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| Kim Wong at the Radio Cafe in 1961 |
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| Wong's Restaurant - Market Street, Liverpool, N. S. |
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| Wong's Restaurant Building around 1900 |
Kim Wong opened the Radio Cafe on Market Street in Liverpool in 1937. For almost the next 60 years it remained in the same location. Several renovations took place over the years and the name changed to Wong's Restaurant but the quality of the food never changed. Most of us recall going there for dinner, supper, to a party or family gathering and we all enjoyed delicious chinese food like you could get at no other place. My mom worked there when she was in her later teens as did many local girls. Many members of the Wong family worked here too, not just Kim. Also his wife, Lily was there often, daughter Mary Godfrey worked there for years, and sons Alex and Gordie did too. The Wongs lived on Milton Road where the building is presently located that housed the Movie Gallery and I lived across the street so I knew them since I was a little boy. Many times, Mrs Wong would call over to tell me they had chicken fried rice and I'd run over and get some. She was definitely a sweet lady. They eventually sold that house and moved above the restaurant. In my travels over Nova Scotia, when people would ask where I was from and I'd say Liverpool, many times people would comment that they would come to Liverpool and always go to the chinese restaurant there. Entering town coming over the bridge, people would soon notice the big sign
WONGS sticking out from one of the first buildings they would see. Even after Kim passed away in 1985, the family kept the restaurant going for a few more years. Wong's Restaurant was a well known place in town, and the Wong family a very well liked and well respected family.
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| Mary (Wong) Godfrey at the Radio Cafe 1961 |
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| Radio Cafe Renovations 1961 |
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| Radio Cafe Renovations 1961 |
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| Page 2 of Flyer |
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| This flyer was distributed in the late 1980s |
Sat on those stools and in those booths many times after school or on weekends with friends. I think they were an orangey color. When I turned 19, a few of my friends and I went to Wong's and I think I tried almost every drink on the menu! The night started off good, but unfortunately didn't end that way....It's a good thing we only turn 19 once. LOL Such great food and great customer service. Good memories.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid, a special treat was getting take out from Wong's. Dad would stop on his way home from work at MT & T and get some rice, pineapple chicken and sweet & sour chicken. I think some chop suey as well. I'd be fascinated with the cardboard containers it came in with the lids and staples to keep them on (much like the Dixie Lee take out box kept countless of us occupied for hours).
ReplyDeleteI also remember going there for Christmas parties for the local ham radio operators. All the hams, their wives and children dined there in the back room and I remember good food and good times.
In high school, we'd occassionally go there for lunch or I also remember when I first started hanging out with Shane Huey in the early 90's we'd pop in for a quick bite to visit his mom, Judy who worked there for many, many years.
Wong's was a cornerstone of the community. Were a part of so many celebrations of all kinds through their commitment to providing great food and great service. I know it is missed.
Many a fond memory from there and always a great meal. I must say though that I was a bit surprised when I lived with a Chinese friend here in Toronto to discover that what we thought was Chinese food was really a bit of a laugh to them. The challenge to the Wong's and most small town Chinese restaurants was to find the traditional ingredients and also whether most of us Westerners would even eat it lol.
ReplyDeleteonce my brother (clyde ) found a bag of Chinese money somewheres in liverpool , he took it to Mr. Wong , & sure enough it belonged to him , he was so happy to have it retuned, tim I look forward to your blog , but cant seem to beable to write comments.
ReplyDeleteHugh there was plenty of the real stuff at Wong's if you were part of the inner circle...I wasn't but lived in such close proximity that I knew about the dinners where Kim prepared the "real Chinese" food. It was also available if you knew how to order. The menu reflected our taste, not Kim's knowledge of food or availability of ingredients, and much fresher than you find in Toronto-lobster, shrimp, fish right off the boat. When the Canadian Museum of Civilization first opened in Ottawa, one of the exhibits was a tribute to small town Chinese restaurants. They played a profound role in Canadian life-every town had a Chinese Restaurant. Think this was the last time I saw a public tribute of any kind to small town life. I remember being quite moved and thinking differently about Liverpool. Street dances with a live band, usually the Mersey Five, were common in the 50's and 60' and one of my first memories of Betty Wong is at a street dance in front of the post office. She spoke little English but she was beautiful and she could really dance...and dancing mattered in the early 60's. Everyone tried to dance like Betty Wong...I'm still working on this! Not sure if kids from Park St.or the Fort were allowed downtown but in retrospect my neighbourhood, downtown Liverpool, was ethnically vibrant-Chinese,German,African Nova Scotian,French-and we interacted closely in a way that doesn't happen in large cities. Thanks for posting these pictures Tim.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing this, Tim. The family and I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteJust to echo the sentiments of my cousin Beverly I also enjoyed this and intend on sharing it with my family and friends as well. I am honored to be a member of this well respected family from the town of Liverpool. Thanks Tim!!
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ReplyDeleteI remember Wong’s restaurant fondly. My mother and I traveled to Nova Scotia from Indiana, every year in the early 70’s. Mr Wongs daughter turned it into a remarkable Chinese restaurant. We enjoyed eating there when it was the Radio Cafe, then later when it became the Chinese restaurant. I remember the honor attending Mr. Wong’s 80th birthday party. Great memories indeed.
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Do you have the rest of the first page of the flyer? It was cut off and I am really interested to see the rest. Thanks!
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