Johnny’s Peking Tokyo

Location: 12 Coogan Blvd. Mystic, CT 06355-1938

Cuisine:  Japanese & Chinese cuisine with fusion spark

Capacity:  100

Offers: Dine-in, Take-out

Signature Dish: Live Scallop, General Tso’s Chicken, Steamed Sea Bass, Sushi, Special Rolls, Yuzu Tuna, Peking Duck, Johnny’s Mussels

Year of establishment: 2001

Phone: 860-572-9991

Website: www.pekingtokyomystic.com

David Collins, a reporter from the Day Newspaper—Connecticut, wrote: “Peking Tokyo is a hidden treasure amid Mystic’s tourist hubbub, combining excellent Japanese & Chinese cuisine under one roof.” It is in Mystic, Connecticut shoreline where you will find one unusual cross pollination between two of the world’s most loved cuisines, Japanese and Chinese. At Johnny’s Peking Tokyo, owner Johnny Lin has been making art out of Japanese and Chinese fusion.

Contemporary Design

Living up to its name, the restaurant combines the styles of two very opposite cultures – Peking and Tokyo. The resultant fusion is one of simplistic Japanese style and classic Chinese ornamentation. There is a stylish contemporary divider to separate the 3,000 square foot dining area into two sections: one side is Japanese with a few paintings depicting a geisha besides some typical Japanese ornaments and on the other side, Chinese framed artwork and red exotic candles decorate the room, which really gives an Asian hybrid feel. Owner Johnny Lin tried to create a romantic, heavenly establishment, using various lighting and comfortable table arrangements.

Classic Favorites, Excellent Taste

A tasty and colorful medley of Japanese and Chinese cuisine is served. Shoreline-located Mystic becomes a very positive influence for Mr. Lin’s business strategy. He is committed to providing the freshest seafood that Mystic has to offer. Amazingly fresh sushi and sashimi are widely known as Peking Tokyo’s reputation.

The appetizer, Johnny’s Mussels baked with mayonnaise, sweet eel sauce and caviar is to die for. For tuna lovers, Yuzu Tuna, lightly seared and thin sliced Tuna with Greens, served with special Yuzu sauce is one healthy mouth-watering dish.

On the other side, the Chinese cuisine is a pleasant homey treat. The famous General Tso’s chicken is carefully prepared to avoid over breading, to maintain perfect crisp. Well-marinated and roasted Peking Duck with pancake is also one of Peking Tokyo’s favorite meals you will hard to forget.    

The long string of menu items make you feel exploring the sea. The repertoire of traditional Chinese dishes are modified for the American palette resulting in less spicy and lean towards the sweet and sour end of spectrum. The ubiquitous General Tso’s Chicken, crispy egg rolls and noodles and chicken, beef, pork and seafood compositions win the hearts of patrons. In addition, there is a special section called “Something for Dieters," which offers healthy alternatives.

An online reviewer recently wrote about Johnny's.

To talk about some recommendable dishes, the owner stands behind the quality of their sushi. It is an edible art. To make sushi pleasing to both the eye and palate is not that easy to handle. It is an acquired art form that can take years to master. According to Johnny, he offers several hints on what makes good sushi:

1.                 Premium ingredients (fresh is the buzzword) are a must, whether a common cucumber or exotic eel

2.                 Skillful slicing

3.                 Delicate sauce preparation – not too heavy handed

4.                 Beautiful presentation

When combined, these elements should achieve a harmonious effect.

On the drinks menu is an extensive collection of beer, white and red wine and beverages. The wine includes domestic and imported. Sipping a glass of wine or beer while enjoying various sushi and other delicacies is a treat at Johnny's.

Management 101 – Johnny Style

1.     Quality assurance – High quality is what the owner emphasizes, both in food preparation and ingredients sourcing. When it comes to outsourcing, he trusts a reliable supplier to distribute fresh ingredients. He has a keen eye towards food quality. He has no qualms to send back anything to the distributor if the ingredients are inferior.  In addition, he requires the chef to take every plausible step to make the dish fresher and tastier.

2.     Value the staff — staff is the biggest asset in the restaurant. Johnny knows well. A passionate team would be a good asset to the restaurant. When he employs staff, he chooses the most energetic people whose passion can ignite the whole team. Customers would also be happier to enjoy their meals. To treat staff like friends, support them in their daily lives and offer training when necessary. Stability is the aim with low turnover.

3.     Smart in-house promotion — when dining in a restaurant, customers bore when someone is hawking drink or the so-called specialty dish The intrusive service is really a plague and sometimes customers are forced to accept something they don’t want. At Johnny’s Peking Tokyo, the staff has a keen eye and knows what the customers want. They won’t oversell. They give suggestions upon the customers’ requests. 

4.     Keep a record of staff performance and customer reviews.  The staff performance could be evaluated according to their tips. Additionally, having a database of customers' email and cell phone numbers on file can provide you with customer reviews that have been posted online or through private chat rooms.

5.     Staff training — conduct a briefing, including the restaurant's philosophy, management style and standards required for friendly service. The owner manages the senior staff who in turn train newcomers in performing their routine jobs perfectly. 

 The cornerstone of Johnny's success is due to the unbeatable sushi and friendly service. Service is the backbone of any restaurant. “Our staff is knowledgeable and amicable and guides customers through the dazzling menu items. They are always ready to serve customers.” said Johnny.

About the Owner

The restaurant opened in 2001 but Johnny changed its name to “Johnny’s Peking Tokyo” because sushi was so popular. Many people would drive half an hour or 45 minutes to have a feast. But they only knew of Johnny the person and not the name of the restaurant because it was taken over from former owners. In the past, customers sometimes wandered around until they found the location.

“A warm smile, a welcoming gesture, attentive but not intrusive service, is simply what the customers would expect.” said Johnny.

“This is why we give all customers an inviting signal and try to make them happy. This is what I tell my wait staff because it is definitely what the customers expect. The restaurant business, he added, is really a demanding job that requires a very strong passion to treat the customers and staff with respect while coping with the trifles.”

We asked Johnny to describe, in a word, if he were offering advice to up and coming restaurateurs, his secret for success.  

“Be Passionate to do your job really well. If you are sincere to the surrounding people and dedicated to details, you will achieve your success,” told Johnny.