Sun Wah license suspended

I just went for pho and saw that Sun Wah had their license suspended the day after the GNR dinner!

gtomaras wrote:I just went for pho and saw that Sun Wah had their liscence suspended the night after the GNR dinner.

It's too bad, in particular right after the wonderful GNR Awards dinner, but, hey, it happens.

LTHers were among the last to eat there on Monday before the close and this LTHer intends to be one of the first back in the door when they reopen. Which, according to Laura Cheng, should be Monday.

Enjoy,
Gary

I know that after the meal I had there at the GNR dinner, I would eat their food off the ground in the alley behind the restaurant. I can also attest that I saw nothing that gave me a moments pause over the course of the three hour dinner, though I was not in the food prep area and I didn't look at any logs. I, too, will be back ASAP.

You wanna see how clean the kitchen is? See how clean the kitchen is!

I was just about to post that the city's website doesn't confirm this closure, but sadly, The Stew does, with photo, and giving the reason as a cockroach infestation. The health department must be behind on updating its database.

This is the second GNR winner to be closed by the Chicago Department of Health this year. Khan BBQ was closed for inadequate pest control and mice in March. Another, Sabatino's, was closed in 2006 for inadequate pest control and other critical violations.

Would anyone have had qualms had the Sun Wah closure occurred just before, rather than just after, the awards ceremony? Or would you merely have been disappointed at having to reschedule the dinner?

LAZ wrote:Would anyone have had qualms had the Sun Wah closure occurred just before, rather than just after, the awards ceremony? Or would you merely have been disappointed at having to reschedule the dinner?

This isn't a direct answer to your question, since I wasn't at the awards ceremony and I've never been to Sun Wah. But, as an exercise, I'm substituting in my mind one of my favorite restaurants, for the owner and staff of which I have great affection, and which has never struck me as anything but clean. Now I'm imagining that it has been shut down by the health department for insect or vermin infestation, or for other sanitation issues. Would it put off my returning to that restaurant for some time? Yes, it would.

LAZ wrote:Would anyone have had qualms had the Sun Wah closure occurred just before, rather than just after, the awards ceremony? Or would you merely have been disappointed at having to reschedule the dinner?

Just disappointed. To me a pest control problem is not that bad. I can appreciate strict regulations, I just wish that didn't have to humiliate the restaurant with that bright neon green sticker on the front door.

riddlemay wrote:

LAZ wrote:Would anyone have had qualms had the Sun Wah closure occurred just before, rather than just after, the awards ceremony? Or would you merely have been disappointed at having to reschedule the dinner?

This isn't a direct answer to your question, since I wasn't at the awards ceremony and I've never been to Sun Wah. But, as an exercise, I'm substituting in my mind one of my favorite restaurants, for the owner and staff of which I have great affection, and which has never struck me as anything but clean. Now I'm imagining that it has been shut down by the health department for insect or vermin infestation, or for other sanitation issues. Would it put off my returning to that restaurant for some time? Yes, it would.

Are you saying there have never been vermin in the Riddlemay household? I have to admit that I've had a problem with mice and bugs at our house, both of which we addressed in the same way as Sun Wah, we called an exterminator. You are equating this situation with overall cleanliness, which I think is unfair, especially considering that rodents and insects can enter a building from any number of places - especially an old building, especially in a densely-populated area. Of course, the health department and the restaurant need to make sure it gets addressed, but it's unfortunate that this gets the kind of press it does. It's not a big deal.

Sorry, I'm firmly in the other camp.

riddlemay wrote:But, as an exercise, I'm substituting in my mind

I live for your theoretical interjections

Remember, the cleanest restaurant in Chicago is one that has just reopened after a health department closing.

For the most part, the posts in this thread are rationalizations and excuses. The bottom line is, the restaurant violated code and is now paying the price. I'm all for closing the restaurant and placing the green sign in the door if the result is a more sanitary establishment. Any restaurant that fails these standards should suffer some embarrassment and loss of business. It is unacceptable, period.

If some in this forum choose not to go to Sun Wah because of this incident, then so be it. That's part of the price to be paid. I've been a patron of this place for more years than I care to admit. I haven't been there recently, but that's because of the terrible parking situation, and not because of anything the restaurant is responsible for. If I have the opportunity, I have no qualms about eating there again, though I certainly understand why some would choose not to.

