A Taste of The Island at D’Mangu

Whether it’s at your favorite campus dining location or near the city’s heart on Genesee Street, the aromas emanating from D’Mangu are bound to transport you to the tropics. Luis Tejeda first opened the local restaurant in 2013 and set his sights on taking over Rochester’s Hispanic food scene with a focus on authentic dishes and fresh ingredients.

D’ Mangu specializes in Dominican cuisine, serving community-treasured items such as mofongo de carrucho and camarones which consists of garlic plantain mash served with shrimps, and of course, the famous mix empanadas that are made every day in-house.

Those who've eaten at D’Mangu may say the restaurant’s success is down to its variety and rich flavors, but its owner Tejeda believes it comes from a place with deeper roots.

“It’s family,” Tejeda said. “For me it was an incredibly proud moment, to have my kids and mother-in-law work at the business, help me get settled, and eventually make a name for myself… I’m grateful for them and for the steps we’ve made on our way up.”

One year after launching his restaurant, Tejeda gained a second family, a family which he’s been part of for the last 10 years. D’Mangu was one of the first local restaurants to become part of RIT’s long-standing Visiting Chef Program and throughout its partnership, Tejeda has provided some students with meals they never had before, and given others the opportunity to have a taste of home right on campus.

Items such as the roasted pork bowl, the spicy chicken gizzards, and the vegan option of sweet plantains quickly turned into campus staples since D’Mangu joined RIT. And if you are wondering if those same food items have stayed on the Visiting Chef menu since 2014, the answer is yes. Why? According to Tejeda, students cannot bear without them.

“I’ll get in trouble,” Tejeda said. “If I replace the roasted pork with something new, they will come to me and ask ‘where is my roasted pork?’” They remember everything, one day I was at a beach in the Dominican Republic and three kids come up to me and say ‘Luis is that you?’” It’s a small world, but the D’Mangu-Rochester connection is strong.”

You can’t miss Tejeda. Despite running a handful of businesses including D’Mangu, he can still be spotted serving his own empanadas on Visiting Chef days across campus.

Tejeda moved from the Dominican Republic in 1998, but despite “not even knowing how to cook an egg,” he knew he wanted to share the cooking influenced by his homeland. Today, he continues to elevate the local food scene and the offerings to RIT students by combining what he knows best; Caribbean cuisine and family values.