Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor
Something new has appeared in Monmouth, sitting quietly on Broad Street. A small white eatery, Mundo’s Cafe, which opened in June, is a petite restaurant specializing in breakfast foods. Curious about this new business and intrigued by the nicely decorated exterior, I decided to give the cafe a try and see what they have to offer.
I found the menu, which is posted on the front window, interesting in its variety. It includes classic American foods, such as pancakes and burgers, as well as some traditional Mexican ones such as enchiladas. I immediately decided on the enchiladas as they are one of my favorite dishes.
On stepping inside, I noticed right away that the subtle cross-cultural theme continued inside. The upper half of the wall next to where I sat is papered in various world maps, and over the wall on the opposite side are clocks showing the times of Tokyo, Athens, Mexico City and a few others. I was the only customer in the cafe.
As I took in the surroundings, I was greeted by the friendly waitress and ordered my food. I also asked if the owner was around and free to have a brief conversation with me.
The owner introduced himself as Reymundo Soto. It’s his name that really ties the whole idea of the cafe together. He told me his mother used to call him “Mundo” for short — hence the name of the cafe — and it so happens that “mundo” is Spanish for “world”. He also told me he hasn’t had many students in so far, which is not entirely unexpected since they are still settling in, but he hopes traffic will pick up soon.
A message he wanted to pass along was that he is open to customer feedback about whether he should expand on the menu.
“I’d like to, after two months or three, come up with new orders,” he explained in regards to him trying to get a sense of the customers in Monmouth. He also passed on the reminder that happy hour is from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.
Overall, I enjoyed my visit to Mundo’s cafe and the enchiladas he made, which came with a healthy serving of fried rice on the side. However, seeing that the menu focuses on breakfast for the time being, I would recommend it mostly for breakfast, lunch or brunch. My other comment is that while it’s also a dinner option, the drink menu is very limited. I do, however, appreciate the affordable prices as a student who can’t always splurge on a night out. Overall, I see myself likely to go back and try some breakfast foods and enjoy the unique atmosphere.
Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu
Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis
