By Jane Knoerle
Almanac Lifestyles Editor
Su Hong restaurant, a popular Menlo Park institution since 1977, closed suddenly June 13. The sign on the door at 1039 El Camino Real says it is closed for remodeling.
Owner Bee King confirms plans to remodel the restaurant's outdated kitchen. "We've been here 35 years, so you can imagine," says Ms. King, who has been with the restaurant since its opening. She did not give a date for re-opening. "We want to take the time to do it properly," she says, also noting business is slower in the summer.
Ms. King, who has worked as Su Hong's hostess, bookkeeper, manager -- even busing dishes -- says no major remodel is planned for the restaurant's dining rooms.
For 18 years, the Almanac's readers have voted Su Hong their favorite Chinese restaurant. It is known for its Mandarin and Szechuan cuisine and white table cloth service by gracious waiters.
A 28-year customer, who did not wish to be identified, said he had dined at Su Hong the night before it closed, and that there was no indication the restaurant was closing.
Su Hong To Go, located at 630 Menlo Ave. in Menlo Park, is still open for business. It, too, is owned by Ms. King. Neither is associated with Su Hong Eatery and Chinese Restaurant, located at 4256 El Camino Real in Palo Alto, which is owned by Ms. King's former husband, David King.
Comments
Portola Valley: Ladera
on Jun 22, 2012 at 12:37 am
on Jun 22, 2012 at 12:37 am
Hmm? I hope business is okay for the MP Su Hong and it's not too long before it reopens. I hadn't realized that the Palo Alto Su Hong was not under the same ownership. That explains some of the differences.
I used to like Chef Chu's in Los Altos, but it's food has slipped in quality and too often it is over-run by badly behaved kids. Family friendly should not mean that anything goes.
Woodside: other
on Jun 22, 2012 at 6:12 am
on Jun 22, 2012 at 6:12 am
Is it me or isn't it a bit weird for Su Hong to close so suddenly "for remodeling?" True remodeling is usually well planned - this isn't a very good sign.
Too bad. The last thing we need is another empty store front in our central business corridor!
Menlo Park: other
on Jun 22, 2012 at 7:11 am
on Jun 22, 2012 at 7:11 am
This sounds more like the chinese restaurant that occupied the building Left Bank now occupies. Can't remember the name, but they suddenly "closed for remodeling," only to never reopen. Turned out they had litany of health code violations and they couldn't afford to fix them so they went out of business. I knew a contractor that did work on the building afterwards and he told me the kitchen conditions were disgusting. Made me regret eating there.
another community
on Jun 22, 2012 at 12:04 pm
on Jun 22, 2012 at 12:04 pm
MV - I recall that place - we used to go there when we were kids & it did close suddenly. I had the same thought when I heard Su Hong closed for remodeling - health code violations. To Go seems to still be doing a brisk business. I also heard that their General's Chicken had improved recently.
Pat - I agree re Chef Chu's. But their hotpot basil beef is still marvelous. My neighbor beats the kid issue by going there for lunch instead of dinner - certainly not possible for everyone. Did you see Chef Chu's featured recently on Check Please! Bay Area?
Registered user
associate editor of The Almanac
on Jun 22, 2012 at 12:50 pm
Registered user
on Jun 22, 2012 at 12:50 pm
The county health department posts restaurants' health-code violations online, and Su Hong received a rating of 'good' in a May inspection. There is no evidence that the restaurant was shut down for health-code violations.
Registered user
Atherton: Lindenwood
on Jun 22, 2012 at 1:08 pm
Registered user
on Jun 22, 2012 at 1:08 pm
Renee - great update. Nice to see some facts stopping unfounded and harmful speculation.
another community
on Jun 22, 2012 at 1:14 pm
on Jun 22, 2012 at 1:14 pm
Harmful speculation? Prove it. You love to constantly accuse others' of actions that YOU think they are guilty of. Su Hong not showing much concern for their customers is what causes speculation.
Registered user
Atherton: Lindenwood
on Jun 22, 2012 at 1:44 pm
Registered user
on Jun 22, 2012 at 1:44 pm
"Harmful speculation? Prove it."
Easy:
" I had the same thought when I heard Su Hong closed for remodeling - health code violations."
another community
on Jun 22, 2012 at 2:12 pm
on Jun 22, 2012 at 2:12 pm
You consider that harmful? Interesting. Pretty interesting coming from a commenter who was inflaming on a thread about kids on restricted licenses.
If a local business can't plan to be more considerate to their customers, then speculation will happen. It's nice that it was clarified here, but speculation will continue since they closed so suddenly and many won't read this article.
Registered user
Atherton: Lindenwood
on Jun 22, 2012 at 4:25 pm
Registered user
on Jun 22, 2012 at 4:25 pm
"You consider that harmful?"
