Before closing in 2019 under the name Peking Restaurant, the business located at 2877 University Ave. ranked among San Diego’s oldest family-run kitchens. It had operated since 1931 as a place where Cantonese-style fare was served from clattering steel carts under the glow of ornate Asian lanterns.
To the excitement of consumers and preservationists, the 3,500-square-foot space, along with its detailed historically designated facade, will come alive again under the name Chop Suey Lounge.
North Park residents Jacquelyn Kelly and business partner Jason Bess, secured a lease for the property last year from family members of the late original owner, Leo Fong. Two generations of Fong’s family ran the restaurant until seven years ago. Some of them retired. Others chose different career paths. The space has been dark ever since.
Kelly is rooted in the hospitality field. She last worked as director of operations at Ironside Fish & Oyster for locally based CH Projects. Bess hails from the construction industry.
“I always wanted something of my own,” said Kelly. “So, we met with the Fong family, talked about what ideas we had for the space, and the rest is history.”
The property’s unmistakable exterior features cherry-red columns flanking the entrance. They mimic the gates to some imperial Chinese city, albeit on a quaint scale. Above the threshold is aged neon signage in wonton font, which displays the dual names of the restaurant from past decades: “Peking Cafe” and “Chop Suey.”
Project architect Chris Bord of Room & Bord Architecture in City Heights assures the facade will be carefully refurbished and maintained in respect to its original design. He said that both the signage and trim will be replaced with “real neon” lighting. In addition, the existing inauthentic metal doors at the entrance are slated to be replaced with wooden doors flaunting “details that reflect the restaurant’s earlier history.”
Working in collaboration with Crave Design in Point Loma, the gutted interior is currently making way for a stylish main dining room that will welcome customers with a menu of American-Chinese dishes. Salvaged lanterns will be incorporated into the scheme, as well as new service carts. There will also be a stage for live jazz music with booth seating in front of it.
The blueprint reveals a smaller dining area behind the bar. It has been loosely named Ginger Roots. Kelly said it is being created to accommodate eight guests at a time on a communal table that will be positioned close enough to the kitchen to qualify it as a “chef’s table.”
“It will be a little more fine dining. We’ll dive into Asian-fusion with local seafood, whole fish and sushi,” she added.
Kelly is hesitant to predict when Chop Suey Lounge will open, despite that most of the permitting hurdles have now been conquered. In the hang-up right now are approvals for cabaret and full-liquor licenses.
“We are looking at some time in 2027. There’s been a lot of twists and turns with the building, so I want everything to be done right,” she said. “This has been a long time coming and we’re moving forward to make it happen.”
