San Francisco’s Chinatown may be an iconic tourist attraction, but for many Chinese Americans in the Bay Area it’s also a cultural hub anchored by generations-old small businesses and classic Chinese restaurants.
Most were started by new immigrants in an effort to survive and provide for their children while giving them a chance at a better future. There was generally no expectation of passing them down to their kids. But a new trend has emerged post-pandemic.
After decades of working hard for that “better life,” second-generation Chinese Americans are leaving their professional careers and instead finding fulfillment in taking over what their parents started. Legacy Chinatown eateries like Hing Lung Meat Company, R&G Lounge, New Sun Hong Kong, and House of Nanking have gotten a new lease on life, proving that change can indeed be good.
Some of the dishes at 606(Eugene Lau)
Eugene Lau has owned the San Francisco restaurant 606 (606 Broadway) since 2023, taking over New Sun Hong Kong, the hub for classic Cantonese dishes his in-laws had operated since 1989. Having worked as a tech professional for years, the toll running a small business took on them during the pandemic, as well as their impending retirement, made Eugene think about making a change.
“Most Chinese parents would say they opened a restaurant to make ends meet,” Lau says. “They don’t necessarily want the same life for their kids because it’s tough to make a living. But I think they could tell I had an interest in it. When having family meals at the restaurant, I would always make sure the customers were doing okay and even get up and help serve or bus tables, clean dishes, take orders. It kind of developed from there.”
The pandemic, when Chinatown became a ghost town, spurred Eric and Simon Cheung to return to the family business, too. Hing Lung Meat Company, which their father had owned since the 1990s, was known for authentic Cantonese roasted meats like char siu (roast pork), soy sauce chicken, and classic roast duck (not to be mistaken for Peking/Beijing duck). To help it survive, the brothers launched Go Duck Yourself, an offshoot of Hing Lung Meat Company that focused solely on online and takeout orders.
Go Duck Yourself took off, but when problems arose with HLMC’s aging storefront, the Cheungs eventually decided to close the original location. Eric and Simon then opened their sit-down restaurant Go Duck Yourself in Bernal Heights (439 Cortland Ave.) in 2024, followed by their takeout counter Quack House in Lower Nob Hill (927 Post St.) last year.
Some of the dishes at Go Duck Yourself(Courtesy of Hing Lung Co/Go Duck Yourself)
Though they’re carrying on their dad’s history of well-crafted roast meats, the brothers aren’t doing things exactly the same way.
“We definitely have not altered the recipes,” says Eric. “We try to stay as traditional and classic as possible. But we only use high-end spices and quality artisan meats. And our equipment is more high-tech than it used to be. Back then my dad used to go only by feel, but I like to use my temperature probes to get it just right. I’m very particular about the temperature the meat is cooked at so it comes out as juicy as possible.”
Although noticeable changes have been made since Lau took over, 606’s food has also stayed true to the former restaurant.
“We curated our menu so that many of New Sun Hong Kong’s popular items didn’t change, but we tweaked the recipes in a way that improved the texture or flavor and added some new dishes,” Lau explains. “We’re doing things differently than my in-laws did. But at the core of it, we’re still a family restaurant with a commitment to the community. It’s a reboot.”
606 is the reboot of New Sun Hong Kong(Courtesy of 606)
So why leave the tech world to run a small restaurant? “It'd be sad to see our culture and traditions die,” says Lau. “That’s one of the main reasons why we do this. I really wanted to continue my family’s legacy, and I’m thankful I have the opportunity to do it.”
Though Eric Cheung’s pride in the food he makes fuels his passion, he never expected to carry on the family business either.
”I’m surprised there are so many second-generation adults taking over the family business, and I think it’s great! It’s sad to see something that helped raise you, that you grew up with, go away,” he says. “We have a good setup here. It’s always been my dream to own a restaurant, I just didn’t think it would be essentially my parents' restaurant.”
