Oh, I think many things are sad about this story:
--many people lost their jobs
--each restaurant offered something to its neighborhood and anytime a successful restaurant closes, the neighborhood suffers some bit of economic downturn
--and (selfishly) each of us lost access to some pretty good food

Diannie wrote:Oh, I think many things are sad about this story:
--many people lost their jobs
--each restaurant offered something to its neighborhood and anytime a successful restaurant closes, the neighborhood suffers some bit of economic downturn
--and (selfishly) each of us lost access to some pretty good food

Except there are no reports of any closings--he sold off properties but none of those remaining in his group have closed or appear to be closing. I suppose that could change but guessing they'd sell them off v. just closing up.

The sad thing for me is that the ones he sold are definitely different, by varying degrees--and that might continue to happen if he has to divest the rest of them. But that's speculation at this point.

Tony Hu enters guilty plea. It runs to over 20 pages, accepts a 33-41-month prison term, and admits to $9M in unreported earnings, but he'll pay back over $1M in Illinois taxes.

I have to pick up a friend in Downers Grove this weekend and travel south of Chicago.
On the way back I would like to order take out from Lao Sze Chuan in Downers Grove and would appreciate any comments on the quality of the food at this location recently.
Thanks for any replies.-Richard

budrichard wrote:On the way back I would like to order take out from Lao Sze Chuan in Downers Grove

While I have not an inkling as to the current quality at LSC in DG I do know that Downers Grove is adjacent to Westmont, home of Katy's Dumpling House
GNR Thread ----> Link
Main Katy's thread -----> Link

budrichard wrote:I have to pick up a friend in Downers Grove this weekend and travel south of Chicago.
On the way back I would like to order take out from Lao Sze Chuan in Downers Grove and would appreciate any comments on the quality of the food at this location recently.
Thanks for any replies.-Richard

I have eaten there with my parents twice, and although the last time was last year, I'd say the quality is comparable to the Chinatown location. The crack chicken makes me cry tears of pain and joy in equal measure.

I ate their last week after not going for a couple of years. It was barely 1/4 full of diners. The three-chili chicken was fatty and stringy and just had a weird texture, and the meat was very dark. The sweet and sour sauce for the egg rolls had a bad taste, a strange color, almost with notes of Pepto-Bismol was the only thing that came to mind (probably perception because of the weird pink color). We left a ton of food, none of which we wanted wrapped up to go. Just terrible. The woman that used to work the register and anyone else who was once familiar there was gone. Panda Express would be a better option. Never going back, which is really disappointing, as this was our favorite place.

Lao Sze Chuan Chinese restaurant held a ribbon-cutting and opening recently as one of the first places to open in the new Pacifica Square development at New York Street and Route 59 in Aurora.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/ ... story.html

saps wrote:Panda Express would be a better option.

You may want to rethink that statement. ------> Link

After discovering that my new fave on Cermak- JMC Szechuan Road in Chinatown- is CLOSED on TUESDAYS- we simply kept the Parking Space, and
navigated our way to our old mainstay-
Lao Sze Chuan.

I'd like to share that Lao Sze Chuan's still serving their
Lunch Special menu (Who-Knew??!) available upon request)
and that the Fish Filet in Spicy Sauce and The Three Chili Chicken were BOTH -Outstanding and as good as ever!

Add in the fact that "Tommy" - the gravelly-voiced-gregarious-Host-With-The-Most is still- there- shilling the wayward Chinese eaters into Tony's eatery.
Like the infamous TIMEX watch advertisements....- it may "take-a-lickin'- but- STILL-keeps-on-tickin'"

Also- finally- Tony dispelled with those Phillipe Staark -designed-
Clear Polycarbonate Chairs which were 'bout-as comfortable
as a 3-legged-Milking-Stool-inna-cold-Wisconsin-Barn-
On-the 12th night of-February.
A modified Hans Wegner-esque chair show ol' Tony's still got
good Design intents in mind-
and will apply that taste to please his customers- posteriors!

Signs in the window indicate that Lao Sze Chuan is opening a location at 614 S. Wabash in the Sloop. This continues the string of Chinese places opening in the area, but this is the furthest North I'm aware of other than the dumpling spot in the Loop itself. I have no way of knowing which of the Laos are Tony owned or franchised or a completely separate operation, but his picture is on the signs.

http://www.sloopin.com/2020/02/lao-sze- ... atown.html

Tony Hu Continues Comeback With Plans for Lao Sze Chuans in South Loop and Suburbs

https://chicago.eater.com/2020/2/13/211 ... hland-park

Despite most of CHINATOWN being closed-
Lao Sze Chuan-is still open for Take-Away-Orders.
Lao Sze Chuan’s still open for take out by R. Kramer, on Flickr

Support them- please...
They need-us-as-much-as-we-need-them!


