Cool, whoever wants to can never eat there again. Everytime I am town and I can , I eat there. Never been a issue ever. So stay home, it's really your loss.

Less of a wait for me the next time I'm there.

mhill95149 wrote:Too bad for you guys! I read that and I'm just fine with what Kelly posted. Sounded honest and sincere to me and I've met Kelly a few times and that sounds just like her. I can't wait to get back to Sun Wah.

Agree completely.

I was disappointed with Kelly's response. Very sincere but full of too many excuses. The "we were short on help and swamped" comment doesn't help their cause. We might as well say "Sorry you got food poisoning, but we were short staffed that night."

Sincere but IMHO misguided.

DutchMuse wrote:We might as well say "Sorry you got food poisoning, but we were short staffed that night."

I must have missed the part where someone actually got food poisoning.

I love Sun Wah and can't wait to go there again. I agree with those who thought Kelly sounded very sincere; one of the things I like about the place is the Chengs are real people and not above talking to us straight from the heart whenever we are there about how the night is going, etc. I think the move to the larger restaurant space has been quite overwhelming for them and things just got out of hand. I'm more interested in how they deal with this setback and I have every confidence that they will come back stronger (and cleaner!) because of it.

deesher wrote:

DutchMuse wrote:We might as well say "Sorry you got food poisoning, but we were short staffed that night."

I must have missed the part where someone actually got food poisoning.

One of the newspaper articles cited and linked upthread stated the City health department inspected this time because a number of people in a group got sick and filed a complaint. So this did happen if the article is accurate.

"An unnanounced inspection on Nov. 25, based on a customer's complaint, led to the closure of the restaurant, according to the city. The customer alleged that out of their party of 11 people, nine ate barbecue at the restaurant and suffered two days of diarrhea, while two people didn't eat the meat and were fine."

I appreciate Kelly coming here to let us know what's going on and the status of their reopening. I've loved SunWah since I joined LTH and learned of it and I plan to return as often as possible in the future as well.

Not so big a fan of the piling on that some seem to be into above.

I truly hope Sun Wah gets its act together. I've been a big fan of their food over the years, at both the old and new location, and I would love to return one day. I know just how great their food can be.

But I will be personally be finding my duck, roast pork, egg roll, soup fix elsewhere for the foreseeable future. A small complaint is that despite being in this new location for three years, they still have not found a way to ensure consistent service. I have somewhat overlooked this issue on many visits.

Far more concerning to me is 5 failed health inspections in 3 years. I'll forgive one, possibly even two (which I certainly have done in Sun Wah's case). But averaging more than 1 failed inspection per year is a sign that you either don't take the health and safety of your customers seriously, or you have not hired the right people to ensure your customers' health and safety. And then blaming this issue on vacations, new staff or being so busy that you have insufficient time to clean is simply not acceptable. Sorry but cockroaches are not solved by merely a little extra cleaning time or more staff. And blaming food writers for innocuous reports about the closure is just poor form.

There is a lot of great food to be had in this city (and others) but to me health and safety are paramount. As diners, we place a lot of trust in the restaurants in which we eat (and where we also spend our money). Unfortunately, all that it takes is a week in bed with e coli poisoning and feeling like a building fell on you to give you a proper yet painful perspective. Or perhaps even taking a peek in one of the finer kitchens in town and seeing how the great chefs maintain their kitchens and dining rooms.

So I wish Sun Wah well. But my decision to return will be based upon seeing proof that there are no more failed inspections in the next couple of years. That will tell me that Sun Wah truly became serious about ensuring the safety and health of their customers.

BR wrote:I truly hope Sun Wah gets its act together. I've been a big fan of their food over the years, at both the old and new location, and I would love to return one day. I know just how great their food can be.

But I will be personally be finding my duck, roast pork, egg roll, soup fix elsewhere for the foreseeable future. A small complaint is that despite being in this new location for three years, they still have not found a way to ensure consistent service. I have somewhat overlooked this issue on many visits.

Far more concerning to me is 5 failed health inspections in 3 years. I'll forgive one, possibly even two (which I certainly have done in Sun Wah's case). But averaging more than 1 failed inspection per year is a sign that you either don't take the health and safety of your customers seriously, or you have not hired the right people to ensure your customers' health and safety. And then blaming this issue on vacations, new staff or being so busy that you have insufficient time to clean is simply not acceptable. Sorry but cockroaches are not solved by merely a little extra cleaning time or more staff. And blaming food writers for innocuous reports about the closure is just poor form.

There is a lot of great food to be had in this city (and others) but to me health and safety are paramount. As diners, we place a lot of trust in the restaurants in which we eat (and where we also spend our money). Unfortunately, all that it takes is a week in bed with e coli poisoning and feeling like a building fell on you to give you a proper yet painful perspective. Or perhaps even taking a peek in one of the finer kitchens in town and seeing how the great chefs maintain their kitchens and dining rooms.

So I wish Sun Wah well. But my decision to return will be based upon seeing proof that there are no more failed inspections in the next couple of years. That will tell me that Sun Wah truly became serious about ensuring the safety and health of their customers.

