There’s a new restaurant in Connecticut and it’s snuggled in to a city street that’s already home to to popular eateries and shopping choices.
Nice Day Chinese held it opening celebration Tuesday, and its home is at 316 Elm St., New Haven, next to Maison B Café and Tomatillo Taco Joint in the Broadway District of downtown New Haven.
Nice Day Chinese is described as “a restaurant that offers an elevated version of classic American Chinese.”
“The restaurant’s owners, husband-and-wife team Yong Zhao and Wanting Zhang, are also the co-founders of Junzi Kitchen and graduates of Yale University class of 2008 and 2011, respectively,” according to Yale University Properties. “The duo said that they could not resist the opportunity to lease the space formerly occupied by Ivy Wok, which they loved dearly as students, following the owner’s retirement.
“Ivy Wok was one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in New Haven when we were students at Yale. One day the owner, Coreen Guo, called and asked if we wanted to take it over from her because she wanted to retire; we immediately said yes,” said Zhao, in a statement. “That is when we realized many beloved older-generation Chinese restaurants are closing without successors, so we want to do something to continue their legacy. The Nice Day Chinese concept was created for that purpose.”
According to Yale University Properties, Nice Day Chinese offers an “updated version of classic American Chinese food, such as General Tso’s chicken and a variety of fried rice dishes. Nice Day will also offer many new dishes, including handmade soup dumplings and the sweet-and-sour pork ‘Guo Bao Rou’ from the traditional northeastern Chinese cuisine.”
“We collaborated with a Michelin-rated northeastern Chinese restaurant to bring the best sweet and sour pork “Guo Bao Rou” to New Haven. It’s the most desired dish in our hometown,” said Zhang. “We are excited to bring such northeastern Chinese dishes to New Haven. The regional cuisine is known for its farm-to-table freshness, generous portions, and sweet and savory flavors.”
The couple lives in New York City and their daughter is living with relatives in China, learning the culture before moving back to the United States, according to Yale University Properties.
“I am thrilled that Yong and Wanting have once again invested in the New Haven community with their new restaurant Nice Day Chinese,” said Alexandra Daum, Yale University associate vice president for New Haven Affairs and University Properties, in the statement. “I know New Haveners are eagerly awaiting this latest concept from the founders of Junzi. It’s particularly special that Nice Day Chinese will activate the space formerly occupied by one of New Haven’s most beloved Chinese restaurants, Ivy Wok.”
Nice Day Chinese is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and offers catering and delivery options. Convenient parking is available at The Shops at Yale surface parking lot at 56 Broadway.
New CT restaurant opens in hip spot with other cuisine and shopping choices nearby too
Originally Published:
