Oriental Kitchen looks to reopening options 2 years after explosion
Two years after an explosion destroyed Mangilao staple Oriental Kitchen, the sight of what looks like a rebuild at the old restaurant property may have passing motorists salivating.
A half-finished two-story building now sits on the old restaurant property, and a team of construction workers could be seen at the site Friday morning.
Restaurant owner Bay Zhang said his family still wants to reopen the cafeteria-style restaurant, and still has the recipe for the fried chicken, kimchi noodles, chop steak and other dishes that made it a hit.
"I get calls every day, people asking about the kitchen," Zhang said.
But when exactly the restaurant will reopen, and whether it will stay at the Mangilao site where Zhang's aunt and uncle operated it for over 40 years prior to the explosion is still undecided, he said.
"Right now, it's still up in the air," Zhang said, as the rebuild cost at the old property, beside the Mangilao Mobil, has been very high.
Zhang wouldn't say just how much—construction was still ongoing, he noted—but he said his aunt and uncle had basically the minimum possible insurance coverage required to operate the old building legally before the 2022 disaster.
That and the swelling prices in the local construction industry have contributed to a lengthy rebuild time.
According to Zhang, it's possible the restaurant could reopen in the same spot. But his family is also considering the possibility of leasing out the old property and opening up shop elsewhere, where the rent is affordable.
Weighing the options
"It's a family thing. We have to talk, you know, within the family to see whatever is the most economical way," he said.
Zhang said the decision will also take into account the final prices on the menu. Keeping a small footprint on the restaurant, which was always small anyway, would help pass savings onto customers.
"We want to remain small. That way, we can keep the menu price low, affordable to everybody," he said. "Nowadays, you can't really get a two-choice or a three-choice without paying an arm and a leg for it."
They've been exploring different possible concepts to make that happen.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Oriental Kitchen saw success operating drive-thru style, Zhang said. The trend of using modular or container units to open up coffee shops is also something he's been looking into.
After over 40 years in Mangilao, it's even possible that Oriental Kitchen opens up in a different village, if the price is right.
All that will depend on what the final cost for construction is, according to Zhang. When that construction will be finalized remains to be seen, as they still have to clear a number of government permits.
But one thing that Zhang doesn't plan to change is who's whipping up food in the back kitchen.
"All the cooks...even though now they're into their 70s, it's still gonna come from them. So the taste is going to be the same," he said.
But first, the business side of the house will have to be sorted out.
The restaurant owners say they want to come back and do things better than they did before, so they can better serve the community.
"We're really appreciative of the support from everybody. We've been here for years...we want to be back, that's no doubt, because we're a part of Guam," Zhang said.
Just before midnight on Feb. 23, 2022, a "huge boom" shook the village of Mangilao.
Zhang got a call in the middle of the night from an unknown number, and the caller told him that his restaurant was on fire.
Rubble and concrete from the restaurant were thrown out onto the sidewalk and the street.
The Mangilao Mobil gas station, which sits about 200 yards from Oriental Kitchen, was evacuated.
In the coming weeks, a Guam Fire Department investigation would determine that a buildup of liquid petroleum gas, either from a leaking gas line or appliance fitting, had caused the explosion that blew out the walls of the restaurant.
But GFD at the time the initial details were released, had not determined what ignited the gas.
What remained of the old restaurant had to be demolished.
Zhang, who was called in for questioning after the explosion, said he still hasn't received a definite answer about the cause more than two years later.
"That's something that we don't know. We still don't know," he said Friday.
The Pacific Daily News did inquire with GFD about the results of the investigation, and was awaiting any further details as of press time Friday. GFD spokesperson Lt. Nick Garrido said he was working with the Fire Prevention Bureau, and awaiting a response.
"It was kind of shocking for me and my aunt and the family," Zhang said. "We're still trying to kind of go through the process and figure out what went down and how did it all happen."