Very well said.

Hey, all... this is a completely reasonable thing to discuss, and some excellent points have been made, but while the urge to express support or frustration is entirely understandable and appropriate to a certain extent, I think it ceases to be constructive when -- through no one's individual fault -- the thread becomes little more than the public picking of sides. Not to squelch discussion, but please consider whether you're adding insight or fuel.

Thanks!
--for the Moderators

mhill95149 wrote:Too bad for you guys! I read that and I'm just fine with what Kelly posted. Sounded honest and sincere to me and I've met Kelly a few times and that sounds just like her. I can't wait to get back to Sun Wah.

Honest and sincere is nice, but in this case competence is more important.


I think my response to Kelly should have been more constructive. Here's why I found the response sincere, but disappointing:

1) "More than anything" your interactions with the reporter makes you "boil". Not the 45% inspection failure rate (5 out of 11) since 2010. Not the two health dept closing since 2010. Not the fact that you endangered your customers. No, it's the reporter who makes you "boil".

2) I'd be more willing to actually believe your "bad timing" rationalizations if you hadn't failed 45% of your inspections and been closed down twice.

3) Judging from your post you aren't implementation any fundamental changes to your processes. Sure, "you're doing everything the city as asked", but no where in your post did you outline how you will avoid these issues in the future.


I really hope Sun Wah gets their act together by implementation fundamental changes, but I'm moving on.

faygelah wrote:I'm more interested in how they deal with this setback and I have every confidence that they will come back stronger (and cleaner!) because of it.

I expect that as well. The proof that it has happened will be in the pudding, as it were. Not just that they are given a clean bill of health by the city (we know that will happen; it has to happen for the restaurant even to open). But that they put together a really long streak of successful health inspections--long enough that people don't remember anymore that incident that happened back towards the end of 2013.

Terrific lunch with a couple of LTHers today at Sun Wah.

Sun Wah 12.7.13

Beef Stew, Shrimp dumpling w/noodle soup, topknot of house chili oil



Large mixed meat combo



Pea shoots with fu yee



Whole pig, photo opp only



Brutally cold outside, warm, friendly and delicious at 5039 N Broadway in Chicago.

Waiting for G Wiv to post again in 24 hours.

So, folks familiar with restaurant workings: short staff, no day off ... is that all it takes for a restaurant to fail an inspection? I'm not trying to pile on here at all, since I love Sun Wah. But obviously other restaurants get hammered around the holidays and (I hope) pull through. Things like bugs, is one day all it takes for them to invade an otherwise well-run place?

Vitesse98 wrote:Waiting for G Wiv to post again in 24 hours.

Frankly, good as lunch was odds are even I'll be back to Sun Wah in 24 hours.

Fifille and I are planning to be there Sunday 8DEC around 1pm.

Vitesse98 wrote:Waiting for G Wiv to post again in 24 hours.

So, folks familiar with restaurant workings: short staff, no day off ... is that all it takes for a restaurant to fail an inspection? I'm not trying to pile on here at all, since I love Sun Wah. But obviously other restaurants get hammered around the holidays and (I hope) pull through. Things like bugs, is one day all it takes for them to invade an otherwise well-run place?

No. It takes more than one day for an infestation of that nature.

At work this evening I noticed a linen bag overflowing with dirty linen, coats and towels on the floor. I texted a picture to the chef and said "this is how we are gonna get fruit flies." Five minutes later I walked by the linen area again and everything was re-bagged and tidy. We are a brand new restaurant during our opening week. Most of us have not had a day off in weeks, in some cases, in months. I don't care how tired I am or who didn't show up for their shift. It is still my responsibility to make sure pests don't have the opportunity to gain a foothold in our restaurant and to ensure the safety of our product.

Your pest control company comes weekly. You don't let your staff leave shit in their lockers overnight. You break down cardboard and get it out of the building immediately. You fix leaks and holes. You keep temperature logs. You set up daily deep cleaning BOH and FOH. You get out in front of the problem before it gets in front of you.

Short staffing, lack of days off, and being busy are not excuses I'd accept for failing multiple health inspections. However, I love Sun Wah and will most certainly be back

Gary's meal looks delicious. Although I can't eat most of it.

I'm glad he posted.

And I think we all understand that there are those of us who will continue to eat at Sun Wah and others who won't.

Bon Appetit wherever you eat!

Stopped in for lunch on Sunday. Took a while to get there and home due to the snow but well worth it.

Started out with hot sour soup, a bit hotter than usual but still great on a cold day. Followed that with roast pork and garlic ribs.

Special of pan seared tofu with garlic and black bean paste showcased Sun Wah's house made tofu wonderfully.

Main was my favorite: lobster with ginger and scallion.

All in all a lovely meal and great leftovers for lunch today.

I am looking forward to getting back to Sun Wah as soon as possible.

The health inspection was unfortunate, Kelly should have acknowledged all the discussion on here for her business, I think any responsible business(wo)man should.

