"I had the most amazing experience with Mint! In June, I decided to throw a surprise birthday party for my sister Karen, who was hitting a “milestone.” I looked at several venues, and then became aware of Mint’s excellent reputation, and after reaching out and having a preliminary conversation with Alberta Jarane, who owns and runs the restaurant with her husband Hassan, I knew that I had a partner in creating something really special. My sister is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, and a former chef instructor; she doesn’t need food to be fancy, but she wants it to be really good. At Mint, it really is. The friends and family that I was inviting mostly grew up in NYC in the 60s and 70s, and some of them hadn’t seen each other in a long time. I wanted an atmosphere where they could move around, join into small or large groups, and laugh! Alberta and I had conversations about all of this, and she really understood. We reached an agreement that I would buy out the restaurant for.a Sunday afternoon, and Alberta proposed a perfect menu. I wanted to have a slideshow of pics and video clips of my sister’s life, and Alberta offered to set up her large screen iMac on a table, so we could do that. I wanted to find a great carrot cake for a birthday cake, and Alberta used her connections to get a fantastic cake made at a bakery on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, and she picked it up and had it in the cooler at the restaurant in time for the party. Just perfect! This was all really helpful because I was out of state, and flying in just before the party. The party could not have gone better! All the staff were warm, welcoming, and very skilled. The food and beverages, Including delicious cocktails, were perfect. There was a joyous atmosphere, as everyone celebrated my sister’s birthday and their long friendships, in a warm and inviting atmosphere where they felt nurtured by the delicious food, and the wonderful people who were facilitating the experience. A great time was had by all! Thank you Alberta and Hassan, and all of the wonderful people at Mint. It was perfect!"
Cubano Panini
