Tony Mandola's Press
Tony MandolaTony Mandola’s longtime dream came true this summer.
After four decades in the restaurant industry, he opened his first freestanding eatery at 1212 Waugh Drive, moving his famed Tony Mandola’s from West Gray to a new chunk of prime real estate. It’s the first time he’s built a restaurant from the ground up, separate from a shopping center and reflecting his own vision.
Mandola first got into the foodservice business as a child, taking orders at a friend’s burger stand, and then working as a “grill man” at Ninfa’s on Navigation with family friends and owners the Laurenzos. He married Ninfa Laurenzo’s daughter, Phyllis, and together they opened Tony Mandola’s Blue Oyster Bar in 1982, which was open for 22 years. A second location opened in 1984, and then in 1988, that location closed and Tony Mandola’s on West Gray was born.
Today, Mandola is a proud father in many ways — proud of the restaurant he’s seen come to fruition, proud of his children — son Tom works at the restaurant — and proud of his patrons.
Houston Business Journal reporter Melissa McEver sat down at the restaurant with Mandola to talk about his business, his family and the values he lives by.
I understand building this restaurant was a dream come true for you. Can you talk about that?
Owning your own real estate, your own restaurant, is very exciting and very personal. On top of that, it’s something we can leave behind to our children if they want to be in the restaurant business. If not, they can be the landlords.
It is a dream come true for us, especially in such a great location. We have a nice clientele here — almost all of our regular clients have followed us, and we’ve brought in new people through our lunches. I think those two ladies up there (he points at portraits of his mother and mother-in-law) have been burning Jesus’ ears up in heaven, praying for us.
What first got you interested in the restaurant business?
When I was a kid, living in the East End, my sisters had a friend in high school who managed a Whataburger . As soon as I could look over that counter, he would let me take orders. He told me, ‘Man, you’re made for this business. You’ve got a nice personality, and I think this is the business you ought to get into.’
It was quite a seed he planted. In July 1973, Ninfa’s on Navigation opened. I walked in the back door on a Saturday evening, and my now brother-in-law said, ‘Get on the charbroiler.’ I’ve been working in the industry ever since.
What is your favorite part of being a restaurateur?
I used to have an adage — if you can’t travel, open up a restaurant and the world comes through your doors.
I’ve met so many wonderful people, whom I wouldn’t have met in any other profession unless I was a high-powered attorney or rock star. I’ve catered for the likes of Bob Dylan and Steve Martin backstage and have had Dyan Cannon, Rock Hudson and President Bush eat with us. It’s definitely a cross section of the socioeconomic strata. A truck driver can be sitting next to Joe Jamail and they’re eating the same great food.
What do you think about before you go to sleep?
I try not to bring lots of thoughts to bed. Usually I sit in my den, recap the day and then make notes for the next day so I’ve got a game plan when I walk in the door. That way I’m not bouncing off the walls or running around like a chicken with its head cut off. I’m a very prayerful person, and I say a rosary every morning, and every night, when I lay my head down, I think of my family and friends and my blessings. Those adages are true to the bone — if you count your blessings, you don’t have any problems.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I like to play golf. This location is between Memorial Park and my house, so I’ll bring my golf shoes and shorts and my clubs and go to the park.
I also like to read and watch movies and some TV shows. I like the show “24,” and I once sat there on a Sunday with a stack of DVDs and watched them around the clock. My family has a tradition involving movies. On Jan. 1, I’ll bring home black-eyed peas and cabbage from the restaurant, we’ll fry chicken, and everyone brings one or two movies. One year we didn’t even get out of our pajamas — we just watched movies, ate fried chicken and drank red wine.
It was fun.
HOMETOWN: Houston
WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ? I’m reading “Great Expectations,” by Charles Dickens. Before that, it was a golf instruction book.
WHO WOULD PLAY YOU IN A MOVIE? Al Pacino, or at least I’d like that. We’re going to have the good fortune of catering for him this month. He’s my all-time favorite actor.
HIDDEN TALENT: I’m an amateur singer, mostly in the shower. I’m singing at a celebrity event in October, and I want to try to sing at my daughter’s wedding (I’m looking for a vocal coach).
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PRIVATE DINING
SUNDAY BRUNCH
We are now open for Sunday Brunch from 11am - 2pm. Our full menu is available in addition to our new Sunday Brunch Menu.CATERING
GIFT CERTIFICATES
HOURS OF OPERATION
Monday - Thursday
11am - 10pm
Friday & Saturday
11am - 11pm
Sunday
Brunch: 11am - 2pm
Dinner: 5pm - 9pm