I'm glad this is being openly discussed on this forum. I'll use the aforementioned situation at Khan's for comparison. When's Khan's had their license suspended, it seemed as though the mods wanted to cover it up. Posters complained that their threads and posts were being pulled. What remained on the forum were vague references that a highly regarded restaurant had their license suspended. I had no idea who they were referencing until I drove by Khan's and saw the green sign in the door. I had been interested in trying it out because of all the raves on this forum. It's been almost a year since they reopened, and I haven't tried it nor do I have any desire to try it.

If a restaurant violates code, I want to know about it, no matter how popular it may be. I understand that these situations should be verified before being discussed here, but once it is, it should be out in the open. The situation with Khan's was not handled properly, IMO. This situation with Sun Wah is. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

Mike G wrote:Remember, the cleanest restaurant in Chicago is one that has just reopened after a health department closing.

Agreed. I plan to go to Sun Wah tout suite after they reopen. If my husband sees this thread, I might end up going alone

jaybo wrote: I'm glad this is being openly discussed on this forum. I'll use the aforementioned situation at Khan's for comparison. When's Khan's had their license suspended, it seemed as though the mods wanted to cover it up. Posters complained that their threads and posts were being pulled. What remained on the forum were vague references that a highly regarded restaurant had their license suspended. ... The situation with Khan's was not handled properly, IMO. This situation with Sun Wah is. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

Jay, I'm not a moderator, but IIRC what you're referencing is not a coverup but the moderators following the rules to protect LTHForum from liability. This thread is different in that so far it references outside sources for its facts. I believe the information in the Khan's thread was based on the conjecture of posters. I would hate for this community to be harmed in any way because of an offhanded comment by one poster.

jaybo wrote:I'm glad this is being openly discussed on this forum. I'll use the aforementioned situation at Khan's for comparison. When's Khan's had their license suspended, it seemed as though the mods wanted to cover it up. Posters complained that their threads and posts were being pulled. What remained on the forum were vague references that a highly regarded restaurant had their license suspended. I had no idea who they were referencing until I drove by Khan's and saw the green sign in the door. I had been interested in trying it out because of all the raves on this forum. It's been almost a year since they reopened, and I haven't tried it nor do I have any desire to try it.

If a restaurant violates code, I want to know about it, no matter how popular it may be. I understand that these situations should be verified before being discussed here, but once it is, it should be out in the open. The situation with Khan's was not handled properly, IMO. This situation with Sun Wah is. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

Every single poster who posted on Khan's did not verify with a link to a newspaper article or health department site, that is the very minimum that is expected. We have been very consistent on this issue on many different restaurants throughout the years.

Khan's was handle properly to our guidelines.

*Some types of posts have legal implications for you and the site. Please refrain from accusations of criminal activity, health code violations, or other wrongdoing. If your complaint is serious and provable, please take it to the proper authorities. Further, we find reports of restaurant and purveyor violations or closures, regardless of the circumstances, to be an area ripe for competitor abuse. We will remove these posts unless substantiated with a published source, e.g. a link to a quality published account.

gtomaras wrote:Just disappointed. To me a pest control problem is not that bad. I can appreciate strict regulations, I just wish that didn't have to humiliate the restaurant with that bright neon green sticker on the front door.

Doesn't the health department only shut down a restaurant after repeated visited, and a problem not being fixed?

Much ado about nothing, IMO. This stuff happens all the time. It gets resolved. Life goes on.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:Much ado about nothing, IMO. This stuff happens all the time. It gets resolved. Life goes on.

=R=

Damnit Ron, this type of reasonable attitude has no place on the internets! We should be outraged, outraged I say!

Monday night's dinner at Sun Wah was probably the best I've ever had there. When the restaurant re-opens, I will be happy to return again and again.

Having worked in restaurants in other cities, let me say that Chicago's health department is by far the most vigilant I've ever seen. They close restaurants for things that happen all the time in restaurants across the country that see no consequences. I'm sure the Sun Wah folks are doing whatever they can to comply, and I'll be there as soon as possible after the grand "reopening".

Darren72 wrote:

gtomaras wrote:Just disappointed. To me a pest control problem is not that bad. I can appreciate strict regulations, I just wish that didn't have to humiliate the restaurant with that bright neon green sticker on the front door.

Doesn't the health department only shut down a restaurant after repeated visited, and a problem not being fixed?

Only in certain cases. Some things are considered "critical violations" and the restaurant must correct them during the inspection - impossible in this case - or be shut down until the violations are corrected and the restaurant re-inspected. Chicago Health Code information is available here.

