Last time this happened, I was reminded it had been a long time since I'd been and rectified it soon after that. My reaction is the same this time. I think there's no safer time to go to a restaurant than immediately following it going through all the necessary steps to get health department approval to reopen.

But the gain of my sporadic visits won't offset the inevitable loss of business this news is likely to cause. I wish everyone involved the best of luck but I'm not optimistic about the restaurant's future.

Wow, what a bummer.... Makes it harder and harder to go there after they keep getting shut down. But hey, I'm a Cubs fan too.....

I haven't returned since they last failed their health inspection, but in the spirit of "forgive and forget" i had booked a reservation for their Chinese New Year's feast. Now this; ugh.

I haven't been back since their last debacle. Hon Kee works just fine.

I'd try Beijing rat!

I love Sun Wah, but at this point, I don't know if I can go back. I think the most disturbing part of this failure is the cleaning product splashed on food.

How many times must a restaurant be closed down for major health violations like rat and cockroach infestation before it's GNR designation is pulled? Not to mention that one of the articles above reports people getting sick from ingesting the food. It seems to me that a restaurant that blatantly and repeatedly shows such disrespect for its patrons is not so great.

When people peruse our list of GNR a restaurant like this should not be on the list.

dradeli wrote:How many times must a restaurant be closed down for major health violations like rat and cockroach infestation before it's GNR designation is pulled? Not to mention that one of the articles above reports people getting sick from ingesting the food. It seems to me that a restaurant that blatantly and repeatedly shows such disrespect for its patrons is not so great.

When people peruse our list of GNR a restaurant like this should not be on the list.

This certainly warrants serious discussion.

=R=

I was quoted this morning on another website regarding Jack-In-The-Box. I believe it to be pertinent here:

I have not been to Jack in the Box since they poisoned their customers years ago. If you cannot trust a food operator to practice proper sanitation standards, why would you ever go back? I had encountered a number of undercooked JITB hamburgers as it was the only place open at night in my St. Louis neighborhood. Several friends also complained about the sanitation.


There are a lot of us on this forum who have operated kitchens for YEARS without ever being closed down. It is hard work to meet all the standards but we do it. I left one job because the client would NOT address a vermin issue (rats and mice) in the hospital.

Multiple violations over and over again are completely unacceptable.

Damn. I love Sun Wah. The hacked-up Peking Duck was my go-to Thanksgiving appetizer for years. Last couple visits, I've been partial to the salt chicken & octopus whiskers.

Maybe since the move to Broadway, the building's condition was worse than they had originally thought--those are OLD buildings around there. It probably should've been gutted right from the git-go.

But this is unacceptable, and I hate to say but it's off the board for me.

Wow, this is completely unacceptable! I really loved my couple of meals at Sun Wah but already had been reticent to return since the previous shut down. No way am I going back now. Sad that the owners/management just do not seem to give a [insert word starting with "s" for rat dropping] about the health of their patrons.

From the Sun Wah FB page:

Hey everyone! We were closed, yes. By the health department, yes. Beyond that, anything else we say will be somehow wrong to someone somewhere. Or someone from somewhere will sensationalize what we say and turn our words around. So instead, we want you to know we have been reopened as of yesterday in the afternoon. We are open today. We will be off as usual tomorrow. If you would like some duck, come in and have some! Quack quack!

I love going there but THIS will make it hard for me to go back, since this is not the first time. I was in restaurant business as a waitress for 10 years and I realized how hard it is to follow every single health codes, but this is just too much.

UGH...

I agree that their GNR status should be reconsider...sadly

Wow. The violation descriptions and the impetus for the inspection aren't open to much interpretation unless a huge, highly-orchestrated defamatory lie is being told. What a let down. I used to love the place, still like the food quite a bit (was there within the month), like the people. But given the descriptions and recurrence, all I can think is: WTF. Is there a such thing as a health inspection death penalty in Chicago? If there is, is it in play? What would it take? Now I wonder: am I being treated like an a-hole by a place I've shown loyalty and for which I've apologized? Or by my City? Both?

I've resisted posting about Sun Wah for a while because I have mixed emotions. I've had great meals there but also had a lot of mediocre meals. I really wanted them to improve and succeed. We decided to stay away for a bit after the last closure. Eventually we returned and had, about a month ago, had what can only be described as one of the worst meals in recent memory. My wife and I debated whether the duck was the only thing that was eatable, or whether none of it was.

The most recent reports are shocking and disgusting. Both this time and the previous time the restaurant was closed the owners seem to brush it off and somehow blame us for caring about the issue. There is no apology or even recognition that something isn't working.

According to NBC, this is the 8th time the restaurants has been closed since 2010. To me, that's not bad luck (not that anyone seems to be suggesting that)...it's a blatant disregard for the health and well being of their customers.

I'm in favor was Sun Wah's GNR status removal. As a forum we need to consider the safety of its patrons.

