By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Mohammad Saleem spent more than four decades building his proficiency for Pakistani cuisine by cooking for himself and friends before they convinced him to turn his skills in the kitchen into a business.
The result is Mo’s Coffee and Cafe, 303 Mulberry St., a cozy downtown eatery that promises healthy food that doesn’t add to your belly but does stay on your mind.
Joyce Krumm, Saleem’s partner in life and business, says his dishes linger on your palate. Think of it as food your mouth remembers.
“When we go out and eat someplace and a half hour you’re like, ‘What did I have to eat?’ That flavor doesn’t stay,” Krumm said. “His food stays on the palate.”
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Saleem, a native of Pakistan who came to the U.S. at age 18, specializes in lentils and beans, which are served with rice and naan. He said he softened the spice to cater to the American palate, but if you like your food with extra zip he can serve it with the traditional spices.
“I have adapted my flavors to semi-American, so people can eat because Pakistani/Indian food is very spicy,” Saleem said. “So I tone it down a little bit.”
He also grills up classic American diner food like burgers, and there are chicken wings, protein smoothies and wood-fired crust pizza. There’s also a lentil personal pizza, chicken biryani, and a lean ground beef dish with rice and vegetables.
“You can’t get his food anywhere else. Nobody else can make it quite the same way,” Krumm said. “It is unique and it stays on your palate a long time.”
Mo’s opened in September and it’s now preparing to expand its hours after receiving its license to serve beer and wine from the city of Rockford. Today is the first day the restaurant is serving beer and wine, and it has shifted its hours later to be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
“He really takes a lot of pride in his cooking,” said Bob DeMarr, a regular customer who lives about a five-minute walk away. “The beans are really out of this world.”
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DeMarr said he also enjoys the homey feel of the restaurant, where people chat over a cup of coffee or lunch at the diner bar.
“One thing this part of town needs is a place like this,” DeMarr said. “The food is good and so is the company.”
Saleem has owned the building, which is around the corner from the original Rockford Roasting Co. and the former Palace Shoe Repair, for about 15 years. He and Krumm also run City Tobacco & More, a cigar shop at 311 Mulberry St.
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He handmade the tables and benches that fill the diner, and the walls are lined with photography of his favorite dishes.
He said his goal for Mo’s Coffee and Cafe was to offer healthy, natural food at a reasonable price.
“It’s healthier. Joyce is the proof,” Saleem said. “She has been eating my food for the past 15 years that we’ve been together and she’s off the medication, because the ingredients we put in are all fresh and healthy.”
About | Mo’s Coffee and Cafe
Location: 303 Mulberry St., Rockford
Opened: Sept. 6, 2022
Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Saturday; closed Sunday
On the web: Find Mo’s Coffee and Cafe on Facebook
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas.