Shangri-La closing
According to WDAZ, Shangri-La, the longtime Chinese restaurant just west of UND, is closing its doors forever.
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Grand Forks Life is the first and biggest blog covering life in the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota. GrandForksGuy shares local news, rumors, and his own opinions.
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NOTE: The views expressed in original posts on "Grand Forks Life" are merely the views and personal opinions of the owner of this blog. No guarantee is given for the accuracy of content. The views expressed in reader comments are the views of those readers. "GrandForksGuy" and "Grand Forks Life" do not endorse the views of readers.
36 comments:
True. I know someone who works there part-time and was told last night they would be closed as of Sunday. They weren't giving the employees a lot of details, but it sounds like they have been losing money for quite a while.
That is why we shouldn't let all of these chains come in. It ruins the local places and our town loses some of it's history. Yet, we keep bringing them in and in. How can a place like that compete with all of these chains? It is really sad.
Yeah, those Chinese chains are just taking over.
Maybe they're closing because the food was horrible. It may have been OK for people who've never had good Chinese food, but for those of us that have, it was atrocious.
Well, Shang-ri La is located in pretty much the worst place imaginable since all of the development is now southend of town.
I was never that impressed with their food. It was very similar to the Chinese fast food places in mall foodcourts in my view.
You anonymous people need to make up a name so we can trash you when you make comments like those about a beloved GF restaurant...
Actually I am sad that tomorrow is their last day. Their curry chicken is awesome.
I'm quite sad they are closing. It was fast and convient to run there and pick it up. I could call before I left the house and it would be ready when I got there. Is there any other chinese delivery in town?
Good riddance. I'm a huge supporter of locally owned businesses vs. chains but only when they represent a quality dining experience. Shangri-La was always dirty and tasted like everything came out of can.
China Garden delivers and is a lot better than the Shang, IMO. Closest to "California" Chinese food as GF gets - they're fast, too, I've ordered from them and they're knocking on the door before I hang up the phone. 45 minutes my butt!
well personally. i believe shang ri la was a very good place and it sickens me that people think the place was so horrible because they may have the freedom of speech but take away that speech for a second..... maybe shang ri la would be in business still.
Good riddance! I went once and was sufficiently grossed out enough to vow not to go again. I've been to hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurants in NYC and LA that served better food in a cleaner environment.
Looking back the one word that comes to mind in describing the place is "sketchy."
Kudos to the China Garden comment. They are the best Chinese restaurant in town.
Yup, China Garden, hands down.
But I loved the fact that Shangri La tried to do something upscale and hope that another Chinese or Asian-inspired cuisine goes in there. GF could def. use a Thai or Vietnamese restaurant.
Upscale? You are funny!
I think they went upscale when they opened up the place, but China Garden is my favorite. Until China Garden opened up after the flood it was the nicest Chinese restaurant in town.
For those that don't remember the China Garden was the old "Franks" (Wong?) Chinese restaurant which I think was the first Chinese Restaurant in town, unless there was one before that.
The one thing that killed Shangri-La for me was the stench of stale tobacco you had to run through just to get in the place. Sharing a building with a bar maybe wasn't such a good idea. I always thought the food was alright- but what does an old white boy know about Chinese?
I ate there once. "Vile" was the word that came to mind.
Cinnamon and powdered sugar on egg rolls?
Wow, you guys act like there were rats sitting at the tables while you ate! Talk about alarmist...
I'm just wondering when Billy (of the Down UNDer) is going to purchase the former restaurant space, and open another bar? You know he will, it's just a matter of time.
"well personally. i believe shang ri la was a very good place and it sickens me that people think the place was so horrible because they may have the freedom of speech but take away that speech for a second..... maybe shang ri la would be in business still."
"Talk about alarmist"
I wish I understood these comments, and how they relate to the posts thus far.
On second thought, I've decided that I don't want to understand the first one. It scares me.
Well, there food was a bit greasy, however it was good. I appreciated the fine servers they had there. They defininently cared about there customers. I hate when people slander our cities hot spot restaurants to replace them with gross fatening food. lyke omg
"well personally. i believe shang ri la was a very good place and it sickens me that people think the place was so horrible because they may have the freedom of speech but take away that speech for a second..... maybe shang ri la would be in business still."
I'm scratching my head over that one too Coffee Guy.
But anyway, Shangri-La was probably not as bad as others make it out to be. Granted, it's probably not the greatest chinese place in history, but it had a good atmosphere and was decent enough to frequent until they couldn't compete anymore.
I remember going there when I was a kid on weekend nights. The place was always packed.
I think some of us have a little bit of fondness for the place in the same way. The food might not have been great, but there was never any other place like it in town, so it didn't really matter.
Anyway, my two cents.