Yes, suggesting that a specific business was operating improperly without any evidence to that effect is VERY different than offering an opinion on the ability of a generic class of young drivers.
Next question?
another community
on Jun 22, 2012 at 5:54 pm
on Jun 22, 2012 at 5:54 pm
Yes, parents who allow their kids to violate the restrictions are the ones you felt entitled to ask if they approved of rape and murder. I call that harmful.
Su Hong will be closed for at least two months, according to an employee. Maybe the "closed for remodeling" is real, maybe not. Only time will tell. Either way, there will be speculation from customers since the owner's lack of notification took them by surprise. That's potentially harmful.
I know a family who were coming from various parts of the Bay Area to have dinner there last night and had to make other plans. I work with one of them and she wondered if remodeling was the real reason. We get catered food from there regularly and found it odd nothing was mentioned ahead of time. Strange.
Menlo Park: Downtown
on Jun 22, 2012 at 10:02 pm
on Jun 22, 2012 at 10:02 pm
Has anyone checked to see if the city issued any building permits regarding this remodel?
That could be an indicator that there is indeed a remodel project planned or underway.
I think the restaurant that closed was called Yuen Yung. They were in the Left Bank space, which was previously a movie theater, and before that it was the BofA.
Registered user
Atherton: Lindenwood
on Jun 22, 2012 at 10:54 pm
Registered user
on Jun 22, 2012 at 10:54 pm
"Yes, parents who allow their kids to violate the restrictions are the ones you felt entitled to ask if they approved of rape and murder. I call that harmful."
You intentionally misstated my position. Here is exactly what I posted:
Posted by Peter Carpenter, a resident of Atherton, on Jun 13, 2012 at 8:14 pm
Peter Carpenter is a member (registered user) of Palo Alto Online
"we simply told her when we found out, "If you do it you will face the fines, etc. Just drive safely so you won't have a reason to get pulled over."
Sorry, but that is NOT responsible parenting. What you are saying is that it is OK to break the law but just don't get caught. To you have the same position on drugs, rape, murder, tax evasion, etc.?
another community
on Jun 22, 2012 at 11:11 pm
on Jun 22, 2012 at 11:11 pm
Give it up Peter. You spell it potatoe, I spell it potato. We're sure to see you at Su Hong if they reopen.
Registered user
Atherton: Lindenwood
on Jun 23, 2012 at 7:58 am
Registered user
on Jun 23, 2012 at 7:58 am
waterbug - just stay on topic and you will be fine.
another community
on Jun 23, 2012 at 11:11 pm
on Jun 23, 2012 at 11:11 pm
Yes. Potatoe vs potato. Mr. Carpenter is demonstrating some immaturity here because he disagrees. Ah, that slippery slope in parenting from breaking driving laws to rape, drug dealing and murder. It's like wondering if a restaurant's owner is telling the truth about its temporary closure or if something else is going on to us harming the business. I just wish I had that much power. Perhaps Peter does.
Menlo Park: Belle Haven
on Jun 23, 2012 at 11:39 pm
on Jun 23, 2012 at 11:39 pm
[Post removed. Please discuss the topic and avoid attacking other posters.]
Registered user
Atherton: Lindenwood
on Jun 24, 2012 at 6:31 am
Registered user
on Jun 24, 2012 at 6:31 am
I know it is hard, but just stay on topic and you will be fine.
another community
on Jun 24, 2012 at 3:28 pm
on Jun 24, 2012 at 3:28 pm
If they put out a sign saying when they were closing, their business would probably decline. Would you want to eat at a restaurant on their last night of businees? I have heard people decline to go to a restaraunt in that situation because they might be trying to clean out all their old food and not using fresh ingredients.
Menlo Park: other
on Jun 24, 2012 at 4:46 pm
on Jun 24, 2012 at 4:46 pm
Weird. Peter's pretty off topic here, but still trying to police the behavior of others.
If/when Su Hong reopens, I'm sure it'll still be a popular eatery. Since their To Go is open, the suffering from going without favorite dishes is minimized.
Registered user
another community
on Sep 13, 2012 at 6:13 pm
Registered user
on Sep 13, 2012 at 6:13 pm
Well, no sign of workers remodeling Su Hong, no reopen date posted. I say it's closed until further notice. Good to have Phil's Treasure Pot in lieu of SH.
Registered user
Menlo Park: University Heights
on Feb 22, 2013 at 1:59 pm
Registered user
on Feb 22, 2013 at 1:59 pm
boy that renovation takes a long time!...could they be closed forever?????????
Registered user
Menlo Park: other
on Feb 22, 2013 at 5:09 pm
Registered user
on Feb 22, 2013 at 5:09 pm
It's been 8 months since they "closed for remodeling." Unless they are planning some major change that requires some serious engineering and planning variances they could have had the plans drawn up, submitted, approved and built in that period of time. They're not remodeling. They're out of business.