Da Mimmo: The happening spot in Baltimore's Little Italy
Da Mimmo: The happening spot in Baltimore's Little Italy
BALTIMORE " Jan. 11, 2005, marked the 21st anniversary of Da Mimmo, a well-known Italian restaurant, celebrity hotspot and favorite neighborhood hangout in this city's Little Italy section.
And if you think one restaurant could not hold all those roles at the same time, you haven?t been to Da Mimmo.
Baltimore?s Little Italy is a 12-block enclave nestled between the Inner Harbor and Fell?s Point. Italians began emigrating to the area in the mid-19th century. Today the neighborhood is home to numerous Italian restaurants and to several ethnic festivals which are hosted by area businesses during the summer months.
Domenico (Mimmo) Cricchio founded Da Mimmo. Mary Ann Brulinski collaborated with him from the time he began searching for a location for the restaurant in the early 1980s. A spot was chosen on South High Street, in the center of the decades-old district. The couple were married in 1986, and they remained partners, companions and friends throughout the rest of Mr. Cricchio?s life. Unfortunately, his life ended Sept. 23, 2004 after an extended heart illness.
Today, the restaurant continues its legacy, and its success, under the management of Ms. Cricchio and its general manager, Masood Masoodi. The Cricchio couple?s teenage son, Mimmo Jr., also pitches in as an assistant to the maitre d? in the evenings and weekends.
Throughout the years, however, the couple accomplished more than creating a successful restaurant. It became a favorite spot for celebrities to 'hang their hat' and to enjoy a true Italian meal in a
warm and authentic Italian atmosphere " one that feels more like "Nonna?s kitchen? than a highly rated restaurant.
Helping to create the many tummy-warming recipes in Da Mimmo?s kitchen over the years are produce distributors, most of which are located at the Maryland Wholesale Produce Market in nearby Jessup. The restaurant??s primary supplier of fresh produce is L&M Produce. That company, which occupies a sizable space at the Jessup market, distributes its products from South Carolina to Pennsylvania. About 90 percent of its business is done in foodservice, and it specializes in upscale restaurants.
?We use a lot of traditional Italian produce items and many that have become traditional in our recipes," said Ms. Cricchio. "For example, we use a lot of fresh lemons in the kitchen as well as at the bar. Portabella mushrooms are a staple here. L&M supplies us with high-quality, three-and-a-half-inch mushrooms for our famous Maryland crab-stuffed Portabella mushroom dish."
Da Mimmo uses "Lucky?s? brand tomatoes, also supplied by L&M. Ms. Cricchio said that cases of the tomatoes ran $78 around the beginning of January, compared to $50 a year ago. The restaurant?s sales representative at L&M explained to her that the higher price stemmed from the several hurricanes that hit Florida last August and September.
?Lettuce, arugula, radicchio and other salad greens are staples here," said Ms. Cricchio. "Cucumbers, onions, carrots and other traditional items must always be on hand for recipe ingredients. Prices are up somewhat across the board this year, and the hurricanes are getting much of the blame. Our menu does not change, because customers come back repeatedly for their favorite dishes. When costs increase because of weather or other conditions, our menu prices have to stay the same. It's difficult for a restaurant such as ours. We want to maintain prices that the public can bear, but we are forced to absorb increases when they occur."
During the two decades that Mr. Cricchio managed the kitchen and oversaw every detail, he made sure that his assistants learned the recipes correctly. Today, Da Mimmo does not have an executive or head chef. Instead, the 10 or so kitchen workers continue preparing the traditional dishes as though Mr. Cricchio were still standing over their shoulders, offering step-by-step instructions.
?Mimmo traveled to all the regions in Italy over the years and worked with chefs in many Italian towns," Ms. Cricchio said. "He set up our menu based on the many recipes and techniques he learned. While it is primarily a traditional Italian menu, it reflects all of Italy " and a little bit of other places in the world."
The menu even offers the Beverly Hills Salad, a recipe Mr. Cricchio learned when he worked for actor Tom Selleck in the late 1980s. Another recipe, a fish dish, was brought back from the Adriatic.
Ms. Cricchio said that portion control is not in the Da Mimmo dictionary. The restaurant serves huge portions, suggesting that guests eat half and take the other half of their meal home in the beautifully designed shopping (doggie) bags that reflect the detail that is put into every aspect of the restaurant.
So beloved was Mr. Cricchio to many, including a long list of celebrities, that Tony Bennett traveled to Baltimore to honor him at his memorial.
?Tony did a memorial concert in honor of Mimmo following his death," said Ms. Cricchio. "It raised $250,000, which was donated to Johns Hopkins Hospital and earmarked for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig?s disease. Paul Anka sang "My Way? at his funeral. Overall, the outpouring of condolences came from around the world and included other celebrities including family friend Ben Vereen."
A year before his death, and with Ms. Cricchio?s prompting, the couple dedicated the early hours of every morning to writing a book about their lives together, the restaurantand the many interesting experiences and friends they shared. The manuscript was completed Sept. 10, 2003, and three days later, Mr. Cricchio entered the hospital. He died 10 days later.
The book, The Owner?s Wife (Borderlands Press, Grantham, NH), was published in 2004. All proceeds from its sale go to the Chef Mimmo Cricchio Scholarship Fund, managed by the Maryland Hospitality Education Foundation, the educational arm of the Restaurant Association of Maryland.
