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by Tasha Lester

Liu Montsho was so disappointed with some of the sit-down restaurant establishments on the City’s South Side that she opened one of her own. Café Nine 17, located at 917 East 79th Street not only offers fine dining but live R & B & Jazz, Spoken Word and Stand-Up Comedy as well.

Originally from the North Side, Liu fled from one side of town to the other on a quest to find top-notch quality service from African American restaurant owners and their employees. Her extensive research came to be that many African American staff at restaurants do not acknowledge the presence of customers until several minutes after they entered and many felt as though the staff could care less if they were having a good time or not after they sat down and ordered. Some staff members were on cell phones and attending to their personal friendships with regular comers to the restaurants rather than valuing a new customer’s appreciation.

Liu Montsho is a "Jack-of-all Trades" in that she has experience in restaurant management on the corporate level, comes equipped with carpentry skills and served in the Army. When it came down to the build-out work for her restaurant, she took part in that as well. All dry walls, wall installations and plumbing— you guessed it. She aided in that too. Literally, her blood, sweat and tears went into her "baby" but according to Liu there are cons in the restaurant business such as over abundance of greasy foods, hiring dedicated African American men who were incarcerated and upholding a company’s mission statement.

Montsho is a proponent for hiring African American men for her restaurant’s kitchen duties whether it is for cooking or any other position. African American men who already have a record or were recently released from incarceration are not getting enough job opportunities to make a better life for themselves. So, Liu does not discriminate against them and teaches them one on one how she would like her restaurant to run. It is sometimes a struggle but she upholds her mission statement and is not willing to compromise it.

The quality of health stems from the greasy food joints found in many neighborhoods. There are chicken shacks and rib-joints everywhere but if you would simply like to eat at restaurants other than these or would like to try something new, then Café Nine 17 is an option. They are known for their Homemade Cheese Burger Soup that they make in house, they prepare their own ranch dressing which visitors request all of the time and they serve a Jack-It-Up Chicken which is a grilled chicken breast with melted cheese, mashed potatoes and Jack Daniels Bar-B-Cue sauce sautéed with onions and for desert they have a Mile High Cheesecake. Nothing on the menu is over $10.99.

Liu sees her business as an integral part of the community. She would like African Americans to hold their own community in that if there were black businesses in your area, it would be nice if you would keep them in business and this could be looked at as an inspiration for you to establish your own business.

On Wednesdays at the Café, Verbal Balance hosts Open Mike/Spoken Word Night from 9pm to midnight. On Thursdays, the restaurant features Jazz & R & B. Last but not least, they have a bar!

Liu was determined to make her dream and reality and it is indeed a success. Visit Café Nine 17 today!