Go for the Gold

After thorough searching and receiving recommendations from her real estate agent—and the great stroke of luck that the Golden Dragon was for sale—Jenny Tham decided to take over Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant. Since the change of hands, the restaurant has continued to serve the neighborhood community for nearly 13 years. Out of the many things that Jenny likes about her restaurant, she finds the environment to be the most pleasing.

“Many customers are familiar with the atmosphere and they like to dine here, and they can feel at home here,” said Jenny.  “Most of the diners are regular customers. Their full support bolsters up my restaurant and helps us get through all the hardships.”

The Scene

Located in an area of Cincinnati that is made up mostly of residential houses and office buildings, virtually all of Golden Dragon’s customers are well-educated people, including teachers, nurses and doctors—all of whom greatly appreciate all that Golden Dragon has to offer.

With soft lighting, a graceful and appealing atmosphere, and seating for 50, diners always feel at ease at Golden Dragon. And even if they are not in the mood to stay, but still want some tasty eats, they can choose to take out, or place an order for delivery. Many who do not have enough time to enjoy a sit-down meal take advantage of this great convenience.

Like many Chinese restaurants, Golden Dragon puts less emphasis on its interior décor and more emphasis on the food, which is what keeps customers coming back. The interior decoration features a traditional Chinese style, with some paintings on the wall and red lanterns hanging from the ceiling. An aquarium with swimming fish brightens up the cash counter. All in all, the restaurant has a simple yet inviting ambiance that allows customers to be comfortable and relaxed.

The Food

Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant offers customers numerous choices, including dishes from Szechuan, Hunan, Cantonese and Americanized Chinese cuisines. Most of the dishes share the characteristics of both Hunan and Szechuan cuisines. Based on these traditional Chinese cuisines, the owner has modified them to create the American-style Chinese cuisine in order to create a more customer-driven business.

“I have traveled a great deal and enjoyed Chinese cuisine in many places,” says Steve, who frequents the restaurant often. “The Golden Dragon is at the top of my list for quality, service and friendliness. Their sauces are excellent and the ingredients are fresh. The servings are generous, so we usually get more than one meal, whether we dine in or carry out. I look forward to each visit for an enjoyable meal and warm greeting. I am very glad I discovered this gem and intend to visit there for years to come.”

The restaurant’s signature dish is Golden Dragon Romance: fresh shrimp, scallops, chicken, beef, roasted pork and crabmeat sautéed with assorted vegetables in a brown sauce, served with battered chicken breast and seven butterfly shrimp. Other best-selling dishes include standard American-style Chinese fare such as Chicken with Broccoli, General Tso’s Chicken and Bourbon Chicken.

In addition, the owner has introduced Thai cuisine to the menu, which has gained much popularity in the U.S. After learning how to cook Thai cuisine in Malaysia, and finding that many people crave the sweet and spicy flavors, Golden Dragon’s chef realized that the dishes were easy to make, so he decided to add the Thai items to their already expansive menu. This has proved to be a very smart and successful decision, as customers greatly appreciate the further variety that is offered. Thai-style Fried Rice, Tom Yum—a type of sour soup from Thailand—and Wor Su Gai are very popular items from the Thai dish choices. Jenny had also planned to bring in Malaysian cuisines to the restaurant, however, because of customers’ little understanding and knowledge of the cuisine, she eventually decided against it. 

Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant also offers a diet menu, which was designed for health-conscious diners. Most of the dishes from this menu are steamed and mixed with vegetables. According to Jenny, there is exercise gym and a health drinks store nearby, and some of the customers that frequent it are extremely cautious about their weight, watching their calorie count and fat intake. Thus, Golden Dragon Restaurant often gives them more healthy and wholesome vegetable alternatives. In order to preserve the flavor, only the vegetables are steamed and the homemade sauce is served on the side. The chef also uses the freshest ingredients available to provide customers with delicious and nutritious meals.

The Service

“The service is great, the workers are extremely nice, and after only a couple times going [to Golden Dragon], they know you by name and your favorite order ... even for us picky people,” said one customer. “We will never choose another Chinese restaurant as our favorite. The food is terrific, the workers are terrific, and they make you feel like family.”

Golden Dragon’s good-natured staff adeptly takes customers’ orders, refills beverages, and even patiently deals with any questions or complaints that may arise. They are sincere towards the customers—at any given time, the customers come first—and they do their utmost to meet their requirements.

“A big smile means a lot to the customers,” said Jenny. “The attitude of the staff will influence the customers. The keen customer will figure out whether you welcome him or not. An inviting ambiance calls for sincere and friendly service.”

Through efficient management, Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant thrives. Although the staff are always encouraged to do better, the owner never ignores their contribution to the restaurant. Her philosophy is to keep a stable team of staff, keep learning new dishes and recipes, and always maintain friendly service.

“The staff is like our family members,” said Jenny.

Owner

Jenny Tham and her husband are Malaysian immigrants with a Chinese background. Early in 1988, they came to the U.S. and engaged themselves in the restaurant industry. Over the years, they have taken on many different supporting roles, from busboy, to wait staff, to chef, and then to owners when they took over the restaurant in 1995. The eatery was originally a take-out stand, and was then renovated into a dine-in establishment in the hands of the Thams.

Although things are now running smoothly, this was not always the case. At the beginning of restaurant operation, Jenny had a young child, which made it difficult for her to balance her business and her family. Now the economy has thrown her another curveball. The suffering economy restricts many diners to eat at home or choose delivery orders. Sixty percent of the restaurant’s sales are from take-out orders.

“We pay special attention to our take-out speed and the packaging containers,” said Jenny. “We use the environment-friendly containers.”

With Jenny’s diligence and her awareness of solving problems as they arise, Golden Dragon will continue to triumph. In fact, because of the many wonderful features of Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant, they have been featured in the Northwest Press, a local newspaper, and have been rated as 4.5 stars on www.citysearch.com. Their next endeavor is to become one of the Top 100 Chinese Restaurants in USA.

One thing is for sure, with 13 successful years now under their belt, Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant has proved their worth and are here to stay.

Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant

5818 Cheviot Rd.

Cincinnati, OH 45247

Phone: (513) 245-0888

Fax: (513) 245-2089

Email:

Website:

company:Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant