Café Mulino is only the latest restaurant to set up shop in a location that traces its roots back to 1918 when it was called the Ewing Riding Club. Re-opened in January by Ecuadorian brothers Johnson and Luis Rivas, the latest version of the restaurant serves Italian cuisine that would be familiar to patrons of Francesco’s in Chambersburg, since Johnson was once the chef there.
Before that, it was called the Mountain View Inn, and before that, it was The Silo and before that, it was Maxine’s.
The latest name is derived from the Italian word for “mill.”
Long ago it was a dance hall, a rowdy place for drinking and carousing, where secret lovers could meet in the dark.
That’s how 97-year-old Ewing resident, Dr. Jim Cardelia, remembers it. The place was already there, on Bear Tavern Road, when he opened his first office. He’s been a patron of the restaurant’s various iterations ever since, and was eating there on a Friday afternoon. He said he’s enjoying the latest version of the restaurant.
“It’s very good!” he said. “I can’t remember exactly what the food was like 50 or 60 years ago, but I like this.”
Johnson didn’t believe Cardelia’s age and debated with him in Italian. The argument was settled when Cardelia produced his driver’s license. It may seem unusual for an Ecuadorian living in America to be fluent enough in Italian to have an argument, but it makes perfect sense given the Rivas’ brothers’ career path in the U.S. since arriving in 1978. From the moment they came to America, they worked in Italian restaurants, where knowledge of Italiano is essential to communicating with workers and patrons alike.
He said Italian old-timers like coming to their restaurant because they know how to make authentic Italian dishes, even ones that aren’t on the menu.
Luis said there are many patrons like Cardelia who have been coming for decades, or who started eating there after learning that Johnson was the chef at Francesco’s, the famous Chambersburg restaurant, starting in 1987.
Before that, they worked at Italian restaurants in New York City.
Since the Chambersburg days, he and his brother have owned or operated several Italian places.
Late last year, they closed down the Mountain View Inn and gave it a complete overhaul, both to the building and the menu of the restaurant. The menu emphasizes made-from-scratch pasta and other Italian fare, with a lot of salads with fresh fruits and vegetables and grilled meat. Johnson said they pride themselves on the quality of the food.
“When we talk about special, we are not trying to get rid of bad things — it’s the best we have in the house, that’s our special,” he said.
Johnson said he butchers much of the meat himself, meaning that “from scratch” at Cafe Mulino really means made from raw ingredients. The pasta at the restaurant is handmade, and the other ingredients are bought fresh from local markets, he said.
“We created the menu based on our experience all these years in so many restaurants. We have our own creations, and some traditional dishes,” Johnson said.
The new restaurant has hardwood floors, more windows, stucco walls and interior brick and stone work. Johnson said the restaurant is airier and brighter than it was in its Mountain View Inn days.
Cafe Mulino is located at 938 Bear Tavern Road in Ewing. For more information, call (609) 883-5100.
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