New Yorkers are constantly walking past McDonald’s, Starbucks, 7-Eleven’s, Chinese take-out restaurants and dollar pizza shops. Amongst these are little cafes, quaint restaurants, neighborhood diners and trendy pop-up shops. However, there are also specific neighborhoods that people purposefully visit to enjoy authentic food from different parts of the world, one being Bay Parkway – Bensonhurst, clearly Chinese dominated.

Walking out of the old, tattered brick subway station, you will see a Chinese supermarket across the street, a Chinese bakery to your left and a Chinese pharmacy to your right. It is as if you’ve entered a different world. The street is lively: mothers are looking through the piles of fresh fruit labeled with Chinese characters, grandmothers are dragging their shopping carts behind them as they stroll and chat with their neighbors, and high school students are piling into the local Bubble Tea shop.

Immediately as we entered the restaurant, we were taken by our hands and led to a round table covered by red, pink and gold cloth next to the bustling kitchen. A set table of chopsticks and a kettle of tea on the lazy Susan was steaming, ready to be poured. We were surrounded by red and gold details as gold Chinese characters and mythical creatures were hung on every wall.

The distinct smell of chopped duck, pig and chicken by the windows, the Asian spices and sauces that drench the freshly served dishes on the tables and the crowd overwhelm the senses as you enter. You are engulfed by the lively sounds and voices of the elderly laughing and bragging about their recent Majong earnings. The clinging of the glasses, the chiming of the plates that are continuously replaced, foreign chattering, and the moving food carts throughout the restaurant all resonate in harmony.

The first course was served: shumai, shrimp dumpling (ha gao), and shrimp rice noodles. These were then followed by sautéed beef over a bed of greens and vegetable fried rice.  This was not your typical Chinese takeout.

To the owners, authentic and fresh food was the priority. Every morning, employees begin preparing for the day as early as 6 in the morning. At 6:30, people come to be served freshly baked goods and pastries for breakfast. From 9 to 12, dimsum hours attract the elderly for Chinese brunch. From 3 to 6, the afterschool crowd and families come to pick up take out dinner. After 6, the crowd starts to fill up the bottom floor for sit-down dinners.

These regular clients and out of town visitors do not just come for your typical Americanized Chinese cuisine served in plastic containers or white takeout boxes. This is evident in the storefront where they display the chopped meat by the windows and the fish and shellfish swimming in aquariums ready to be picked for the next dish. Animals such as pigs, fish, and ducks are biweekly delivered to the restaurant, freshly prepared for the customers every day. They even take special requests from customers as well as prepare meats brought in by the customers themselves. Customers rely on the restaurant’s dependency in providing quality Chinese dishes, just like home.

The restaurant is owned by a married couple, Lindy Chiang and Kevin Chen. Lindy is from Taiwan while Kevin is from China. The two met in Kevin’s family’s restaurant in 1995 where they both worked as waitress and chef. As the business grew, the two took over and decided to expand, buying out a bagel store next door.

As they continued to expand, they hired more and more employees. They pride themselves in being a family run business, every worker is either an immediate family member or an extended family member. These trusted workers who they have either known since they were young or are related to are trained to provide the best customer service. In addition, these workers live around the area; thus, many customers can more easily relate and trust them in providing meal suggestions and serving them quality food.

Waiters stand by the sides, waiting for another customer in need of help. They are quick to notice any puzzled faces and to answer any orders and obscure wishes. An old woman with a dainty hat dragged around a cart filled with dimsum bowls, as she charmingly offered more to each table. Meanwhile, on the other side of the restaurant, the tzam siu lap continued to cut and slice the roasted ducks and chickens by the window.

Waiters are all fully dressed in uniform. Despite language barriers, the waiters attended to us and other non-Chinese customers, trying their best to understand and communicate. This is just one attribute that contributes to good customer service.

Looking around the restaurant and around the block, one would never think that this neighborhood was once dominated by Italians. Around ten years ago, it has gradually become a little China town. An Asian supermarket set up shop just around the block and more Chinese bakeries were established in the area. As the Chinese community grew, so did the restaurant. It has become a center for the Chinese immigrants and Chinese-Americans living in the neighborhood.