Sun Wah is a Chicago/culinary staple, it's closure was broadcasted more so than most other closings, who's to know if a restaurant you visit was recently shut then reopened?

Kelly posted her reasons for the failures, excuses or no excuses, they were her sincere feelings.

Most importantly, the restaurant is back up to code and I am STOKED!

G Wiv wrote:Frankly, good as lunch was odds are even I'll be back to Sun Wah in 24 hours.

More like 48-hours.

Todays Sun Wah lunch with friends was terrific, shrimp dumpling w/noodle soup, peat shoots with fu yee, three meat BBQ combo and my current culinary crush, simple boiled chicken with ginger/scallion condiment.

Three BBQ meat combo



Boiled Chicken with Ginger Scallion condiment

man that inspection issue really turned off my taste for Sun Wah, which sucks. Because I love that place. Unfortunately my wife was already not a fan and now she'll never set foot in the place

Gwiv,
I assume that was a roasted baby pig in your picture.
In your opinion, was there a clear taste difference in the meat or skin versus
the regular roasted pork that Sun Wah sells?

thanks.

I had almost forgotten how much I used to enjoy my "pre-LTH" favorites at Sun Wah. One of the few GNRs that I frequented before joining up here, I always ordered the poached chicken with the salty ginger and green onion dipping sauce and the simple green vegetable dishes. Over the last few years though, it seemed like all of my Sun Wah meals were huge group affairs--all delicious but, as is usually the case at those types of events, at a point, quantity overwhelms my ability to appreciate quality. So it was nice today to go back to basics. Shared a nice lunch with G Wiv consisting of the poached chicken, baby bok choy with the delightful fu yee (fermented tofu sauce) and garlic and the shrimp dumpling soup with noodles and tendon. Good stuff. Happy to be back at an old favorite, eating some old favorites!

Dark.

Walked by on my way to TANK NOODLE
tonight and all the lights were off-
no Ducks-a-hanging
in the Window.

Orange
"Public Notice"
Sign Notice
Posted 09 Dec 2013

box checked for "Consumption on Premise Incidental Activity"

What's UP WITH THAT??!

Hombre de Acero wrote:Dark.

Walked by on my way to TANK NOODLE
tonight and all the lights were off-
no Ducks-a-hanging
in the Window.

Orange
"Public Notice"
Sign Notice
Posted 09 Dec 2013

box checked for "Consumption on Premise Incidental Activity"

What's UP WITH THAT??!

they're regularly closed thursdays. as for the sign, not sure why that's still there, unless the law states they need to keep it posted for some amount of time?

I believe they expanding the bar to upstairs. Possibly increasing their dining space.

Chinese New Year dinners at Sun Wah are going to be on Saturday, 2/1 and Super Bowl Sunday, 2/2.

$40/person

hi everyone!

happy new year! gung hay fat choy! the "rules" for this year's chinese new year feast are now in effect. as usual, if you have questions, feel free to email me back with them, i will answer as best i can. in order to ensure that not everybody on the list is getting the question, please just hit reply to me, not reply all. please be kind to other people's inboxes. talk to you all soon and i hope to see everyone for the new year!

quack quack!
kelly

feast rules:

1. the feast will take place on saturday, february 1, 2014 and sunday, february 2, 2014. you will have the option of one of the dates. we will start seating at 6:30pm and dinner will begin at 7pm.
2. there will be 100 seats available each evening. if i hit the maximum, you will be placed on a waiting list. i will let you know if you are on the waiting list.
3. the seats are a first come first serve reservations only. YOU WILL NOT GET A SEAT IF YOU ARE NOT ON MY LIST!!! so, no trying to sneak in.... >=)
4. seats are paid in advanced and non-refundable after thursday, january 30, 2014 at 5pm. cancellations will be given to those at the top of the waiting list. parties on the waiting list whose number is bigger than the cancellation will have first right option. after that it will go on to the next party on the list. any party who cancels before 1.30.14 will get a full refund but please be advised we will only issue refunds in person. in other words, you must be standing in the store with your credit card to receive the refund.
5. you will be able to start making reservations immediately. you may pay in person (cash, visa, or master) or you can pay over the phone with a visa or master. we do not take any other credit cards. no checks are accepted.
6. you may buy a whole table, each table will seat 10. you can sit more than 10 at your table, but we will not be responsible if there is not enough to eat. =) if you are a smaller party, we will arrange for other small parties to sit with you.
7. the feast menu will not be posted until monday, january 27, 2014 on our website. please do not email me asking what the menu is. i will not answer and simply direct you to our website www.sunwahbbq.com on 1.27.14
8. cost of the feast this year will be $40/person, tax included. gratuity and drinks are separate. if you do not purchase a drink or any other extras, we would prefer cash for the gratuity. make's the servers' lives easier. you may byob, server will charge bottle fees at the end of the meal.
9. we do not have parking still. please do not ask us (again) if we have parking. be aware you should allow time to find parking. there is usually parking along some of the side streets and on argyle there is meter parking.