From Ship to Shore, China Harbor Sails into Best Place

Location wise China Harbor cannot be beat. Next to Lake Union in downtown Seattle and near the Space Needle the views are breathtaking. This four-story multi-purpose building integrates dining, entertainment and other activities.  The first floor is home to a swimming pool, the second to a magnificent dining area and get ready to be wowed. The phantasmagorical third floor is enormous and ornate, like a concert hall with round tables to seat 500 guests, a glittering disco ball and parquet wooden dance floor. This ballroom overlooks the lovely lake and has hosted VIP's on down to couples seeking the most elaborate wedding party in Seattle.

Like movie making, there is a repertoire for the wedding banquets: the staff are dressed up as emperor, empress, warriors and palace maids to welcome the wedding couples. They are clustered round with the accompanying relatives and the warriors, palace maids. The wait staff tell interesting stories about each dish when serving the wedding guests. For example, sweet walnut paste and Guaiwei dou were favorites of the Empress Dowager Cixi. Approximately 60 percent of the couples who wed here are Asian Americans, the remainder American, Middle Eastern and Ethiopian. The room needs to be booked at least a year in advance.

The grand ballroom is equipped with a full PA system and top of the line audio entertainment systems as well as space for a live band or DJ, especially handy for wedding parties, anniversaries, graduations and more. Costumes are available for photo ops,   including ones that can be found in the Forbidden City in Beijing. You can have your photo taken as an Emperor or Empress for an original memory and partake in these extravagant bonanzas while Chinese dragons dance about during these receptions.  

Royalty for the Masses

Owner Lo-Yu Sun had a famous Taiwanese designer do up the interior. It is literally fit for royalty or arriving aristocracy (in the form of captains of industry). We can imagine Emperors and Empresses prancing around here, tasting morsels of pure pleasure in the dining room in a hush manner peeking behind closed cropped fans. Instead, the chieftains who entertain here include a who's who of distinguished guests. The king of Malaysia, Bill Gates and former vice premier of China, Xiannian Li have sumptuously dined here. Nearby staff from Microsoft, Boeing, IBM, Google and Starbucks are regular customers. In addition, the restaurant has been praised by such notable dignitaries as Elaine Chao, former Secretary of the US Department of Labor, and Gary Locke, former Governor of Washington State. China Harbor has also catered to numerous diverse groups, such as the University District college crowd and the upscale Lake Union banquet business.

Powder blue carpeting matches the grey blue linen at the round tables. Each is fitted with plush red and white floral printed cushy material against redwood classic Chinese chairs. When guests see the elaborate food sculptures, their only reaction is one of awe; leaving them speechless.

There is a row of inlaid glass atop the seating area carved with typical images from Chinese folklore: pheasants, ducks, birds and other symbols of luck. The ambiance here is of Shanghai in the 1930s, a bit decadent and very luxurious. The ceiling is an amazing feat of artistic integrity. What appears to be hand painted glass squares against a yellowy milky white background are painted of Chinese children. They're almost cartoon-like reminiscent of ancient fairytales. Exquisite inlaid carved cherry wood trims the restaurant with florets and designs.

The Imperial cuisine is served mostly in the evening. There are 32 varieties in total, including 9 appetizers, 8 combos, and other entrées, similar to a miniature version of what would be served at Manchu-Han Imperial Banquets. In addition there's a quick menu and lunch menu, the latter two offering Americanized Chinese dishes for less than $10.00 apiece. There is an experienced advanced fusion of Chinese, American and other ethnic cultures at China Harbor which defies the meaning of fusion and restores it to its original meaning.

Since China Harbor opened in 1994, owner Lo-Yu Sun brought the idea of fangshan to his kitchen, which literally means to “imitate Imperial cuisine.” His big dream was to employ dexterous chefs from Beijing, Hong Kong and Taiwan to present the refined entrées which are regarded to combine the best of Chinese cuisine. In 1995, the master chefs demonstrated their imperial cooking at China Harbor, showcasing the essence of Chinese culinary culture. They visited several restaurants that featured fangshan cuisine in New York, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco and then Seattle. These master chefs said to Sun, “China Harbor is the most beautiful restaurant providing the best fangshan cuisine.”

Imperial cuisine stresses the original stock and taste. The authenticity shouldn’t be offset by auxiliary additions and seasonings, but rather ingredients must be fresh and of high quality. Very important is a harmonious presence of color, fragrance and taste.

Management Tips

The owner emphasizes good salaries and effective communication amongst staff as the best ways to run an organization the size of China Harbor. The team is divided into smaller units in order to manage large scale events: stage manager, kitchen manager or staff manager.

The owner is marketing savvy and quite creative. He invites artists from China to exhibit their work in the restaurant. Some of the proceeds from the sales are given as charity, to local teachers and schools who have an educational interest in China. On The Fourth of July, America’s Independence Day they launch something new as customers watch the harbor alit with fireworks.

The Illustrious Mr. Sun

Mr. Sun has been recognized by the United States Government for his success and contribution to the community. He was appointed an advisor to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s National Advisory Council by President George W. Bush. 

Mr. Sun worked as an instructor of mass media, including movies and theater at university in Taiwan. He gave up his dream of becoming a movie director and transferred his focus on restaurant operations after he worked as a movie trimmer and computer software engineer. In 1978, he took over a restaurant near the University of Washington and named it “China First”. He has owned up to 12 restaurants under one umbrella at one time, in various parts of Washington and California.

China Harbor

Location:  2040 Westlake Ave. North, Seattle, WA 98109

Cuisine:  authentic Chinese cuisine