The Mouquin Menu and the Mouquin prohibition Case
One hundred years ago today … The Mouquin Restaurant and Wine Company, at 28th Street and 6th Avenue, Manhattan, served up a huge variety of French-influenced dishes for New Yorkers who could afford to eat there. Thanks to the New York Public Library’s “what’s on the Menu?” project, we have that day’s menu.
The Mouquin Restaurant And Wine Co., 14 May, 1920, p. 1-2. The New York Public Library. See the entire menu and an index of its items here.
The offerings range from items at the raw bar (oysters, clams) to soups, sandwiches, small plates, cigarettes, drinks, and entrees, including the most expensive dish, whole English pheasant.
[Mouquin Restaurant & Wine Co., Sixth Avenue, New York, N.Y. Ca. 1905-15..Detroit Publishing Co. .Library of Congress
New York Tribune, 16 May, 1920, p. 17. Newspapers.com.
One can assume that the atmosphere was festive on May 14th. The previous day, all charges had been dropped against owner Louis Mouquin of Brooklyn, and his chauffeur, George Walz. The two had been arrested on May 9th for illegally transporting alcohol, in violation of Prohibition-era laws. It turned out that the beverage in question, vermouth, was under the legal limit, alcohol-wise.
Brooklyn Times Union. 13 May, 1920, p.1. Nespapers.com.
The May 14th menu includes, of course, the house vermouth, the drink that Mouquin was arrested for transporting. After the charges were dropped, Mouquin tried to cash in on the publicity.
The Evening World. 24 May, 1920, p. 3. Newspapers.com.
WRITTEN BY JONATHAN GOLDMAN. MAY 14, 2020.
TAGS: food, menus, prohibition, oysters, alcohol, pheasant