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Taste of China may reopen in south Lincoln

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BY MATT OLBERDING / Lincoln Journal Star

Wednesday, May 07, 2008 - 02:26:14 pm CDT

Is Taste of China, one of the restaurants pushed out of downtown last year by the proposed high-rise project, being resurrected in south Lincoln?

A building permit filed Tuesday suggests it is. But owner Chan Hua says that hasn’t been decided yet.

The $150,000 building permit listed plans for interior finish, including a commercial kitchen and dining area, for a “new Chinese restaurant (Taste of China)” at 5633 S. 16th St.

Story Photo
Taste of China owner Chan Hua (LJS File)

That’s in a brand new strip mall owned by Kensington Corp., and is just east of the northeast corner of 14th and Old Cheney and to the west of Culver’s.

Dave Olson of Kensington Corp. said Hua has signed a letter of intent to buy about 2,300 square feet of space in the middle of the 12,000-square-foot building.

“Chan Hua found us on (a real-estate Web site) and called us out of the blue,” Olson said.

He said he knew Hua had plans in the works for the space but didn’t know if they were finalized yet.

Hua declined to comment on his plans other than to say it has not been decided yet whether the space will be a restaurant.

Hua battled with the city for more than a year to try to keep his Taste of China restaurant open at 14th and Q streets downtown, where he had operated for 15 years.

The restaurant was on a site where the city wanted to develop a high-rise project. Other property owners quickly sold out, leaving Hua as the only holdout.

He finally relented in January 2007 when Monte Froehlich, the developer who eventually won the bid for the project, stepped in and offered $300,000 on top of the city’s offer of $430,000.

Taste of China closed last April and the building was demolished shortly thereafter. At the time, Hua told the Journal Star he hoped to find a new location and reopen by early this year.

If he does reopen at 16th and Old Cheney, Hua would be the first tenant in the new strip mall.

Marc Snow of NAI/FMA Realty said he’s talked to a few other potential tenants and has a couple “that are real close” to signing a lease.

The strip mall is set up for six separate spaces and Snow says if it fills up reasonably fast plans are to build another similar building to the north.

Reach Matt Olberding at 473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com.  


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HOORAY wrote on May 7, 2008 12:50 pm:
" The best Chinese in town is coming back!?! My day just got a lot brighter. "

 n wrote on May 7, 2008 1:05 pm:
" i understand the blog post about this, but i don't understand devoting a story to something that isn't even for sure. i mean, it obviously sounds like this is going to happen...but why not just wait until it's for sure and wait for Hua to speak with you about it to see what his plans are. Know what i mean? "

 Norm wrote on May 7, 2008 1:21 pm:
" "Pushed from downtown?" Walk around downtown and count the number of empty storefronts. Choose one of these instead of contributing to sprawl by relocating in the far south of Lincoln. When are folks going to realize the harm that sprawl does to our community and environment? "

 Nina wrote on May 7, 2008 1:39 pm:
" I hope it's extraordinary, because Chinese places are all over the place in south Lincoln - Jade Rivers, Fortune Palace, Windchimes, not to mention the fast-food Chinese ones. If I could find a Chinese place that didn't douse all their dishes in oil, grease, etc. I would be most pleased. So far, Fortune Palace comes closest to serving healthy and tasty Chinese. "

 Yumm wrote on May 7, 2008 1:39 pm:
" I sure hope they come back! And in South Lincoln too! Parking won't be so bad away from downtown and I can eat there more!
"

 Teresa wrote on May 7, 2008 1:40 pm:
" Awesome. Taste of China has been my favorite Chinese restaurants in town for years. I was very sad to see it demolished. I really hope that it is rebuilt in that shopping center. I'll definitely frequent it there!!!! "

 Ryan wrote on May 7, 2008 1:41 pm:
" Couldn't agree more with the above comment!! Taste of China was the best! Can't wait for it to re-open "

 NL wrote on May 7, 2008 3:10 pm:
" Taste of China was GREAT in downtown. Yes Norm, they were pushed and shoved from downtown. They were threatened with eminent domain if they didn't sell to anyone. Why would they want to put all their energy in relocating in the downtown area, just to have the same stunt pulled on them in a few years? And Nina, obviously, you never went to Taste of China, so you don't know that it's not the run of the mill chinese restaurants that you must frequent. Don't knock them since you didn't try them. That's not fair. "

 Thats great wrote on May 7, 2008 3:41 pm:
" Taste of China was my favorite Chinese restaurant by far! I hope they open up soon - I was recently really craving their Sesame Chicken and Crab Rangoon!! Can't wait! "

 wheres the highrise wrote on May 7, 2008 3:47 pm:
" I can't believe the city forced him out of his space only to turn it into a parking lot. If they weren't going to start building the high rise for another 2 or 3 years, what was the rush to get him out? "

 Dont tease me wrote on May 7, 2008 4:53 pm:
" I too have been waiting for Taste of China to return. It is extraordinary! Best in town! I love about a dozen dishes on their menu. All my Favorites! I assume they have been on a well deserved vacation. I’m glad you’re back in business. See you soon! "

 Hungover wrote on May 7, 2008 6:16 pm:
" Taste has the best water in town. Seriously. Best place to go for lunch on a Sunday. "

 Nina wrote on May 7, 2008 6:37 pm:
" I didn't knock them - I said I hope they're extraordinary, so they have a chance to make a go of it. Where did you get that idea, NL? "

 Billy wrote on May 7, 2008 8:59 pm:
" I love Taste of China. I really hope they come back! "

 A fan wrote on May 7, 2008 9:17 pm:
" I can't wait! Mongolian beef, moo goo gai pan, crab rangoons... mmmmmm. I've spent the last year trying to find another place that I can stomach, and there's just no comparison. I've heard rumors of them going in here, and I've just been waiting. Their takeout number is still programmed in my phone. Obsessive? Perhaps. But, it's just that good. "

 Yay wrote on May 7, 2008 10:31 pm:
" This was by far our favorite Chinese restaurant!! Not only for the food, but the friendly staff also. I never doubted or disliked any food I've ever ordered there (over the 5 years I spent at UNL) which isn't common unfortunately at a lot of Chinese food places. Rolling Wok on 48th is our substitute for now and is ok, but still doesn't compare to Taste of China! "

 Soylent Green wrote on May 7, 2008 11:16 pm:
" I guess they were OK, but to say they had the best food in Lincoln is quite a stretch! In my opinion, they were no better or worse than all the other places out there. I hope they can make it; Chinese food joints are a dime a dozen in this town! "

 Great News wrote on May 8, 2008 12:59 am:
" It'll be a lot closer to where I live, there will be plenty of parking - FREE parking - and it's just a safer area, especially after dark. Traffic moves so much better down there too, wider roads, higher speed limits, almost no residential driveways on arterial streets. "

 Late ODay wrote on May 8, 2008 6:48 am:
" Still trying to understand the wild rush to evict a popular business just so we could create another parking lot. "

 Mandy wrote on May 8, 2008 10:09 am:
" Oh, that would make me a happy camper. It would make me an even HAPPIER camper if it were in north Lincoln, but beggers can't be choosers. :) I haven't had a decent broccoli beef in a long time. :) "

 K. wrote on May 8, 2008 2:16 pm:
" My favorite is Fortune Palace, but haven't tried Taste of China--I think I will now that I see all the great comments about this place "

 Jan wrote on May 8, 2008 4:59 pm:
" What a fantastic location. The location itself will make me want to
frequent this restaurant! "

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