If you’re looking for a spot in town to eat out and enjoy some General Tso’s chicken and fried rice, your prayers have been answered.
After years without a Chinese restaurant, Niagara-on-the-Lake has one again in the form of family business Beijing West.
The new restaurant has opened on 271 Mary St., serving Hong Kong-style staples. It’s opened in the place of the former restaurant Chili Jiao, a Sichuan food spot that closed after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Beijing West is owned by 24-year-old Edwin Chu, a 2023 bachelor of economics graduate from York University, who is taking over the family business.
The Chu family is no stranger to local Chinese cuisine. They formerly ran Fan’s Court on Queen Street, which closed more than 20 years ago.
Afterward, they opened Phong’s Court in Niagara Falls, named after Edwin’s father, Phong Chu, but that location shut down shortly after the pandemic.
In the first days of Beijing West’s opening, locals who remember the family’s cooking have returned, a developing trend Chu attributes to the familiarity and quality of the meals.
The menu is rooted in wok cooking, featuring fried rice, chow mein, dim sum and Chinese-Canadian standards such as General Tso’s chicken and lemon chicken.
Chu says they’re still developing the menu as the kitchen seeks feedback on the food and supply lines stabilize.
“We’re still constructing our menu and adding a lot of classic dishes,” he explained, noting that seafood offerings, including shrimp, are expected to be added once sourcing improves.
Supply has been the biggest challenge so far. Some distributors are reluctant to deliver certain spices to Niagara-on-the-Lake in small quantities, forcing Chu to make early morning trips to Toronto.
“I start driving at 6 a.m., get there by 9 a.m. with traffic, and return by 11:30 a.m. to open,” he said. “This way, I get the ingredients fresher for people.”
Choosing Niagara-on-the-Lake as the spot for their next dining venture made sense, Chu said, since the family already resides here.
The Mary Street space offers more room than the family’s earlier Queen Street venue and adds variety to the town’s food scene, he said.
For many diners, having a Chinese option again means more variety both for everyday meals and weekends, when Queen Street is especially busy.
Beijing West has also recently acquired a robot server, similar to those found at more well-known restaurants like Wind Japanese & Thai or East Izakaya in St. Catharines.
Customers have enjoyed the atmosphere and the chance to eat locally prepared Chinese cuisine in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
“It’s a really lovely dine-in experience,” said customer Samantha McIntyre, when asked about her experience eating at Beijing West.
“I ordered from their dim sum menu and it was all very reasonable and so delicious. I’ll definitely have to come back again.”
Next on the agenda for Beijing West is adding outdoor seating.
“We’re trying to get a permit for a patio so that we can serve customers outside,” Chu said.
For now, the opening of Beijing West marks a notable return of Chinese cuisine to Niagara-on-the-Lake, which honours a family tradition and gives locals something new to experience.
