Taishan Cuisine
Irene: Which city in China are you and your family from?
Shally: I am from Taishan, China. I came to the United States in 2012, and it has been almost 10 years since I came to San Francisco.
Irene: Why did you choose to open a business in Chinatown?
Shally: Since there are a lot of Chinese people in Chinatown, this place also has a lot of Chinese culture, so it makes me feel very kind. Also, there are lots of tourists who will come to Chinatown to help my business.
Shally: My restaurant mainly cooks Taishan dishes. Taishan's main signature dishes are Taishan Yellow eel Claypot Rice, Taishan Roasted Chicken, Taishan Pork Tripe with Chicken Soup, Taishan Beef Bone Pot, Preserved Cauliflower, and Vegetable Fruit Claypot Rice.
Irene: What was your original purpose for opening a restaurant in Chinatown?
Shally: I saw many restaurants in Chinatown serve foods that are from other cities such as Hunan's restaurants and Xian's dumplings. We have so many Taishan people living here, and why has no one opened a restaurant with Taishan flavor here? So, I opened a Taishan restaurant here.
Irene: Did you face any difficulties at the beginning of your business?
Shally: Yes, I have. When we had just opened our restaurant for one month and a half, we encountered Covid 19. Then we closed because no people were coming.
Irene: So, what are your expectations for the future of your restaurant?
Shally: I hope my restaurant can do better business. I hope more and more people will come to eat here and can learn more about Taishan cuisine and culture.
Irene: What kind of future do you want Chinatown to have?
Shally: I hope our community can be lively and more people, especially young people, can come back to Chinatown. I hope we can have more activities to attract more people to come back here.