China House at May Ave. & Grand Blvd.

[lake hefner breeze]

China House was a great Chinese restaurant in the strip on the SW corner of May Ave. & Grand Blvd. next to the Firestone tire place. They had a huge neon sign. The food was spectacular. Amy and Jackson were servers and related to the owner. They were wonderful people. It closed in 1999.

Does anyone know where they are now or remember this place?

[OKCisOK4me]

There's a China House in Windsor Park shopping center on NW 23 & Meridian but I'm guessing it's not the same place you're talking about...

[lake hefner breeze]

There's a China House in Windsor Park shopping center on NW 23 & Meridian but I'm guessing it's not the same place you're talking about...

Thanks.

I am pretty sure that they did not continue the business after closing. The owner was elderly and the relatives weren't interested in the business. I am just curious if anyone remembers this place or knows what happened to the servers that I mentioned before.

[Achilleslastand]

It used to be a favorite of mine. Great food and wonderful service. After the tornado though i believe they never rebuilt sadly.

[SoonerQueen]

We used to eat there all the time. If my memory serves me, the dad that owned the restaurant passed away and his kids Jackson and Amy ran the place. Amy was a law student and became a lawyer and kinda moved on. Jackson ran the place for awhile, but after the tornado just decided not to keep the restaurant open. I miss that place. Best egg rolls and sweet and sour chicken in town. Their egg foo young and chicken chow mein were pretty excellent too. My husband loved the almond duck. I think the grandma used to make the egg rolls by hand. Thanks for letting me remember this restaurant if only for a moment.

[lake hefner breeze]

We used to eat there all the time. If my memory serves me, the dad that owned the restaurant passed away and his kids Jackson and Amy ran the place. Amy was a law student and became a lawyer and kinda moved on. Jackson ran the place for awhile, but after the tornado just decided not to keep the restaurant open. I miss that place. Best egg rolls and sweet and sour chicken in town. Their egg foo young and chicken chow mein were pretty excellent too. My husband loved the almond duck. I think the grandma used to make the egg rolls by hand. Thanks for letting me remember this restaurant if only for a moment.

Thanks SoonerQueen. This was such a great place. As you said, "Best egg rolls and sweet and sour chicken in town." Absolutely. In fact, everything was good. Do you remember how well paced the dining experience was? From the wheat bread and real butter pats they would bring out first, to the positively life-affirming deliciousness of the egg drop soup (not the neon glow stuff you get nowadays), next those scrumptious egg rolls that you could drizzle sweet and sour sauce on or the amazing hot mustard (I have never found one to match it anywhere because it was made in house), then just as you finished came the main course, piping hot in silver dishes with serving spoons. Mmmmm, I can taste it now. The batter on the sweet and sour chicken was perfect. Crunchy and not doughy, with large pieces of good quality chicken inside. And the sauce on the sweet and sour chicken was completely different from the table sauce. A darker rich, thick consistency that coated each dumpling with sweet/sour goodness. The Chow Mein was good too with a just right sauce. The Kung Pao chicken with peanuts on top was another favorite. Also, the chicken with garlic sauce was tasty. And the vegetable lo-mein was splendid. The portions were very generous. Finished off with a fortune cookie of course and the last of the hot tea from the start of the meal.(They would gladly bring you a pot of tea when you ordered it. Perfect on cold Oklahoma nights) All this provided with great and friendly service at a fair price.

I particularly look back fondly on the serene atmosphere of China House. It was warm and inviting with a lived in feel. It didn't have anything to prove. The comfy booth next to the window looking out onto May ave. and the classic Chinese decorations, without a buffet and a big screen tv blaring. My family misses it, too. We've never found better. (and we've tried!)

