Mango House is a lifeline for Aurora’s refugee population.
From the outside , Mango Houselooks like any other building on East Colfax Avenue . You ’d never guess that inside is a haven where refugee can gain admission to health care , 15 places of worship , and youthfulness organizations — or that it ’s home to a unique , refugee - run food G. Stanley Hall that ’s open to the public .
Dr. P.J. Parmar founded Mango House in Aurora , Colorado in 2014 , with the end of providing a shared space for local refugee . ab initio , the organization consisted exclusively of Ardas Family Medicine , a health care clinic with an open - threshold insurance where refugees could seek out medical , dental , and educational services . After moving into what was antecedently a sizable mini - mall in 2019 , Mango House expanded to include the food foyer , which is now home to seven kiosk and pin from countries around the world , such as Myanmar , Lebanon , and Ukraine .
“ When I see the shoes available across the street to move into , which was five time bigger than what we were doing before , it was appeal , ” Parmar says . “ I foresee having my patients cook up some nutrient for not only their communities , but for non - refugees who were chat . ”
Mango House is home to seven food stalls, featuring cuisines like Somali, Syrian, and Nepalese.|Photo by Amanda Villarosa for Thrillist
Parmar ’s inspiration to open up the food mansion house come from an influx of non - refugees visiting the original Mango House fix , asking for ways to get involved . Mango House does not take donations or Tennessean , however , as it ’s a private aesculapian drill and business organisation with over 15,000 visits a year . But given thatover 20 % of Aurora ’s residents are foreign - born , with the absolute majority of those occupant being refugees , Parmar love he demand to find a way to bridge over the gap between the two mathematical group .
“ We would have corporate mathematical group and mothers bringing their shaver to observe and study , but that became kind of a menagerie - like action , ” Parmar says . “ alternatively , the nutrient hall allows non - refugees to feel like they ’re doing some part by supporting the businesses , and it does n’t become an exhibitionist sort of matter , where people are endeavor to pretend to do some unpaid worker study that is n’t really necessary . ”
Now , Mango House ’s seven food for thought stall are all run by refugees who are also Parmar ’s patients . Locals stop by on their lunch disruption to feast on Nan gyi thoke ( noodles coated in chicken curry ) , Jhol Momo ( capital of Nepal - way vegetable dumplings ) , spud samosa , and tabbouleh . It has also become a terminus Denverites gladly make the trek for .
Photo by Amanda Villarosa for Thrillist
The extensive array of underrepresented cuisines — from Syrian , to Nepalese , to Somali — set Mango House apart from the region ’s modified nutrient scene . One of their restaurants , Urban Burma , possess by Siri Tan , was the first Burmese eatery to open in the Denver Metropolitan area . entirely , the nutrient foyer allows patron to indulge in fare otherwise not ubiquitous in their neighborhood , and more significantly , it pay refugees the opportunity to serve their native food , which holds fond memories of the country of origin they were forced to leave behind .
“ The intellectual nourishment hall shows their inheritance . People have a caretaking nature ; they want to show their hospitality . They ’re majestic of their creation , and when mass enjoy them , ” Parmar says . “ We all eat on , we all have our ethnical foods that we want to share with others . ”
