pm, with a four-course meal of entirely Lebanese food. On the last Monday of each month, the restaurant holds a five-course plant-based international tasting, highlighting vegan food from around the world. And every week, Mondano hosts $29 Tuesday, offering 3 courses from the current month’s menu for just $29! Then there are the one-time events, like the Italian Opera Dinner coming up on Sunday, May 25 at 3 pm—a five course

Italian meal with members of the Mostly Opera ensemble performing Italian arias and street songs in between each course. In cooperation with the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, the Grand Opening is designed to introduce participants to all three major components of the business: the restaurant, the bar, and the banquet hall. The event is open to the media, local dignitaries, and the public, with RSVPs requested by calling the restaurant at (570) 471-3230 or visiting the RSVP page on its website: www.MondanoRestaurant.com/rsvp. Complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served. For those wishing to dine afterwards, regular table service will open immediately following the ribbon cutting.