Ill be back, I love that place.

jesteinf wrote:Monday night's dinner at Sun Wah was probably the best I've ever had there. When the restaurant re-opens, I will be happy to return again and again.

Totally agree.

Two highly recommended resources:

Rats: A Social History (Robert Sullivan) describes how urban history and relational geography influence infestation as much as modern local conditions. Many of my favorite places are situated in unfortunate blocks. I live with it.

What do you say when you see a rat [or roach]? Some of our own collected musings. My takeaway is that if you love the restaurant and are at all friendly with the owners, saying something discreetly and respectfully is better than calling the city, but that calling the city may be ultimately more helpful for the restaurant than doing nothing at all.

In most cases, though, if you're seeing it, the owners have already seen it, so your comments may just provide immediacy as opposed to new revelation. I still think that makes it worth mentioning something if you can, and using the city as a last resort. I especially hope LTHers at LTH-sponsored events would take the friendliest route possible and give the owners the benefit of the doubt that they're on it, without feeling the need to involve the city.

If Sun Wah roasted up some of them roaches, I would happily dig in!

Last time I called for an exterminator, we had to wait two weeks (I imagine the turnaround is higher if you're a restaurant, but still, there's a wait)

jaybo wrote:I'm glad this is being openly discussed on this forum. I'll use the aforementioned situation at Khan's for comparison. When's Khan's had their license suspended, it seemed as though the mods wanted to cover it up.

Not true and, frankly, somewhat offensive. Cathy explained to you then and now that LTHForum has set rules governing this type of post specifically to prevent abuse from people with an axe to grind and/or competitors.

I would quote the LTHForum Posting Guidelines, but see C2 already has.

Gary

Such closures are not commonplace, for the vast majority of restaurants - and it's not fair to restaurants to which such things don't happen to toss such a thought around. The restaurant has a lot of support on this forum, and the favored restaurants seem to often be defended without regard to problems they suffer. I don't think people unfamiliar with the GNR designation should take that status too seriously - because the standards a place has to meet to be awarded the designation are inconsistent and whimsical; good restaurants most of them probably are - "great"? . . . a lot less than is touted.

Bill wrote:Such closures are not commonplace, for the vast majority of restaurants - and it's not fair to restaurants to which such things don't happen to toss such a thought around. The restaurant has a lot of support on this forum, and the favored restaurants seem to often be defended without regard to problems they suffer. I don't think people unfamiliar with the GNR designation should take that status too seriously - because the standards a place has to meet to be awarded the designation are inconsistent and whimsical; good restaurants most of them probably are - "great"? . . . a lot less than is touted.

I think you're confusing several different issues here, Bill.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:I think you're confusing several different issues here, Bill.

Ronnie, which issues is he confusing? I see him covering a lot of different issues in one paragraph, but I don't see him confusing them. (Although if someone said that closures are commonplace, I'll admit I missed that.)

riddlemay wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:I think you're confusing several different issues here, Bill.

Ronnie, which issues is he confusing? I see him covering a lot of different issues in one paragraph, but I don't see him confusing them. (Although if someone said that closures are commonplace, I'll admit I missed that.)

The fact that a restaurant has been designated as a GNR has nothing do to with whether it passes or fails a city inspection. They're completely separate tracks that really do not intersect.

Restaurants don't get defended via any agenda, as Bill implies. They get defended because people who post here love them. Period.

Whether GNRs are, in general, truly 'great' or not seems completely irrelevant to this discussion.

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ronnie_suburban wrote:

riddlemay wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:I think you're confusing several different issues here, Bill.

Ronnie, which issues is he confusing? I see him covering a lot of different issues in one paragraph, but I don't see him confusing them. (Although if someone said that closures are commonplace, I'll admit I missed that.)

The fact that a restaurant has been designated as a GNR has nothing do to with whether it passes or fails a city inspection. They're completely separate tracks that really do not intersect.

I'm just curious, and I seriously am not taking sides on this because I don't even care about Sun Wah so much in particular, but isn't it a bit odd to continue to certify a restaurant as a GNR when it's been closed for health reasons?

jpschust wrote:I'm just curious, and I seriously am not taking sides on this because I don't even care about Sun Wah so much in particular, but isn't it a bit odd to continue to certify a restaurant as a GNR when it's been closed for health reasons?

Obviously, I personally do not think so.

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