Moo Allen Center
Decadent California-based sandwich and salad shop opens second downtown location
California-based fast casual restaurant Mendocino Farms will open its fifth Houston-area location in downtown’s Two Allen Center on Tuesday, April 26. First announced in 2019, the opening represents the company’s commitment to downtown as workers return to their offices.
Founded by husband-and-wife duo Mario Del Pero and Ellen Chen, Mendocino Farms offers a seasonally inspired menu that utilizes locally sourced ingredients to make creative salad, sandwiches, bowls, and other healthy fare.
The menu includes dishes such as the newly introduced Thai Mango Salad — shaved, roasted chicken breast with ramen noodles, Napa cabbage and kale slaw, sliced mango, honey roasted almonds, pickled daikon and carrots, scallions, Thai basil, mint, cilantro, lime, and fried shallots with Thai almond dressing — or the signature “Not So Fried” Chicken Sandwich, made with shaved, roasted chicken breast, krispies, herb aioli, mustard pickle slaw, tomatoes, and pickled red onions on toasted ciabatta. Other popular dishes include the Avocado and Quinoa Superfood Ensalada, the Chimichurri Steak & Shishito Bowl, the farm club, and chicken pesto caprese.
To mark the grand opening, Mendocino Farms will transform itself into “Moo Allen Center.” Patrons can receive a free entree by downloading the company’s app and selecting “Houston-Two Allen Center” as their favorite location before opening day. It will also donate 50 percent of opening day sales to Bike MS and The National Multiple Sclerosis Society in support of Houstonians participating in the upcoming Texas MS 150.
“We are always looking to better serve our existing communities, and our Two Allen Center location was built with professionals in mind as more return to downtown,” CEO Kevin Miles said in a statement. “With our diverse menu satisfying any culinary craving, we look forward to welcoming Two Allen Center tenants to our new restaurant, whether they are grabbing a bite with coworkers, seeking a quick pick up or delivery option, or feeding a crowd with our catering spreads.”
Mendocino Farms opened its first Houston location in Rice Village in 2019. Its other locations are in Uptown Park, the M-K-T mixed-use development in the Heights, and downtown on Main Street.