Gates to Heaven

Gates to Heaven

The 74 seater dine-in restaurant was taken over by Mr. Wu who had a long culinary history at various American hotels. His enthusiasm and quality of everlasting attentiveness to the particulars of the total dining environment including sanitation is visible at China Gate.

Homey Atmosphere

Purple, a light violet shade is painted on the walls. The contrast of reds and purples offer at once a royal glow while maintaining a real down home character. There is lattice work, also painted purple in thin the back of the main dining room. Beige colored booths are strategically aligned in the front room while four seater tables and chairs made of high gloss mahogany are arranged behind the lattice in the back of the restaurant. Mr. Wu decorated the restaurant with advice from professionals. Potted plants dot the interior offering a warm welcome to diners. The starched white linen is refreshing and clean.

Cuisine for the Discriminating Healthy Diner

Mr. Wu confessed, “If an excellent dining environment and clean sanitary conditions can arouse   a diner’s appetite then superb taste and quality will be the only other tricks up a restaurateur’s sleeve in attracting long term loyal customers.” This is why Wu's chefs have made vast improvements over the traditional cooking methods including versions of Szechwan Chicken, Sesame Chicken or Beef with Green Peppers that are oil-free and lightly cooked and seasoned. Come this December a huge new launch of Healthy Dining menu options will be introduced to China Gate's new and regular customers. Mr. Wu did not divulge what would be on the menu exactly.

To provide the customers with more healthy alternatives, China Gate has brought out a variety of fresh naturally brewed vegetable juices, including carrots, corn and other green vegetables. There is a gymnasium near the restaurant, when people sweat in the gymnasium, they tend to have some refreshing drinks. Here, the fresh juices are healthy and nutrition-balanced, which would be a good choice. 

The Customer-Owner Relationship: Old Friends and Neighborhood Relatives

Of incomparable value to Mr. Wu is the relationship he has amassed with several long term

customers. He puts great emphasis on ensuring a customer's happy dining experience. The best way to satisfy their clientele is to listen to the constructive suggestions they make and take it to heart. One customer story that stands out is about the man who moved nearly an hour's drive from China Gate. Yet he returned on a weekly basis to stock up on dishes that would be refrigerated and consumed until his next visit.

Special discounts are awarded to regular customers from time to time. Like dear old friends, Wu and his customers have a symbolic relationship. Mr. Wu knows their every preference, like and dislikes. In that way these customers become like an extended family to him.

Knowledge and practice of good customer service extends to the rest of the staff as well. They are well trained and hold monthly powwows to determine what needs improvement and attention. It is Mr. Wu's unending determination to excellence that meets with more than just approval by his customers.

As the saying goes, success is not a contingency nor a coincidence. For sixteen years Mr. Wu has cultivated his small shop into one of continued prosperity. His core values have been growing in the hearts and minds of his staff, diners and newcomers alike. As to the secret of his success, Mr. Wu burst out three words: confidence, conscience and canniness.

China Gate