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CBS News
3 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Wans, a beloved South Florida culinary fixture serving up family-style Chinese cuisine
Wans, formerly known as Christina Wan's, has been a beloved fixture in South Florida's culinary scene for more than half a century. This family-owned and operated restaurant in Fort Lauderdale carries a legacy that dates back to 1966. "Well, I started 30 years ago, but in this location 20 years — my family's been here since 1966," said original owner Christina Wan. "My grandfather had his first restaurant on 1st Avenue and 8th Street downtown Miami." After running Christina Wan's for nearly three decades, Christina recently retired. Her nephew, Alex Kuk, a fourth-generation restaurateur, has stepped in to carry the torch. He remodeled and reopened the restaurant in March, blending modern technology with the trusted flavors that longtime customers know and love. "People can come in for ambience and everything, but still, it's about what's in front of them," Kuk said. "The smell, the taste, the flavor, the price point, the value, and the quality of that dish." That commitment to quality and community hasn't gone unnoticed. "It's a family night when we come here," said customer Alan Cohen. "We get a big table and order a lot of food. We do this on a regular basis." "We moved down here from Queens, New York, about 14 years ago, and we discovered this place right away," said Vincent DelBasso, another regular customer. "It's just comforting to come in here. They know you. They smile. They say hello, 'Are you hungry?' And we are here," added DelBasso's wife, Gerri. That sense of belonging is something both Kuk and Wan deeply value. "That loyalty? It means everything to me," Wan said, tearing up. "That's why we have round tables, [and] family-style eating, to really promote that community," Kuk added. "Growth starts from the family and expands to friends, family events... all gathered at a Chinese restaurant with tablecloth service, full service." Some popular standouts include: Wan's Cherry Blossom Martini, a refreshing twist on a classic. CBS News Miami also sampled Wan's famous Mu Shu: A savory dish that features pork, cabbage, scallions, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots, all wrapped in thin crepes. "Nice smoky, savory hint of sweet from the plum sauce — something unexpected at a Chinese restaurant-like getting a burrito," Kuk explained The tofu with black bean sauce is vegetarian, gluten-free, and packed with flavor. Finally, one of Wan's all-time favorites: The sweet and sour chicken, stewed with oranges, lemons, pineapple, onion, and pepper. It's great food and great value — a win-win. "We want to provide our customers with value and quality. I think that's what's kept our family around for 60 years." For more information on Wans, visit their website.
Miami Herald
29-01-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Christina Wan's to reopen in Fort Lauderdale under new name, owners: ‘We're still your Chinese grandmother'
Christina Wan's, a hallowed temple of modern Chinese in Fort Lauderdale's Victoria Park neighborhood, is coming back from the dead with a fresh name and new faces eager to preserve the family legacy. Wan's — the restaurant's simplified new name — will be a reboot of the 28-year-old restaurant when it reopens in the same location sometime this spring, led by fourth-generation owners Alex Kuk (who runs next-door Temple Street Eatery) and Courtney Van Leeuwaarde, daughter of Christina Wan's namesake Christina Huynh. The revival is a remarkable about-face for the longtime eatery, which closed Nov. 10 after Huynh, the restaurant's chic and sharp-eyed matriarch, announced her retirement along with her husband, chef and co-owner Jason Huynh. So why revive the restaurant now? In truth, the extended Wan family had been regretting its closure for months, Kuk told the South Florida Sun Sentinel on Tuesday. Read more at the Sun Sentinel:
