Leisure |
Home
| Archives | About | Media Links |
| Januray 2000 Auld lang syne Yucca de Lac restaurant once again rumoured to be on verge of closure By Samson Lam Article from
the same section: Yucca de Lac Restaurant, due to the recent rumors of its imminent closure, has once again aroused public interests. “It is not true. We have not decided whether we will end the business,” said Ms Pang Sung Keung, one of the shareholders in the restaurant. Located in Ma Liu Shui, Sha Tin, Yucca de Lac has an expansive view of Tolo Harbour and surrounding mountains. It was once a Japanese-style hostel owned by Mr. Chan Shu Chung, a Hong Kong tycoon. In 1964, the hostel was changed to a restaurant and it was bought by the Pang family in 1989. Ms Pang said, “The restaurant was fully packed with customers during public holidays. “All the outdoor seats were full and only seats located in the dining room were available. But the customers still preferred outdoor seats even though it would take a long time to wait.” She added that people go to the restaurant mainly for the harbour view and the dining environment. Customers of Yucca de Lac in the ’60s were mainly wealthy people who owned cars. “The Lion Rock Tunnel and Tate’s Cairn Tunnel were not yet constructed at that time. The restaurant was not easily accessible by public transport. Customers needed to drive here,” said Mr. Lo Chee Ping, a waiter who has been working in the restaurant for 35 years. He added that Hong Kong tycoons went there for lunch after playing golf in Fanling. However, Mr. Lo said that wealthy customers might not order expensive dishes. Said he: “Cuisines like bean curd, Chinese cabbage and preserved fish are the favorites of wealthy customers. “Sometimes they also like ordering our restaurant’s famous dishes, such as roast pigeon and fried spicy prawns.” Yucca de Lac became well known in the ’60s and ’70s because many movies were shot there. “Sometimes we would even be invited to be extras,” Mr. Lo said, laughing. Ms Pang said the restaurant had a difficult time at first because it targeted rich clients and because of the remote locale. Said she: “I once thought of closing down the restaurant as we were losing money. “Fortunately, the landlord reduced the rent and our staff were willing to accept lower wages. We finally managed to cover the running costs.” Ms Pang said Yucca de Lac experienced a lot of ups and downs in the ’70s and the ’80s. The restaurant was once one of the dining places in the tour packages of the Hong Kong Tourist Association. “In those days, we had more than 600 customers per day,” said Ms Pang. The restaurant made a handsome profit and a branch was opened in California. However, the riots in the late ’60s and the oil crisis in the ’70s posed a serious threat to the restaurant’s business. “We had to switch off our neon lights during certain times of the day specified by the Government. This greatly reduced the number of customers,” said Mr. Lo. The Asian financial turmoil in the late ’90s has been another crisis. Tourism has dropped — and so has the number of customers. Concerning the rumors about shutting down the restaurant, Ms Pang conceded she has thought about it. “I am old and too tired to run the business,” said Ms Pang, who is 80. “Also, the next generation is not interested in inheriting the business. It may really be a good idea to shut it down.” Mr. Lo, the waiter, said he had developed a special feeling to the restaurant as he had witnessed all its changes. Said he: “I have lots of unforgettable memories, like meeting celebrities, during all these years. “I want to stay here, yet fate decides otherwise.” |
|
|
Home | Archives | About | Media Links |
