China Palace owner Meiying Zhang welcomes diners Tuesday to the grand opening of her new restaurant location at 121 Central Park Square. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com
Diners line up at the buffet during the grand open Tuesday of the new location of China Palace at 121 Central Park Square. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com
By CAROL A. CLARK
Los Alamos Daily Post
caclark@ladailypost.com
By the end of the day following Tuesday’s grand opening of China Palace at its new location, owner Meiying Zhang said she felt “very exhausted but excited” and “so grateful that the grand opening was supported by so many customers”.
Zhang and her family purchased the restaurant in 2010 from its original owner and operated it in Mari Mac Shopping Center until recently moving to 121 Central Park Square.
Zhang spoke about what inspired her to open her restaurant in Los Alamos.
“Los Alamos is a safe and friendly small town, which embraces diversity. My husband and I wished our kids could grow up in such a good environment,” she said. “So, our whole family moved here and started our business in 2010.”
What were the biggest challenges faced when getting started operating the new business?
“During the first couple of years, the business was not doing very well,” Zhang said. “We could barely make any profit. My husband and I decided to update the menu including the sauce flavor. We learnt from several other restaurants and studied their popular dishes. We changed our menu and dish flavor little by little. In this way, we earned more and more loyal customers.”
China Palace signature dishes most popular with diners include Black Pepper Chicken, Sesame Chicken and Kung Pao Chicken, she said.
“We strive to make sure that every customer that steps into our restaurant feels welcome,” Zhang said, and the dishes we prepare meet their expectations.”
What advice would she give to someone interested in starting their own restaurant in town?
“The business demands lots of time, energy, dedication and good teamwork,” Zhang. “The initial investment can be costly. To make the business a success, unique flavor is the key.”
What does Zhang like to do in her spare time?
“I work long hours – six out of seven days a week. My spare time is limited. Whenever we are available, we will keep our kids company and take them to see fun places,” she said. “Again, we are so grateful that they can grow up in such a safe and friendly town.”
China Palace is open 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and closed Sundays.
China Palace is now open at 121 Central Park Square. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com