Message Forum

Thanks to Frances Handley (Jones) 1964 for sending me a UCD link on the history of the Chicago Club on Main Street. I knew that the restaurant had been there for a long time, but the article says it is probably the "Oldest Chinese Restaurant" in Calif, if not the US! I would rotate between eating at the "Hong Kong", Fong's and the Chicago Club when I wanted Chinses Food - Great Woodland memories! This is a pic I took of the Chicago Club about ten years ago!

01/24/24 06:17 PM

#7836

Greg, the Chicago and the Canton were both great. .

01/24/24 09:48 PM

#7837

Now I'm hungry for Chinese food,

01/25/24 08:24 AM

#7838

Chicago Cafe. The owner, Paul, and I are cousins. According to family lore, my great-grandfather was involved in the opening of Chicago Cafe. My Dad worked at the Chicago until he opened Fong's in the 1950's. In the 1960's, my Dad opened Min's.

I worked at Fong's and Min's when I was growing up. That's where I learned to cook. I'm great at being a grill master but lousy at cooking many Chinese dishes.

Being related to Paul has a major downfall. He won't let me pay when I eat there so i don't eat there as often as I like. Andrea loved their ham and eggs breakfast. My favorite is their chow mein because they still use bean sprouts.

01/25/24 08:59 AM

#7839

Burke, don't forget my Wieners and Rice.

01/25/24 09:08 AM

#7840

Sharyn Boles (Holland) (1963)

Craig, are you thinking of Sebastian Cabot who would go to the Hong Kong and Fongs when visiting Mr. Victory of the Drug Store?

01/26/24 11:01 AM

#7841

Hi Doyle Phillips (9823)

I can remember the wieners and rice at the Hong Kong. See You in Church.

Terry Holland 1963

01/26/24 12:26 PM

#7842

Tom Stewart (1969)

I actually met Sebastian Cabot in the Hong Kong restaurant when I was there with my friend Ralph Somero. He autographed a road map for me since it was the only thing made of paper I had.

01/31/24 02:58 AM

#7843

Tom Stewart (1969)

This year promises to be a year of surprises and ups and downs. The one thing that I am certain about is I hope to see the 49ers win the Super Bowl. They have a very promising and talented roster and a very good quarterback. They are much better off with him than with some idiot leading the team like Colin Kaepernick. I remember going to the games at Kezar Stadium in Golden Gate Park. Residents around the stadium would rent out parking spaces in their garages or on the street since the stadium had no parking. They have come a long way since those days. I liked DeBartalo as an owner since he was enthusiastic about his team and excited to see them play. He spent the money necessary to obtain the best talent, and Bill Walsh had a great eye for talent, even when they weren't successful on other teams or high in the draft.

It is good to see them back again.....yea, the memories....Montana to Rice....like magic.

01/31/24 02:19 PM

#7844

It was Sebastian Cabot. His TV show was Family Affair. He was an avid pheasant hunter. During hunting season, he would eat breakfast at Fong's several times a year.

01/31/24 02:33 PM

#7845

Doyle. They still serve weiners and rice with gravy at the Chicago Cafe.

After Andrea and I got married, I took her to the Chicago to meet Paul. Before we got to the restaurant, I told her a little history about the Chicago. I told her that "weiner and rice with gravy" is a favorite with a lot of the "old timers".

We walked into the dining area and I introduced her to an "old timer" that I had known for over 30 years. He told her that he had been coming to the Chicago for over 40 years and that his favorite dish was "weiners and rice with gravy". She couldn't believe it!!!

Several weeks later, at our church in Davis, I was asking her if she wanted to go to the Chicago for lunch. One of her friends overheard our discussion and said, "I go there for their "weiners and rice with gravy". She was shocked to say the least!!!

02/01/24 09:37 AM

#7846

They did a nice segment on Cap Public Radio yesterday on the Chicago Cafe - talking with the UCD faculty that had done the segment I heard about from Frances. I'm sure you could listen on line to it. Thanks to all that had comments about the Cafe. & yes wieners and rice if I wasn't ordering Chow Mein!

02/01/24 09:55 AM

#7847

Burke, Good to hear. Did the old timer you refer to have the Laundry around the corner from Chicago Cafe on Elm? The Chicago and the Hong Kong had the best Weiners and Rice. Pheasant Season and other seasons would get many entertainers to Woodland. In mid 50's I would stop in the Spudnut Shop and see George and met many in early morning. Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Phil Harris a couple times and Robert Stack and Hugh Obrien. Robert Stack would stop by and see George most mornings.

02/02/24 09:24 AM

#7848

Doyle. The "old timer" was a farmer. My dad came to Woodland in the 1930's and grew up with many of the farmer families. One of his buddies was John Wetzel. During the 60's, John would come to the restaurant several times a week and shoot the "bull" with my dad. He would tell my dad to visit his fields and pick whatever he was getting ready to harvest. During hunting season, he would give us permission to hunt on his land.

It was great growing up in a small town. Everyone knew everybody. When my dad owned Min's, CHP officers came to the restaurant regularly and I would talk to them. After I graduated from Berkeley, I wanted to be a CHP officer. I took the written test and passed it.

I was scheduled for a oral "interview" and knew that I would be face-to-face with 4 CHP officers. That had me scared. I walk into the the interview room and immediately recognized 3 of the 4 officers. Since they knew me, the interview was non-stressful and I placed very high. However, life took me a different direction and I never became a CHP officer.

02/02/24 10:00 AM

#7849

Joan Richter (Lucchesi) (1960)

Hi Burke Where was "Mins" located? That was my Mom and Dad's favorite Chinese restaurant, but they would have already picked up the "to go" order, so I never got to go to the restaurant :-)

02/02/24 11:03 AM

#7850

Orval Hughes (1964)

If my memory serves me, weenies and rice with gravy and Wonderbread was served at the Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong was next to Stan's men shop and owned by Paul Wong.

Paula was in our class

02/02/24 02:34 PM

#7851

Greg, I think Mins was on the Northwest corner of Cottonwood and W. Main. Where Taco Bell is now. I could easily be wrong tho!

02/02/24 03:19 PM

#7852

Sometime in the 1950's, Dad took these slides of a parade on Main street, So this would be looking Northwest, corner of main and First Street. The Dime Store is on the corner, and next to it is the "Hong Kong Chop Suey Cafe" and then the Sportsman..

02/03/24 07:48 AM

#7853

Bernard Rocksvold (1965)

I do remember the Sportsmans club. I hated to go in there to collect money for my paper route. The smell was terrible.

02/03/24 11:26 AM

#7854

Theresa Eve (1964)

Sprouse Reitz, a favorite childhood store. You could buy items for a quarter or less and have a treasure. Mother would let use pick out whatever we wanted. I remember buying a brown fuzzy dog bank. I loved it. Wish I had it today. Thank you Greg, great picture of Main Street.

02/03/24 07:21 PM

#7855

Greg. The original Min's was located at the corner of West Main and Cottonwood streets. That location is now a Taco Bell. After my Dad retired, my uncle Felix eventually relocated Min's to the shopping center at Cottonwood and West Cross streets.

In your picture showing the Hong Kong restaurant, my dad's first restaurant, Fong's, is just down the street.

02/04/24 09:16 AM

#7856

Yep Bernie, everyone's memory of the Sportsman has to do with a Bad Smell, even just walking by.

And Theresa, My memory of the dime store is Mom Saying "When I was a kid, everything in a '5 & 10', only cost a nickel or a dime". Kind of like folks today complaining that the "Dollar Stores" are no longer a dollar. Nothing changes, only the amounts!!

02/04/24 09:20 AM

#7857