[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5038]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        A TRIBUTE TO MARY MAHONEY'S OLD FRENCH HOUSE RESTAURANT

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                            HON. GENE TAYLOR

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 18, 1999

  Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share with my 
colleagues news of two rather unique accolades for the celebrated Mary 
Mahoney's Old French House Restaurant in Biloxi, Mississippi .
  Since opening its doors on May 7, 1964 in the refurbished Louis 
Frasier house that dates from 1737, this venerable establishment has 
been a Gulf Coast culinary landmark serving friends and travelers from 
near and far. The late Mary Mahoney and her dedicated family built 
their business on the tenets of excellent cuisine and service as well 
as an historically authentic Old South atmosphere, which over time has 
earned them international acclaim.
  Among the numerous celebrities whose names grace their guest book are 
Sam Donaldson, Alexander Haig, Robert Redford, Denzel Washington, Randy 
Travis, and Dick Clark. During the Reagan Administration, Mary Mahoney 
catered a ceremony on the White House lawn for President and Mrs. 
Reagan and their guests.
  All were impressed, but none left a more impressive gratuity than 
author John Grisham. In his recent bestseller, The Runaway Jury, Mr. 
Grisham compliments the restaurant by name and offers the reader a 
glimpse inside by having the judge in his novel host a fictional lunch 
for the jurors and court officers at ``Mary Mahoney's''. Through Mr. 
Grisham's narrative the reader gets to share in the ``crab cakes and 
grilled snapper, fresh oysters and Mahoney's famous gumbo. . . .'' He 
goes on to write, ``By the time the jury was seated for the afternoon 
session, everyone present had heard the story of their splended 
lunch.''
  Now a newly released book celebrates the restaurant's vivacious 
founder and guiding spirit. It is entitled, A Passion for People: The 
Story of Mary Mahoney and Her Old French House Restaurant. Written by 
Mississippi journalist and family friend Edward J. Lepoma, himself a 
regular in Mary's inner circle of guests, this photo-filled, loving 
memoir tells of the trials and ultimate triumph of a second generation 
American with a dream. The dream was that of creating a world class 
restaurant in Biloxi, Mississippi, where the dining experience would be 
matched by the warm ambiance that told all who visited, ``Tonight, you 
are among friends.''
  With its quaint art-filled dining rooms, superior wine list, and 
captivating Southern charm and hospitality, Mary Mahoney's Old French 
House Restaurant provides a memorable evening for first-time and long-
time guests, an excellent backdrop for the novelist, and is a source of 
civic pride for the citizens of Biloxi and the entire Mississippi Gulf 
Coast region.

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