Chinese Restaurants of the Past
also known as Mee Hong’s, Luke’s, and Ming Garden
These three restaurants are a gateway to memories of mid-century immigrant restaurants and their impact on our taste buds.
images of this Property
13 images: Press to view larger or scroll sideways to see more. Contributions from John Ballantine, Jay Boersma, John Hutchins Cady Research Scrapbooks Collection (page 73) at the Providence Public Library, Providence City Archves, and Google Streetview.
Copyright prevents the display of these images: Photos: Restaurants in Providence, Providence Journal
About this Property
A new-ish project called “Providence’s Chinatown has been created to dive deeper into the history of the bustling Chinese American community on Empire Street and on Summer Street between Broad and Pine.
Current Events
While browsing through and recreating some of the photos in Jay Boersma’s portfolio from 1976, we saw the photo of Mee Hong’s and were intrigued. We had previously heard of Luke’s restaurant and the upstairs Luau Hut which survived until the 90s. It was time to put a page together about some of the places that we could find photos of, and over the years, many visitors have told us their own story as well.
These Restaurants
Mee Hong
Mee Hong was located at 102 Westminster Street, between Providence National Bank (#90) and First Federal Bank (#110). It was opened by the Chin family in 1938 and closed in 1979. The building was probably razed within 10 years. It might be one of the earliest Chinese restaurants in the city.
From the anecdotes:
- There was a plaque on the entrance which read “through these portals pass the nicest people we know”
- The meal always included little dishes with pickled beets, coleslaw, or fries. Another visitor swears it was “Cole Slaw, Peas or Beets”
- French bread was served with butter, like every other restaurant. But only Chinese restaurants in RI seem to do this
- Popular dishes seem to be a veal cutlet with brown gravy, chop suey, chow mein, and batter fried fish and chips
Luke’s Chinese American Restaurant
59 Eddy Street was home to Luke’s Restaurant, one of Providence’s early Chinese restaurants. In 1951, Tin Cheung Luke opened Luke’s with his son Henry. Located behind City Hall in the downtown Providence, the restaurant drew customers who worked nearby on the weekdays and out-of-town shoppers on the weekend. Food was cheap – a plate of chow mein was 90 cents and a plate of chow suey was only 5 cents more.
The restaurant occupied two stories. During the 1960s, the Lukes converted the upstairs dining room into a Polynesian themed restaurant called the “Luau Hut”, which served tropical cocktails and exotic dishes. The Luau Hut was decorated with straw wall covering, bamboo polls, and gigantic shell light fixtures. Downstairs the decorations were modest. People ate in formica covered booths.
59 Eddy Street still exists as the Edwin A. Smith Building as seen in the Google Streetview photo.
From the anecdotes:
- Officer Luke of the Providence Police Department told someone that his branch of the LUKE family was related to Keye Luke, the actor from the golden age of Hollywood, and, Charlie Chan’s first son.
- Some considered Luke’s to be the best, most authentic New York- and California-style Chinese food outside of Boston.
- Popular dishes include pu pu platters; Ipswich fried clams with cole slaw; veal cutlet with brown gravy; combination plate with chow mein, fried rice and egg roll; eggr olls and lobster Cantonese in lobster sauce; and Scorpion bowls
Ming Garden
The longest lived of the Chinese restaurants, the Ming Garden was vital to life in downtown Providence. Open from 1941 to 1986, the restaurant was located at 141-143 Westminster Street, which had entrances on Westminster Street as well as Kennedy Plaza (now #68 Kennedy Plaza). The building was 2 and a half stories tall and dates to the late 19th century.
During the 1950s, the Tows contracted a young architect named Morris Nathanson to modernize the restaurant’s interior. Mr. Nathanson was well known for hospitality design, and his portfolio includes The China Inn in Pawtucket and the Johnson & Wales Culinary Arts Museum among others.
From the National Register nomination form for the Downtown Providence Historic District, prepared by William McKenzie Woodward, Principal Historic Preservation Planner, 1984
The Ming Garden (building constructed 1903): 3-story brick building with tiled modern entrance (similar entrance on Westminster Street side of building) and large plate-glass windows on upper stories; modern interiors by Morris Nathanson (ground floor) and Ira Rakatansky (upper floor). Though architecturally undistinguished outside, the building is heavily altered. The Ming Garden is a major Providence institution and the longest lived of a popular type, the Chinese restaurant, which has been an important part of the urban scene since the early 20th century.
From the anecdotes:
- Ming’s Wings! People in the anecdotes certainly loved them. The recipes remains elusive. Some ideas for the recipe are included here from a Providence Journal article.
- Ming’s Garden decor was more upscale than the other two listed here.
- Other favorites dishes include sweet pork buns.
68 Kennedy Plaza still exists in much the same form as seen in the 1950 photo.
Other restaurants mentioned
The folks in the anecdotes have left us many memories. Here are a few of the names that have come up:
- Asia Restaurant
- Brown Bear Chinese Restaurant on the East Side, Brook Street towards Benevolent
- Chens, upstairs across from Shepards
- Far East
- Hon Hong restaurant, circa 1964, across from the Majestic Theatre (Trinity)
- Kubla Khan on Weybosset Street
- The Luau Hut at Luke’s
- Mee Hong Restaurant
- Bob Tow and the Persimmon Room with their introduction of Dim Sum
- Port Arthur restaurant upstairs with a dance floor and live bands (undated photo)
- Toy Sun’s, Thayer Street next to Avon
- Young China and chow mein sandwiches
In The News
At Johnson & Wales, ‘Dinerman’ Richard Gutman was dean of food culture
by Gail Ciampa
Providence Journal | Nov 10, 2016 (abridged)
In 2009, Johnson & Wales and the Culinary Art Museum sponsored a series of discussions with Brown University to explore “Eating Chinese: Comestibles, Cuisine, Commerce and Culture.” It was just one of several collaborations among JWU and Brown’s Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America and the John Nicholas Brown Center for Public Humanities and Cultural Heritage.
