Penang (restaurant chain) facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Founder | Suan Lee "Stanley" Cheah June Cheah |
| Headquarters | |
| Products | Malaysian cuisine Thai cuisine |
Penang Malaysian & Thai Cuisine is a chain of restaurants in the United States. It used to be known as Penang Malaysian Cuisine. These restaurants serve delicious food from Malaysia and Thailand. Suan Lee "Stanley" Cheah and his wife June started this restaurant business.
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About Penang Restaurants
Penang restaurants offer a taste of Southeast Asia. They are known for their wide variety of dishes. Many people enjoy trying new flavors from different cultures.
How It Started
In 1996, Stanley Cheah opened his first three "Penang" restaurants. They were all located in New York City. The very first one opened in Flushing, Queens. Stanley's brother Michael opened a different restaurant called Penang Bar and Grill. This restaurant was not part of Stanley's chain. Stanley opened three more restaurants in 1997. He then opened another three in 1998.
Growing Across the U.S.
In December 1996, Penang opened its first restaurant outside New York. This new location was in Massachusetts, on Washington Street in Boston. It was the fourth Penang restaurant overall. Stanley Cheah saw a great chance to open a restaurant in Boston's Chinatown. By 1998, two more restaurants were planned to open. The menu at these restaurants had about 150 different food items. They also served some Indian and Chinese dishes.
In 2001, the chain opened a restaurant in Bethesda, Maryland. This location is owned by Kevin Cheah, a family member. In 2014, the Bethesda restaurant was updated. It cost $60,000 to make improvements. The restaurant was closed for several weeks during this time. By 2002, Penang had opened eight locations. The Washington, D.C. location was in a popular area for restaurants. Its design included nice wooden features and cool lighting.
What's on the Menu?
Ruth Reichl, a food critic from The New York Times, said the Malaysian restaurant in Flushing was "wonderfully authentic". One very popular dish is the roti canai. This is a type of flatbread often served with curry. In 2008, a new Penang restaurant opened in Lodi, New Jersey.
What Happened to Some Locations?
By October 2015, all of Penang's restaurants in New York City had closed. This included the first one in Flushing. They closed because the cost of rent became too high. The location in Lodi, New Jersey, also closed in 2017.
Where Can You Find Penang Now?
Even though some locations closed, many Penang restaurants are still open. You can find them in places like New Jersey (three locations). There is also one in Philadelphia, and one in Maryland. Another location is in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Other Penang restaurants are open in different parts of the United States.
