{"id":181693,"date":"2026-04-01T02:44:18","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T02:44:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/181693\/"},"modified":"2026-04-01T02:44:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T02:44:18","slug":"the-21-year-legacy-of-de-mole","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/181693\/","title":{"rendered":"the 21-year legacy of de Mole"},"content":{"rendered":"

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de Mole has been a fixture of Sunnyside\u2019s dining scene for over 20 years.<\/p>\n

Photo credit: Jessica Militello<\/p>\n

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De Mole<\/a> has been a pillar in the Sunnyside<\/a> dining scene for over 20 years, serving authentic Mexican recipes handed down through the family for generations, like their mole poblano, the signature dish, which the restaurant is named after, made with a three-generation-old family recipe, to their chicken enchiladas with green sauce.<\/p>\n

Even the name of the restaurant, located at 45-02 48th Ave., is steeped in tradition, from its logo, inspired by Ramiro Mendez\u2019 grandfather\u2019s branding iron once used to mark cows, which rests along a wall on the restaurant to the name, that pays homage to Mexican traditions and Puebla\u2019s iconic mole sauce, the town he hails from.<\/p>\n

\"dechicken enchiladas in the restaurant\u2019s iconic mole sauce. Photo credit: de Mole<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a little piece of metal on the wall in the restaurant, and it\u2019s the branding iron of my grandfather that he used to mark the cows,\u201d said Mendez. \u201cIt has a little M, and so I was trying to think of a name that starts with an \u201cm\u201d and mole came up. I\u2019m from Puebla originally, and mole is a big sauce which originates there, so that\u2019s how the name came up.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 21 years, de Mole has grown from a small room to an expansive space in Sunnyside, before spreading to additional locations in Astoria and Brooklyn. The restaurant began with Mendez\u2019s desire to offer delicious, authentic Mexican cuisine to the area, which felt lacking at the time, and has since attracted visitors from all over the world who come to experience dishes like tinga de Puebla and tampiquena, a savory skirt steak served with rice, beans, and tortillas dipped in mole sauce. Over the years, there have certainly been standout dishes that have captured customers\u2019 hearts who, in some cases, have traveled from as far as Japan and France. Almost every dish tells a story, from their velvety, rich mole sauce, which takes five days to make, to their chicken enchiladas with green sauce, passed down from his wife\u2019s family. Another popular dish, the tinga de Puebla, is prepared with brisket, offering an even more tender and flavorful version of the dish, typically made with chicken.<\/p>\n

\"deTampiquena de mole, served with rice and beans. Photo credit: de Mole<\/p>\n

\u201cThe braised chicken leg with mole is very popular, as well as our chicken enchiladas with green sauce,\u201d said Mendez. \u201cThe green sauce is my wife\u2019s recipe, and it comes from her grandmother\u2019s recipe.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mendez was born in Puebla, Mexico, before moving to the U.S., where he began working in restaurants in Manhattan, getting a feel for the hospitality industry.\u00a0 He started at China Grill in Midtown, then at The Park in the Meatpacking District, where he handled the intense pressure of a massive, trendy opening, and then at El Tepayac, where he worked for 10 years. As he moved from sous chef to head chef and gained extensive experience handling high-volume kitchens, he knew it was time to expand to his own space. Inspired by the menu of El Tepayac, he sought to bring the same delicious flavors to Queens when he first opened de Mole in 2005 with his wife, Mireya Mendez. When he first opened, he also worked at Chino\u2019s in Manhattan. As his own restaurant grew busier, he took it on full-time. He is also a business partner at the restaurant with Chef Jose Luis Flores, his brother-in-law, who also runs de Mole in Brooklyn and owns the popular Sunnyside bakery, Masa Madre.<\/p>\n

\"deThe restaurant\u2019s exterior is ornate with decor and flowers. Photo credit: Jessica Militello<\/p>\n

The restaurant\u2019s iconic mole sauce, used at all three locations, is prepared by Mendez and has been for the past 21 years, as only he has the recipe for the paste. The sauce\u2019s rich flavor is the result of a meticulous process that takes over two hours in the kitchen, including continuously watching over and stirring the pot, a process that can be arduous in the hotter months. In light of this, Mendez aims to make at least 8 batches a week and freeze them to last through the hottest months at all locations, a process that offers just a glimpse of the restaurant\u2019s level of care and detail in its cuisine. To keep flavors authentic, he imports ingredients like fresh tomatoes and peppers, which enhance the recipe\u2019s authenticity.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m the only one who makes the paste,\u201d said Mendez. \u201cNobody else knows how to do it. And I\u2019ve been doing the same paste for 21 years. It takes me two hours, just stirring, stirring-that\u2019s how the taste comes out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"deThe restaurant\u2019s guacamole with tortilla chips. Photo credit: de Mole<\/p>\n

With warmer weather finally among us, the restaurant will have outdoor seating open beginning in April and well into warm summer nights, perfect for enjoying ice-cold sangria and delicious dishes from chilaquiles for breakfast to pan-seared salmon for dinner. While the restaurant is bound to have plenty of happy hour and weekly specials, one of their next major events won\u2019t be until the Fall, with Taste of Sunnyside, an event Mendez first pitched, inspired by Taste of Tribeca, which has since expanded to include over 60 local restaurants and cafes.<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re looking for a restaurant to celebrate a special occasion or simply enjoy a great meal, de Mole is definitely a place you want to add to your list of spaces to visit for delicious flavors and authentic dishes.<\/p>\n

To learn more about de Mole or view their menu, visit their website.<\/a> Follow them at @demole_sunnyside<\/a> for more updates.<\/p>\n

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