It featured what seemed the tiniest exhibit you’ll ever see, “Chow Mein, Chicken Wings, and Cheeseburgers” with a table setting from Mee Hong Restaurant (1975 photo), which was opened by the Chin family next to the Arcade in 1938. There was also Lily Tow’s typewriter [from Ming’s Garden, typewriter photo ], used to compose newspaper ads for the Ming Garden restaurant.
Links:
- Full story on the Providence Journal
- Culinary Arts Museum
- Culinary Arts Museum: search online collection
Thanks so much for your anecdotes over the years!
Do you remember the wings at Ming Garden? Potential Recipes
Do you remember the wings at Ming Garden? | neighbor to neighbor
by Gail Ciampa
Providence Journal | August 6, 2014 (abridged)
[…] Lucille was looking for a recipe for Ming’s Wings, a dish from the iconic Ming Garden, a Chinese restaurant that drew diners to downtown Providence for decades, starting in 1941 and ending in ‘87.
She wanted nice, sticky wings.
I went through The Journal archives and found a few readers’ recipes named Ming’s Wings. But that only means they were copycat ones. I found other described as Chinese Chicken Wings, too.
I read her the recipes and she resolved to try to remember more ingredients from her original.
Then I remembered that John Chan, owner of Chan’s Fine Oriental Dining, 267 Main St., Woonsocket, had shared his wings recipe with The Journal in 2002. But I don’t think they sound sticky.
For others who want to play along, here are the recipes I found. Happy remembering.
Ming’s Wings
4 to 5 pounds of chicken wings, seasoned with salt and pepper 1/4 pound margarine or Crisco 15 cloves garlic (yes, 15), crushed 1/2 cup white vinegar 1/2 cup water 4 tablespoons brown sugar 1 bottle Gravy Master, diluted with water to make 2 cups
Fry the wings in melted fat and remove from pan to drain. Add the remaining ingredients to the fat in the pan, then return the chicken to the pan. Cook 15 to 30 minutes.
You can also try the oven method, placing all ingredients in a casserole and baking at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Chinese Chicken Wings
2 pounds chicken wings cut in two (discard tips) Oil for frying 3 tablespoons oyster sauce 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon black bean sauce 1 tablespoon sugar 3 cloves garlic
Fry wings until they are crisp and brown and rise to the surface. Drain on paper towels. In a bowl, mix oyster sauce, soy and black bean sauces and sugar. Brown garlic in small amount of oil in frying pan. Add wings as garlic browns and turn several times. Add sauce from bowl and keep turning wings as sauce cooks down, darkens and thickens and wings get hot.
Chinese Chicken Wings
14 to 16 chicken wings 1/3 cup light soy sauce 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce 3 tablespoons oyster sauce 1 tablespoon dry sherry 2 teaspoons sugar 1/3 cup water 2 teaspoons sesame oil 11/2 tablespoons cornstarch 3 garlic cloves, minced
Rinse the chicken wings and pat dry. Mix together the rest of the ingredients and marinate the chicken for 1 hour. While the chicken is marinating, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the chicken wings from the marinade and place in a baking dish. Brush half of the marinade over them and bake for 20 minutes. Turn over, and brush on the remaining marinade. Continue cooking for another 20 to 25 minutes or until done. Serve hot, or cold as an appetizer. Makes 6 servings.
Chan’s Chicken Wings
4 pounds chicken wings 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons thin or light soy sauce 2 tablespoons cooking sherry 2 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons ground fresh ginger 2 teaspoons ground fresh garlic 1/2 teaspoon white pepper 1/2 teaspoon five spice powder Canola or vegetable oil (for frying)
Cut chicken wings between joints; save tips for soup or stock. Mix the other ingredients together until smooth. Pour over wing pieces and marinate for 1 hour. Heat oven or deep fryer with oil to 350 degrees. In fryer, cook for 15 minutes or until tender. In oven, cook for 30 minutes or until tender.
Ming’s Wings
3 pounds chicken wings 1/4 cup oil 1/4 cup honey 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
Fry wings in hot oil 5 to 10 minutes. Place wings on foil-lined cookie sheets. Combine remaining ingredients; spread half over wings. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Baste with remaining sauce, then bake for 20 minutes longer.
Chicken Wings
2 tablespoons molasses 2 minced garlic cloves 1/2 cup soy sauce 2 teaspoons dry mustard 1 teaspoon garlic salt 1/4 cup ketchup 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/4 cup honey or brown sugar 1/8 teaspoon ginger 2 or 3 pounds chicken wings, separated
Arrange chicken wings in a baking pan lined with foil. Pour sauce over the chicken and refrigerate overnight (at least six hours). Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Chinese Chicken Wings
12 chicken wings 1 clove garlic, minced 2 scallions, chopped 1/4 cup soy sauce 1 tablespoon sherry wine 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup honey 2 tablespoons sugar 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
Cut each wing into two parts. Place all ingredients except for wings in large frying pan. Mix well. Add wings. Bring to boil and simmer, covered, about 40 minutes. Shake pan and baste occasionally. Uncover pan; simmer for an additional 15 minutes, stirring and basting frequently. Remove wings from pan and reserve liquid. When ready to serve, place under broiler, sprinkle with reserved liquid, then broil until brown and crispy, turning once.