The Jimenez family outside The Mallard Restaurant in November 2023. (Credit: File photo.)
The Lower Salford restaurant and bar was opened by the Jimenez family in November 2023.
A restaurant on the edge of Towamencin Township that opened its doors in November 2023 closed for business last week.
The Mallard Restaurant at Mainland Inn in Lower Salford Township announced via Facebook that its last day of business was Oct. 19.
It is the fourth restaurant to open and close at the Sumneytown Pike location since 2008.
“As we prepare to close our doors, our hearts are heavy with gratitude. To every single guest, our incredible Provence followers and the Harleysville community as a whole who have supported us throughout this journey: THANK YOU. Your loyalty and love have created unforgettable memories, and we are truly thankful for every meal shared and every drink raised together,” wrote The Mallard on Facebook.
“While this is goodbye for now, we hold onto the hope of finding a new location where we can continue to serve you,” stated the post.
Representatives of The Mallard were contacted for comment, but did not respond by publication time.
When The Mallard Restaurant opened, it had been six years since The Mainland Inn was in business.
The family-owned fine-dining establishment at 17 Mainland Road featured global cuisine and cocktails, indoor dining, an outdoor Tuscan bar and patio, and the lower level, late-night La Bodega Speakeasy Bar. There were two large dining rooms, as well as a VIP chef’s table and wine room.
The Mallard was owned by Chef Manuel Jimenez, his wife Cindy, and daughter Jessica. It has a sister restaurant La Provence in Ambler, owned by Chef Manuel Jimenez, his wife Cindy, and daughter Jessica. The Jimenez family also owns the fine dining Philadelphia restaurant Vida & Comida.
Chef Jimenez has owned restaurants in Spain and Puerto Rico, and even studied at the Hotel Montpelier in Switzerland, according to the La Provence website. Locally, Chef Jimenez was executive chef at Ristorante San Marco in Spring House for more than 12 years. The executive chef at The Mallard was Greg Vassos.
Menu items at The Mallard included squid ink bucatini, with a half Maine lobster, leeks and lobster saffron sauce, prime beef tenderloin, Big Glory Bay salmon, and roasted Colorado lamb loin.
The Mainland Inn had been closed since 2017. Between 2008 and 2017, two restaurants opened at the location and permanently closed.
