Owner Yu Lin named this veritable take out (seats 50 or so diners) for his sister. When he took it over in 1993 business was next to stagnant. Slow was a compliment for the lack of traffic that was not being generated due to factors preceding Lin's involvement. What Mr. Lin did miraculously was to turnaround the entire operation. Having ground his teeth in New York where he learned the ropes of the industry, colleagues recommended he try his luck down south on a solo venture.

Located on Main Street in Sumter, South Carolina, Jin Jin, Mr. Lin's little outlet, has been serving up decent Chinese American for over fifteen years. As can be imagined, standards such as Lo Mein, General Tso's Chicken and Shrimp with Broccoli and Chicken Wings a la Chinese style, are big hits in this southern town. People in the south are used to eating a sweet spicy combination with deep frying being a traditional mode of preparation dating back three hundred or so years.

As Jin Jin's chefs aim to please, they alter the taste to meet local demands.

The popular tastes Lin's customers are particularly fond of include General Tso’s Chicken. Long considered a symbol of “Americanized” Chinese food, here the chefs give the common dish a sweet but not too overpowering twist. They use white chicken meat which is then fried giving them a tender and moist inside with a crunchy outside coating. Then with a bit of homemade sauce which is composed of white chicken meat broth, sugar, honey and other spices, the result is a harmonious combination of color, aroma and flavor.

Lo Mein is popular among the customers because of the quality ingredients. Jin Jin chooses quality brand noodles and a herb mixture to enhance the flavor. How to make this common dish into an art form is the secret of the chefs who do an outstanding job of turning the ordinary into something extraordinarily appealing.

Chicken wings can be prepared sweet or spicy with an accompanying sauce. The owner said the chicken wings cooked with General Tso’s sauce are the best selling items on the entire menu.

Mr. Lin not unlike his colleagues nationwide is well informed about the importance of a healthy and tasty dining experience. His customers are particular about fat intake and caloric value. They carefully watch what they eat and what the contents of the dishes are. A balance of low calories and high nutrients will please them. Is it too tricky to cope with? Jin Jin has specially prepared healthy items to suit their needs. All the dishes are steamed and served with brown sauce upon request.

The Service

The chef and staff are experienced and quite familiar with the customers. They know each person's preferences. If there are any misunderstandings or complaints, they can cope with it efficiently. I am confident that they can do a good job. As lunch and dinner are the busy with take-outs orders can be filled within five to ten minutes. The answer as to how this is accomplished lies in the preparation. Most dishes are prepared in advance and reheated. The tricky bit is knowing how much to prepare without it going to waste. Mr. Lin is still tweaking his portions to get to the perfect amount.

Prices are kept low to stay afloat in this tough economy. Lunch costs on average $6.00, not bad at all. Dinner is a mere $8.00. One can't go wrong with that. Still traffic is not as heavy as before the economic crisis.

He Shall Overcome

Mr. Lin is no stranger to restaurant management. He was working in the operational section of the fast food chain Quiznos Sub in Georgia who mainly offer sandwiches and salad. He learned from this western style eatery that a simple menu with fewer options saved time for both the kitchen and customers. Since preparation of a sandwich or a salad is easy and saves time the owner and staff could focus on restaurant management. In that way the whole team worked in a more efficient manner. Mr. Lin took the initiative to bring in this “simple” concept into the operation of Jin Jin Chinese Restaurant.

He closes, “It is really a long way to go. These successful examples cannot be copied in a Chinese eatery, as the cuisine is inherently complex with several steps. However, the courageous would take a stab at streamlining the menu, speed up the cooking and packaging.” This is exactly what he has achieved at Jin Jin and his customers are there to thank him for it.

Jin Jin Chinese Restaurant