They definitely re-opened after the tornado because we went many times. It was my understanding from several conversations with Jackson (he was the law student by the way, not Amy)that the landlord of that strip was being very difficult and Jackson felt like he didn't want them there anymore. The price was being raised on the rent and the strip was about to undergo a complete face-lift which would include new signage that would be identical for each business, therefore China House was told they would not be able to use that stylish neon sign anymore. This was apparently a deal breaker according to Jackson. Shortly after this conversation I went to eat there and on the door was a handwritten note that simply stated that they had closed. Nothing special like a thank you to customers or an apology, just "We have closed down." Heartbreaking, really. I ate there for over 10 years and I took it for granted that it would always be around. I hope Jackson and Amy are doing well.

[SoonerQueen]

I am happy to say I have been in touch with Jackson who used to own China House. It was nice to reconnect with him and I have some things to share with you on his behalf. First of all he and the family are doing well. He is living out of the state now but continues to be an Oklahoma sports fan. He said that after the restaurant closed they felt really bad that they couldn't thank everyone for a great 34 years at the restaurant. They really appreciated all of us for eating there. He spoke as fondly about the customers and friends that they met through the years as we have been by writing on this thread. They didn't have the luxury of telling everyone they were closing,because they hadn't planned on closing at all. It was the owner of the shopping center that decided to close the restaurant and they had no where at the time to relocate. So it was all over. I'm sure most of you remember that his dad passed away, and then after the restaurant closed, they lost their grandma in 1999. I think the China House restaurant is a pleasant memory for them as well as us who got to eat there. So a big THANK YOU from Jackson and his family.
Just for the record, Jackson never went to law school. He majored in business. Julie, his sister, is the lawyer in the family. She is also the mom of a beautiful little girl. Amy wasn't a member of the family, just a family friend.So I hope this helps a little setting the record straight. It was really fun catching up with Jackson. I'll always have the best memories of eating at China House. There is just not another place like it.

[soonergeezer]

China House was a great Chinese restaurant in the strip on the SW corner of May Ave. & Grand Blvd. next to the Firestone tire place. They had a huge neon sign. The food was spectacular. Amy and Jackson were servers and related to the owner. They were wonderful people. It closed in 1999.

Does anyone know where they are now or remember this place?

I absolutely remember it. The food was great, and Jackson was a great guy. I ate there almost every week. The reason they went out of business, was a tornado did major damage to that building and the owner did repairs and was going to almost double the rent. Jackson closed and shortly there after he became a cook at Quail Creek country club. I lost track and haven't seen him in years.

[Achilleslastand]

I absolutely remember it. The food was great, and Jackson was a great guy. I ate there almost every week. The reason they went out of business, was a tornado did major damage to that building and the owner did repairs and was going to almost double the rent. Jackson closed and shortly there after he became a chef at Quail Creek country club. I lost track and haven't seen him in years.

I used to love the China House. Ive always wondered why they didn't reopen after the tornado and now I know.

[soonergeezer]

I am happy to say I have been in touch with Jackson who used to own China House. It was nice to reconnect with him and I have some things to share with you on his behalf. First of all he and the family are doing well. He is living out of the state now but continues to be an Oklahoma sports fan. He said that after the restaurant closed they felt really bad that they couldn't thank everyone for a great 34 years at the restaurant. They really appreciated all of us for eating there. He spoke as fondly about the customers and friends that they met through the years as we have been by writing on this thread. They didn't have the luxury of telling everyone they were closing,because they hadn't planned on closing at all. It was the owner of the shopping center that decided to close the restaurant and they had no where at the time to relocate. So it was all over. I'm sure most of you remember that his dad passed away, and then after the restaurant closed, they lost their grandma in 1999. I think the China House restaurant is a pleasant memory for them as well as us who got to eat there. So a big THANK YOU from Jackson and his family.
Just for the record, Jackson never went to law school. He majored in business. Julie, his sister, is the lawyer in the family. She is also the mom of a beautiful little girl. Amy wasn't a member of the family, just a family friend.So I hope this helps a little setting the record straight. It was really fun catching up with Jackson. I'll always have the best memories of eating at China House. There is just not another place like it.

I would love to speak to Jackson again, if possible is there a way to get in touch with him?