?The fund sponsors a student in Maryland to further his study in culinary arts each year," Ms. Cricchio said. "Mimmo would love knowing that he is helping others enter the business he so loved."
And if you think one restaurant could not hold all those roles at the same time, you haven?t been to Da Mimmo.
Baltimore?s Little Italy is a 12-block enclave nestled between the Inner Harbor and Fell?s Point. Italians began emigrating to the area in the mid-19th century. Today the neighborhood is home to numerous Italian restaurants and to several ethnic festivals which are hosted by area businesses during the summer months.
Domenico (Mimmo) Cricchio founded Da Mimmo. Mary Ann Brulinski collaborated with him from the time he began searching for a location for the restaurant in the early 1980s. A spot was chosen on South High Street, in the center of the decades-old district. The couple were married in 1986, and they remained partners, companions and friends throughout the rest of Mr. Cricchio?s life. Unfortunately, his life ended Sept. 23, 2004 after an extended heart illness.
Today, the restaurant continues its legacy, and its success, under the management of Ms. Cricchio and its general manager, Masood Masoodi. The Cricchio couple?s teenage son, Mimmo Jr., also pitches in as an assistant to the maitre d? in the evenings and weekends.
Throughout the years, however, the couple accomplished more than creating a successful restaurant. It became a favorite spot for celebrities to 'hang their hat' and to enjoy a true Italian meal in a
warm and authentic Italian atmosphere " one that feels more like "Nonna?s kitchen? than a highly rated restaurant.
Helping to create the many tummy-warming recipes in Da Mimmo?s kitchen over the years are produce distributors, most of which are located at the Maryland Wholesale Produce Market in nearby Jessup. The restaurant??s primary supplier of fresh produce is L&M Produce. That company, which occupies a sizable space at the Jessup market, distributes its products from South Carolina to Pennsylvania. About 90 percent of its business is done in foodservice, and it specializes in upscale restaurants.
?We use a lot of traditional Italian produce items and many that have become traditional in our recipes," said Ms. Cricchio. "For example, we use a lot of fresh lemons in the kitchen as well as at the bar. Portabella mushrooms are a staple here. L&M supplies us with high-quality, three-and-a-half-inch mushrooms for our famous Maryland crab-stuffed Portabella mushroom dish."
Da Mimmo uses "Lucky?s? brand tomatoes, also supplied by L&M. Ms. Cricchio said that cases of the tomatoes ran $78 around the beginning of January, compared to $50 a year ago. The restaurant?s sales representative at L&M explained to her that the higher price stemmed from the several hurricanes that hit Florida last August and September.
?Lettuce, arugula, radicchio and other salad greens are staples here," said Ms. Cricchio. "Cucumbers, onions, carrots and other traditional items must always be on hand for recipe ingredients. Prices are up somewhat across the board this year, and the hurricanes are getting much of the blame. Our menu does not change, because customers come back repeatedly for their favorite dishes. When costs increase because of weather or other conditions, our menu prices have to stay the same. It's difficult for a restaurant such as ours. We want to maintain prices that the public can bear, but we are forced to absorb increases when they occur."
During the two decades that Mr. Cricchio managed the kitchen and oversaw every detail, he made sure that his assistants learned the recipes correctly. Today, Da Mimmo does not have an executive or head chef. Instead, the 10 or so kitchen workers continue preparing the traditional dishes as though Mr. Cricchio were still standing over their shoulders, offering step-by-step instructions.
?Mimmo traveled to all the regions in Italy over the years and worked with chefs in many Italian towns," Ms. Cricchio said. "He set up our menu based on the many recipes and techniques he learned. While it is primarily a traditional Italian menu, it reflects all of Italy " and a little bit of other places in the world."
The menu even offers the Beverly Hills Salad, a recipe Mr. Cricchio learned when he worked for actor Tom Selleck in the late 1980s. Another recipe, a fish dish, was brought back from the Adriatic.
Ms. Cricchio said that portion control is not in the Da Mimmo dictionary. The restaurant serves huge portions, suggesting that guests eat half and take the other half of their meal home in the beautifully designed shopping (doggie) bags that reflect the detail that is put into every aspect of the restaurant.
So beloved was Mr. Cricchio to many, including a long list of celebrities, that Tony Bennett traveled to Baltimore to honor him at his memorial.
?Tony did a memorial concert in honor of Mimmo following his death," said Ms. Cricchio. "It raised $250,000, which was donated to Johns Hopkins Hospital and earmarked for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig?s disease. Paul Anka sang "My Way? at his funeral. Overall, the outpouring of condolences came from around the world and included other celebrities including family friend Ben Vereen."
A year before his death, and with Ms. Cricchio?s prompting, the couple dedicated the early hours of every morning to writing a book about their lives together, the restaurantand the many interesting experiences and friends they shared. The manuscript was completed Sept. 10, 2003, and three days later, Mr. Cricchio entered the hospital. He died 10 days later.
The book, The Owner?s Wife (Borderlands Press, Grantham, NH), was published in 2004. All proceeds from its sale go to the Chef Mimmo Cricchio Scholarship Fund, managed by the Maryland Hospitality Education Foundation, the educational arm of the Restaurant Association of Maryland.
?The fund sponsors a student in Maryland to further his study in culinary arts each year," Ms. Cricchio said. "Mimmo would love knowing that he is helping others enter the business he so loved."
