Last night at China Village (1335 Solano Ave., Albany), on the restaurant’s first day back in business since a fire knocked its kitchen out of commission sixteen months ago, the atmosphere was as festive as a long-awaited family reunion. By 6 o’clock on a Tuesday night — despite there having been no press release or public notice — the restaurant was fairly packed. “Congratulations,” longtime regulars kept saying to the staff, even before they’d been seated. “We’re so glad you’re back.”
Although the beloved Szechuan restaurant had been closed for more than a year — and the dining room has gotten a facelift, and a few of the prices seem to have been bumped up by a whisker — mostly things just felt the same. And, for those of us who love the restaurant, that was as we’d hoped it would be.
- Luke Tsai
- The dining room now looks sleek and modern.
The dining room now looks sleek and modern. Credits: Luke Tsai West-Style Thousand Chili Fish Fillet Credits: Luke Tsai Credits: Luke Tsai
