|
|
|
Webster, N.Y. —
Why they’re in the news
After renting in Penfield’s BayTowne Plaza for about 21 years, the Royal Dynasty Chinese Restaurant has moved into a brand new, 4,700 square foot, freestanding building facing Empire Boulevard. The light and airy, contemporary-style building, which has loads of small windows and architectural details inside and out, was designed by owner Jonny Yuan and his family with the help of architect Rob Wolfe.
The Yuans celebrated the grand opening of the new space, which has a small party room with seating for about 20, with customers at an invitaiton-only event this past Sunday afternoon, Jan. 1. The party featured student musicians Alex Barbato, Becky Taylor, Melissa Mashner, and Victor Wang as well as a couple from the Eastman School of Music, some of Royal Dynasty’s own popular dishes, local photographers Matthew Rankin, Ken Dobson and Jonathan Shih, and a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Jonny Yuan says he wanted his “own” place and a better location with more visibility. It’s still in the town of Penfield, but has a Webster address.
While the restaurant has a lot of repeat customers, “We’ve already had a lot of new customers since we opened,” daughter Jessica Yuan said.
What’s the origin of the restaurant’s name?
Jonny Yuan says he founded the restaurant with his brother-in-law, and they chose Dynasty “because it’s a very popular word in Chinese culture and history,” and Royal because they thought the words went well together. “It’s a very good name,” he said. Since his brother-in-law moved to California 10 years ago, he has been the sole owner.
Now the restaurant says it’s “Royal for a reason,” since it has been voted Rochester’s No. 1 Chinese restaurant for eight consecutive years, 2004-2011, through the Rochester’s Choice program.
What are your specialties?
The restaurant’s menu has a wide array of authentic Chinese cuisine, as well as Cantonese, Szechuan, Mandarin, and Hunan fare. The sesame chicken and the Royal chicken, a dish with a Mandarin sweet and sour sauce, are the most popular, Jonny Yuan said.
What sets Royal Dynasty apart?
The restaurant is known for its colorful tropical fish tanks, Jonny Yuan said, and now has two, one fresh-water tank and one salt-water tank.
He also likes to talk to customers, so can most often be found at the front of the restaurant, socializing, or occasionally behind the bar.
Why they’re in the news
After renting in Penfield’s BayTowne Plaza for about 21 years, the Royal Dynasty Chinese Restaurant has moved into a brand new, 4,700 square foot, freestanding building facing Empire Boulevard. The light and airy, contemporary-style building, which has loads of small windows and architectural details inside and out, was designed by owner Jonny Yuan and his family with the help of architect Rob Wolfe.
The Yuans celebrated the grand opening of the new space, which has a small party room with seating for about 20, with customers at an invitaiton-only event this past Sunday afternoon, Jan. 1. The party featured student musicians Alex Barbato, Becky Taylor, Melissa Mashner, and Victor Wang as well as a couple from the Eastman School of Music, some of Royal Dynasty’s own popular dishes, local photographers Matthew Rankin, Ken Dobson and Jonathan Shih, and a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Jonny Yuan says he wanted his “own” place and a better location with more visibility. It’s still in the town of Penfield, but has a Webster address.
While the restaurant has a lot of repeat customers, “We’ve already had a lot of new customers since we opened,” daughter Jessica Yuan said.
What’s the origin of the restaurant’s name?
Jonny Yuan says he founded the restaurant with his brother-in-law, and they chose Dynasty “because it’s a very popular word in Chinese culture and history,” and Royal because they thought the words went well together. “It’s a very good name,” he said. Since his brother-in-law moved to California 10 years ago, he has been the sole owner.
Now the restaurant says it’s “Royal for a reason,” since it has been voted Rochester’s No. 1 Chinese restaurant for eight consecutive years, 2004-2011, through the Rochester’s Choice program.
What are your specialties?
The restaurant’s menu has a wide array of authentic Chinese cuisine, as well as Cantonese, Szechuan, Mandarin, and Hunan fare. The sesame chicken and the Royal chicken, a dish with a Mandarin sweet and sour sauce, are the most popular, Jonny Yuan said.
What sets Royal Dynasty apart?
The restaurant is known for its colorful tropical fish tanks, Jonny Yuan said, and now has two, one fresh-water tank and one salt-water tank.
He also likes to talk to customers, so can most often be found at the front of the restaurant, socializing, or occasionally behind the bar.
His family is all also part of the operation, though Jessica is now also studying hospitality at Rochester Institute of Technology, Jonathan is at Hunter College in New York City, and Joseph is at SUNY Binghamton.
“We all do a little bit of everything,” Jessica said.
What else the community should know
The new location doesn’t yet have its liquor license, because it’s still being transferred from the old site. It is expected in about a week.
The restaurant’s business is still 50 percent takeout, 50 percent dine-in, but once the community sees the gorgeous new space, that could change.