Previously an area with a large Italian population, the Chens noted that the area has grown to become more Chinese and less Italian. According to Social Explorer maps which compare the Asian and White populations from 2000 to 2014, within the past fourteen years alone, the change in population has changed dramatically. From the image, in year 2000 (left) to the year 2014, the increase of Asian population has increased from 37.652% to 59.821% while the white population has decreased from 58.356% to 38.326%. The area, previously blue, has become green in just the past fourteen years. The areas shaded green has also expanded and spread to other blocks. The demographic shift is evident.

It is very clear than in just the last ten years, the community has become more diverse. More and more Chinese supermarkets, bakeries, and restaurants are starting up just around the block, all catering to the Asian population and not the Italian Americans who previously dominated the neighborhood.

This influx may be as a result of the increase in rental prices as described by multiple owners in the area. With increased rent, more and more Italian immigrants and Italian-Americans are moving out to the suburbs. There has been a significant increase in rent over the last 14 years in this block alone, and rent prices may have reached a threshold too high.

However, the rent price increases have not negatively affected Howong Seafood Restaurant. In fact, it may have positively affected the business. In the recent years, the owners bought out the building adjacent to theirs to expand their business. Thus, while Italian establishments are moving out, the Chens remain strong in their block, even spreading out to other buildings. In addition, as more Chinese and Asian businesses are established in the neighborhood, business for the restaurant increases for they attract more customers to the neighborhood.

The Chens attribute their success to their regulars and to their connections. They hold annual celebrations such as the Lunar New Year and the Christmas dinner in celebration of all the employees’ family, family friends, businesses, politicians and regular customers. Walking into the restaurant filled with police officers is not strange for they have become especially close with the local police who regularly come to the restaurant for annual events and celebrations.

They pride themselves in their abilities to accommodate their customers during events, catering to their special needs. This includes providing fresh food, quality service and accommodating any requests from customers. Private rooms in the upper floor provide more entertaining and event space which include Majong rooms and karaoke machines. From 8pm and on, their peak hours, they open up the upstairs for bigger crowds who wish to not only dine but also for karaoke and Majong competitions.

Keeping old customers has not been difficult for the restaurant. Other restaurants have tried to compete in the neighborhood; however, their loyal customers never fail to support. Consistent people and frequent customers keep coming. Lindy has even said that she has watched many children grow up for their families have been regulars since even before they were born. In addition, when she sees customers on the streets in China town, she never fails to greet and converse with them.

The Chens have created a community within a community. Walking into Howong’s Seafood Restaurant is as if you are walking into another world, a little Chinatown. They have successfully created a business in which people walk in daily to catch up with neighbors, socialize with coworkers and relate with fellow Chinese immigrants. People seem to be most comfortable, all smiles and laughter, and enjoying good authentic Chinese food.

It is known in the Bay Parkway – Bensonhurst neighborhood as not only the go-to Chinese restaurant but also the social center for the growing Chinese community where people congregate daily. Families, the elderly and lone clients come to this restaurant to not only eat but most importantly, to chat, socialize, and meet with their community members. During the day, the restaurant is where the elderly come for dim sum hours, discuss familial matters, politics and their past lives.  As the day progresses into the night, different faces enter and leave the restaurant, with constant traffic.

From visiting the restaurant and from talking to Lindy and Kevin, one can observe and learn the best way to run a business:

1. Take advantage of the resources available by providing consistent, quality and the most authentic food.
2. Hire trustworthy, relatable and well-trained employees to provide the best possible customer service.
3. Most importantly, cater to the people and the community.

References

“Total Population: White Alone, Total Population: Asian Alone, 2014.” Map. Social Explorer. Social Explorer, n.d. Web. May 31 11:14:21 EST 2016. (based on data from U.S. Census Bureau)

“White Alone, Asian Alone, 2000.” Map. Social Explorer. Social Explorer, n.d. Web. May 31 11:14:21 EST 2016. (based on data from U.S. Census Bureau)