Several tastes of New York available in Grove

Mountain Grove residents may be 1,100 miles from New York City, but thanks to the new MO Eats location on 20th St., they are now enjoying countless fresh food options found solely in the most populated city in the world.
Former City Administrator Tim Schook, his wife, Pam, who previously operated a deli in Kansas for 12 years, have teamed up with New York natives and local entrepreneurs, Dean and Dawn Tarzia, to bring the authentic tastes to the Ozarks.
MO Eats, which held its grand opening on June 29, features the Carnegie Deli brand, that includes mouth-watering pastrami and corned beef.
Bread made in New York is also proofed and baked right in Mountain Grove. Authentic New York cheesecake and even authentic Italian ice are also available on a large menu that features a large selection of delicious sandwiches, wraps, appetizers, breakfast items, salads, floats/milk shakes, hand-dipped ice cream, pineapple whip, desserts along with several coffee options like espressos, lattes and freezes.
Customers can also enjoy the special tastes of featured sauces like Russian dressing along with a Mac and cheese homemade sauce.
The extensive menu also includes “Schookie cookies,” featuring Pam Schook’s sugar and snickerdoodle flavors along with her brownies.
“Ever since Dean moved to town, one of the things he wanted to do is bring the taste of New York to the midwest,” Tim Schook said. “…He knew I (and Pam) had been in the restaurant business before…This is part of a long time retirement plan for me.”
Items coming soon to the menu includes pancakes, French toast made with Challah bread and mozzarella cheese that will soon be sold by the ball. Customers will also be able to eventually purchase 12 oz. packages of Carnegie Deli corned beef, pastrami, cheesecakes and more.
A small kids menu is also being developed.
A featured item for customers currently is the Mo’s Munch Box.
Customers can get a sandwich, bag of chips and a soda for just $10.
When going inside the 201 E. 20th St. location, customers enjoy an open kitchen concept, where they can see their food be prepared with a focus on detail much like what is found at New York City delis.
Inside, there is seating comfortably for around 100 customers.
Some group seating is also available.
The location also has a drive thru and there are plans to add a delivery service in the near future.
Orders can also be placed by visiting www.moeats.cafe to help customers skip the line.
Mo Eats is opened from 6 a.m.-10 p.m., seven days a week, and welcomes customers in the morning to check out their expanding breakfast menu.
Dean Tarzia said the proof of concept in Mountain Grove could lead to the eventual opening of 26-40 other locations in the midwest, with a focus on the I-70 and I-44 corridors.
For Dean, the three year process, which started with  a possible location at Main and 11th Streets before the former Pizza Hut location became available, has allowed his family, along with the Schooks, to finally bring the New York food he has loved all his life to the Mountain Grove area.
“I’ve been homesick about it,” Dean Tarzia said. “New York is like the Mecca of food...”