The orginal owners the Wong's were a great American story they immigrated to this country from China. Talk about living the dream. Work hard and have a sucessfull business.
I worked with a family member of theirs and they are a solid family.
I like how people malign their resturant. I always ordered delivery and loved their food.
You say "original owners," yet mention how people maligned "their restaurant." When did they sell?
For what it's worth, I thought the interior was a very nice space. It was the food that I didn't like.
My wife mentioned to me that friends of hers at Altru went to Shangri-La over the weekend and it was so busy and packed they ran out of food! They spoke with one of the owners and said she was thinking of maybe opening back up in the fall, but with a smaller menu. The workload just got too much for the family.
Whether or not this will be case and they do re-open in the fall, we will just have to wait and see. Maybe in a different location too?
That's good sleuthing anon, nice work.
A move should definitely be in order, maybe closer to the Alerus perhaps?
Seems to me that if they were to reopen, they might consider being a delivery/carryout type of place instead of a sit-down restaurant. I can only assume they did as much or even more business based on those two avenues alone.
I guess if they really wanted to compete, they could provide a buffet...but eh. Who knows what'll happen.
Please, anything but another buffet place. We have enough Chinese buffet houses already, now we need to get something that caters to a dining experience.
Ichiban's (closest one is in Winnipeg) is a great example of a dining experience. The atmosphere is incredible, the food and cooks are wonderful, and it becomes a place that you enjoy wanting to come back to (even if it is pricy). Maybe there's a chance for them to reopen as a "Chinese Sander's."
~ G
Ichiban's a Chinese restaurant? You're probably mistaken.
Loosely translated, ichiban means "1 in Japanese.
I know the owners committed suicide a few years back. Whether or not they were the original owners, I do not know. That was their picture on the table on the left as you entered the restaurant.
What some people fail torealize when they read is that there is such a concept as COMPARISON in our communication. Therefore, Ichiban's being a Japanese Teppanyaki restaurant, with elaborate decoration, traditional and popular cuisine, and a unique atmosphere would IN COMPARISON be a wonderful model for a new Chinese/Thai/Japanese/Oriental or any other type establishment to follow. Learn how to read; it makes life better.
~ G
I know the owners committed suicide a few years back. Whether or not they were the original owners, I do not know. That was their picture on the table on the left as you entered the restaurant
You are correct. The business was taking over by the son after his parents committed suicide.
Weren't the owners very old and one of them very ill when they committed suicide? Contextualizing their situation seems appropriate in terms of their legacy.
They had amazing consomme soup. I loved it as a child when I visited Grand Forks, and I loved it as a college student. When I lived in Campus Place, I'd call in an order for egg rolls when I wanted a snack. They'd be ready as soon as I walked across the street to get them. I'll really miss the place.
Hell yeah, that soup rocked! When I read they were closing a week ago, I rushed over there and managed to get some food the day before they closed. My dad ordered several things off the menu so he could have leftovers for the week.
I can't believe they are closing! Everytime I would come back to North Dakota, I would always try to arrange a stop there. So sad! So many great memories!
We have been eating at Shangri La for many years and live over 200 miles away and looked forward to coming to Grand Forks just to eat at Shangri La.We just happened to be in Grand Forks on September 31 2007 and stopped in to eat at Shangri La and found out then it was closed.I hope they reopen,whether it is at same location or new one it dont matter I will be there and my family will be there to enjoy there food.I have been eating there since I was 17 and now Iam 35 and NEVER had any bad food or experiance to complain about,no bad food,no bugs,no hair in food and have never gotten sick from eating there.To those who are saying things about it being dirty,unclean I have never witnessed this first hand at all,however I do agree with the smoking section(thank god smoking in resturants are coming to a hult).But back to Shangri La,we wish that they do open up again,you are truly missed and had some great times there with our family and friends.Now when we come to Grand Forks in the future it is going to be a fight to find a great place to eat,since everyone with us looked forward to eatigng at the Shangri La,we tried the Great Wall chinese resturant by the Ford Dealer and that was not anything close to Shangri La at all,the rice was dry the egg rolls tased funky and uncooked not going back there again.I guess you cant knock it till you try and we did and will not return.Next time we come we will try the China Garden,hopefully it will be good and not another let down,nothing so far compares to Shangri La in our opinion and our familys opinion.
I used to live in Grand Forks as a young kid with my family. I come back through a couple times a year to visit my grandparents. I remember being there as young as 10years old and I am now 30. I loved their consume soup with white rice and green onions. A pretty plain simple soup I may add by by far the best I have ever had anywhere in the US. I really hope they come back .... maybe a smaller venue and a smaller menu. I'll visit them anyday. Brings back great memories for me!
Jenny~
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