Hey everyone! We were closed, yes. By the health department, yes. Beyond that, anything else we say will be somehow wrong to someone somewhere. Or someone from somewhere will sensationalize what we say and turn our words around. So instead, we want you to know we have been reopened as of yesterday in the afternoon. We are open today. We will be off as usual tomorrow. If you would like some duck, come in and have some! Quack quack!

Does this sound like a business owner who is ready to fundamentally change the way they maintain their restaurant?

PopcornMegaphone wrote:I'm in favor was Sun Wah's GNR status removal. As a forum we need to consider the safety of its patrons.

Hey everyone! We were closed, yes. By the health department, yes. Beyond that, anything else we say will be somehow wrong to someone somewhere. Or someone from somewhere will sensationalize what we say and turn our words around. So instead, we want you to know we have been reopened as of yesterday in the afternoon. We are open today. We will be off as usual tomorrow. If you would like some duck, come in and have some! Quack quack!

Does this sound like a business owner who is ready to fundamentally change the way they maintain their restaurant?

Um. They definitely didn't run that statement through their PR company first

PopcornMegaphone wrote:I'm in favor was Sun Wah's GNR status removal. As a forum we need to consider the safety of its patrons.

Hey everyone! We were closed, yes. By the health department, yes. Beyond that, anything else we say will be somehow wrong to someone somewhere. Or someone from somewhere will sensationalize what we say and turn our words around. So instead, we want you to know we have been reopened as of yesterday in the afternoon. We are open today. We will be off as usual tomorrow. If you would like some duck, come in and have some! Quack quack!

Does this sound like a business owner who is ready to fundamentally change the way they maintain their restaurant?

And factor in her additional comments reported in Eater such as: "To be honest and fair, I understand the inspector's job, but really they need to be better trained."

http://chicago.eater.com/2015/2/11/8019 ... -inspector

They are in desperate need of a new marketing slogan; I will propose "Mostly Rodent Proof Since '04"

Both this time and the previous time the restaurant was closed the owners seem to brush it off and somehow blame us for caring about the issue. There is no apology or even recognition that something isn't working.

Agree completely. Further, Ms. Cheng's comments in the Eater article are jaw-dropping (particularly the cheap shots at the inspectors). Count me out, permanently. Yuck.

Blatent disregard.
Not ever gonna spend my money on people who clearly don't give a fuck about me.
Quack quack!

Further, Ms. Cheng's comments in the Eater article are jaw-dropping (particularly the cheap shots at the inspectors).

Made me sad. But worse, disappointed. I'll miss the duck, but I'm out.

The one I really feel sorry for is Eric, the dad. He worked his butt off to make that place a success. He succeeded. Then handed it off to his kids. This is such a shame.

chgoeditor wrote:According to NBC, this is the 8th time the restaurants has been closed since 2010. To me, that's not bad luck (not that anyone seems to be suggesting that)...it's a blatant disregard for the health and well being of their customers.

ironically 8 is good luck in asian cultures.

it's very possible that the move to larger quarters several years ago was just more than kelly and her siblings could handle. i know there's lots of love here for the restaurant-from me too, in the past. but the last health violation and especially kelly's blasé attitude towards the health of her customers was enough for me to call it quits with Sun Wah. this latest mess just confirms my decision.

The old location would not have won a prize for cleanliness. I've seen rats. I've lived with mice. However, this is not good news.

dradeli wrote:How many times must a restaurant be closed down for major health violations like rat and cockroach infestation before it's GNR designation is pulled? Not to mention that one of the articles above reports people getting sick from ingesting the food. It seems to me that a restaurant that blatantly and repeatedly shows such disrespect for its patrons is not so great.

When people peruse our list of GNR a restaurant like this should not be on the list.

This is a very serious issue that definitely warrants attention. The GNR Committee is currently discussing this situation and we'll post about it soon.

-Onur, for the GNRs

turkob wrote:

dradeli wrote:How many times must a restaurant be closed down for major health violations like rat and cockroach infestation before it's GNR designation is pulled? Not to mention that one of the articles above reports people getting sick from ingesting the food. It seems to me that a restaurant that blatantly and repeatedly shows such disrespect for its patrons is not so great.

When people peruse our list of GNR a restaurant like this should not be on the list.

This is a very serious issue that definitely warrants attention. The GNR Committee is currently discussing this situation and we'll post about it soon.

-Onur, for the GNRs

Surprised that it even requires discussion. But perhaps I don't know all the byzantine bylaws.

Discussion? Should be automatic disqualifying.

We don't want GNR to mean "Got No Rat?"

As much as I love Sun Wah, there are a lot of travelers that look at LTH for advice and recommendations. Having them as a GNR at this time rather discredits the program and calls LTH's credibility into question in my opinion. We can always return the award at a later date, unless there are guidelines against that?