May 6, 2014 By Michael Florio
A popular Astoria eatery that closed two years ago is making a return — to neighboring Long Island City.
Mundo, best known for its unique mix of global cuisines, is reopening this summer in the five-story Paper Factory hotel, located at 37-06 36th street. The news was first reported by Tastoriaqueens, a well-known food blog.
Mundo’s new space will be significantly larger than its previous location at the corner of 32nd Street and Broadway, where it operated from 2005 until 2012. It is taking over two floors in the hotel, one for dining and the other for events.
“Our aim was to move Mundo to a bigger location, but we also needed a rest [from the business],” said Canalp Caner, a co-owner. “Now we are rejuvenated and are so happy to have a location like this.”
Mundo, when it reopens, will be placing a greater emphasis on South American cuisine.
“We were a mix of different cuisines and cultures, that’s why we were called Mundo, which means world in Spanish,” said Caner. “We are now focusing more on South American flavor.”
Some old favorites, however, will be returning to the menu, such as Red Sonja, a vegetarian dish consisting of red lentils and spices. The menu will see some changes, transitioning from a variety of global cuisines to more South American, Peruvian and Turkish dishes.
“We are coming up with an exciting variety of cocktails from all around the world,” Caner said. There will also be fresh, organic cocktails and a variety of spirits that people may not be familiar with, Caner added.
Caner said the restaurant has a big following and many of his customers missed it when it closed. Its reopening has garnered a lot of attention and he looks forward to reconnecting with old customers.
“For us, that is the most exciting part of the project,” he said.
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