Cafe China (Noo Yawk)

If this article is correct, the owners declined to re-lease their space, in favor of fashioning and re-opening Cafe China in a new nearby one, but left their staff unemployed during the meanwhile without furlough pay or job promises. Meanwhile, those former but coveted employees leased the old space, kept the overall decor, and opened a very similar competing restaurant, offering classic Shanghainese cuisine.

The Cafe China owners seem to have caused their own problems. Sometimes, the dumplings do not bounce as expected, but as deserved.

It’s too bad it came to this. Cafe China was my go to midtown Chinese restaurant. It’s not clear who is right or wrong here, though based on the way things usually go in the restaurant biz, I’m more inclined to believe the former employees. In any event, they’re right when they say that the dishes were all based on traditional Schichuan food. Even if everything the original owners allege is true, it’s hard to say what the successors are doing that’s illegal, or even immoral. I’m especially confused by this from one of the original owners:
“They want to essentially deceive people who … have never been to Cafe China” If someone has never been to Cafe China, and the name at this address is now different, what exactly is the deception?

On the bright side, it looks like there may now be two places in Midtown where you can get good Sichuan food. Let’s hope that both places continue to offer good Riesling at a decent price.

We plan to dine at the new old place tonight.
Maybe, the old new place will follow eventually.

Excellent dinner tonight.

spite store in real life. love it.