Ghost-Town ( CHICAGO’s normally vibrant Chinatown Mall) by R. Kramer, on Flickr

Coulda-shot-an-RPG-through-the-Mall-and-not-hit-any-one......

Has anyone hit up the uptown location on Broadway recently? Thoughts, especially as to quality and how they're handling things during the pandemic?

Thanks in advance!

jellob1976 wrote:Has anyone hit up the uptown location on Broadway recently? Thoughts, especially as to quality and how they're handling things during the pandemic?

Thanks in advance!

I've been getting delivery once every week or two and have found them to be hitting on all cylinders. Can really only speak for Three Chili, cumin, and black bean dishes.

On top of that it feels like their delivery operation has become faster and more efficient (granted I'm less than two miles away).

alessio20 wrote:

jellob1976 wrote:Has anyone hit up the uptown location on Broadway recently? Thoughts, especially as to quality and how they're handling things during the pandemic?

Thanks in advance!

I've been getting delivery once every week or two and have found them to be hitting on all cylinders. Can really only speak for Three Chili, cumin, and black bean dishes.

On top of that it feels like their delivery operation has become faster and more efficient (granted I'm less than two miles away).

Thanks! My wife wants Chinese for mother's day. Shanghai Inn is her normal go-to, but they're not picking up the phone today. Gonna give LSC a try.

alessio20 wrote:

jellob1976 wrote:Has anyone hit up the uptown location on Broadway recently? Thoughts, especially as to quality and how they're handling things during the pandemic?

Thanks in advance!

I've been getting delivery once every week or two and have found them to be hitting on all cylinders. Can really only speak for Three Chili, cumin, and black bean dishes.

On top of that it feels like their delivery operation has become faster and more efficient (granted I'm less than two miles away).

Thank for the report, gonna give the Uptown location another shot, my last couple orders were a real struggle but there's really nothing else that scratches the same itch in delivery range.

jellob1976 wrote:Thanks! My wife wants Chinese for mother's day. Shanghai Inn is her normal go-to, but they're not picking up the phone today. Gonna give LSC a try.

I realize (some) folks enjoy Shanghai Inn, I'm not in that camp. Brown goo the three or four times I've gone. Large inexpensive lunch specials, quick if perfunctory service, warm tea colored water and brown goo gravy that pulls like a well made grilled cheese.

I've gone three or four times as I have a FB friend who occasionaly posts pics with glowing descriptions. I know the guy, like him, respect his palate, but we differ on what makes tasty Chinese American food.

Far as LSC, Broadway or otherwise, its been a while but I have mostly given up on them. Last time I ate at the Skokie LSC the following day was not the most pleasant in memory.

Shanghai Inn
4723 N Damen Ave
Chicago
Closed Monday/Tuesday
IL 60625

G Wiv wrote:

jellob1976 wrote:Thanks! My wife wants Chinese for mother's day. Shanghai Inn is her normal go-to, but they're not picking up the phone today. Gonna give LSC a try.

I realize (some) folks enjoy Shanghai Inn, I'm not in that camp. Brown goo the three or four times I've gone. Large inexpensive lunch specials, quick if perfunctory service, warm tea colored water and brown goo gravy that pulls like a well made grilled cheese.

I've gone three or four times as I have a FB friend who occasionaly posts pics with glowing descriptions. I know the guy, like him, respect his palate, but we differ on what makes tasty Chinese American food.

Far as LSC, Broadway or otherwise, its been a while but I have mostly given up on them. Last time I ate at the Skokie LSC the following day was not the most pleasant in memory.

Shanghai Inn
4723 N Damen Ave
Chicago
Closed Monday/Tuesday
IL 60625

I don't entirely disagree with you regarding Shanghai Inn. There are a good deal of bland/mediocre dishes. But there are also enough dishes I enjoy that I'd still recommend it. Their egg rolls are some of my favorite, and the General Tso's chicken is pretty good (but you have to order it spicy or extra spicy). I also like that the fried shrimp appetizer comes unadorned with any sauce, so it remains nice and crispy (and they're pretty generous with their housemade sweet and sour sauce for dressing it).

LSC was pretty good last night. Boiled beef in Szechuan sauce was my favorite. Could have been a little spicier, but I probably should have asked for that.

Coincidentally, we ordered delivery from Uptown LSC last night for the first time in over two years, after giving up on them due to multiple bad/bland experiences. With much lowered expectations, we actually enjoyed the food: Crispy shrimp (aka shrimp with mayonnaise sauce), Tony's 3 chili chicken, some wonton soup,and Chengdu dumplings. Still prefer the original, but living in Edgewater makes weekday delivery of Uptown LSC back to being a good option these days.