Weylu's in Saugus
Gastronome
here's a Boston Globe article I found:
Weylu's sold for $4.2m; restaurant will reopen
By Kathy McCabe, Globe Staff Correspondent, 8/4/2002
eylu's, the once-grandiose Chinese restaurant that has sat vacant for years on
a rocky hilltop, was sold for $4.2 million to a New York-based restaurant group
that plans to reopen it as a buffet offering a variety of Asian cuisines, the
new owners said.
Tim and Betty Cheng, the owners of a six-location Chinese buffet-style
restaurant chain, plan to spend $5 million to remake it into a giant Asian
cuisine buffet, featuring Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Malaysian, and other Asian
foods.
''Our restaurants in New York offer a very large variety of foods,'' said Betty
Cheng, 33, in an interview last week. ''We think this will work well up there.
Weylu's has been a remarkable landmark on Route 1 for many years.''
The Chengs bought the Route 1 landmark from the Bank of China on June 20, under
the business name, Golden Mountain LLC. The transaction was recently recorded
in the Saugus assessor's office.
The price includes the three-story, 51,000-square-foot restaurant plus several
acres of land. The Chengs eventually plan to build an Asian-American grocery
store and a hotel on the property, Betty Cheng said.
''We're trying to make real good use of that land,'' said Cheng, who expects
the restaurant portion to open in nine months. ''We hope to make it a tourist
site.''
Saugus officials are happy to see the long-dormant property reused.
The property was assessed by the town at $4.1 million, a fraction of the $13
million price tag attached to the 1,300-seat restaurant when it was built at
the height of the '80s real estate boom.
''There has been diminishing value on that property since it closed,'' said
Town Manager Steven Angelo. ''That's mostly because the place has deteriorated.
Their taxes were lowered because of that. The sale price is consistent with its
assessed value.''
Bank of China foreclosed on Weylu's Restaurants Inc. in 1999, after owner and
founder Rick Chang failed to make mortgage payments. Chang later was sentenced
to 20 days in the Suffolk County House of Correction for tax fraud.
Wei Bounsy, who owns Out of Asia and Miso Grill, located at the base of the
hill leading up to Weylu's, said he is not scared by the prospect of another
big competitor on Route 1.
''I don't think it will take away a lot of business. Nobody seems to know who
they are,'' said Bounsy, who opened Miso Grill, a Japanese steak house, six
months ago. ''The restaurant has just been empty up there for the last four or
five years. That hasn't been good either.''
Don Wong, an owner and spokesman for the Kowloon Restaurant, the largest
Chinese restaurant in Saugus, could not be reached for comment last week.
Rick DeSanctis, executive director of the Saugus Chamber of Commerce, believes
a new use for the old Weylu's will be good for town. ''We're known for
restaurants,'' he said.
Angelo, the town manager, said a new restaurant on the site should increase tax
revenue from the property, one of the largest restaurants ever built in Saugus.
''Any type of taxable property would be better than what is there now,'' Angelo
said. ''Personally, I would have rather have seen a medical facility or
something that would generate less car trips go there,'' Angelo said. ''But
this is Route 1 in Saugus. I am not surprised that another restaurant bought
it.''
When it opened in 1989, Weylu's was the most opulent restaurant ever to hit the
strip of Route 1, familiarly known as ''Restaurant Row.'' The grand building,
with its oversized pagoda-entrance and valet parking, was built to resemble the
Forbidden City of China.
The palace-like restaurant also contained authentic Asian art, waterfalls and
fixtures imported from China. It offered a menu of more than 100 entrees, and
was considered the crown jewel in the eight-store Weylu's chain founded by
Chang.
Said DeSanctis, the Saugus chamber executive, ''Weylu's was one of a kind. I
don't think whatever goes in there will be anything like it.''
-------
Jason Alstrom
was forced into eating there twice ... thankfully they served a mean Zombie
to null out the MSG. ;-)
------------
Jason Alström
BeerAdvocate.com
http://beeradvocate.com
"Gastronome" <gastr...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20020923155220...@mb-dh.aol.com...
Dan Logcher
> Great ... does a five gallon bucket of MSG come with every table of four? I
> was forced into eating there twice ... thankfully they served a mean Zombie
> to null out the MSG. ;-)
I ate there twice, once on the Chinese side and once on the Japanese side.
Both meals were mediocre. The decor was fabulous. I wish they had saved
some money to pay for good chefs.
--
Dan
Cheryl Isaak
<dlogcher*xspam*@attbi.com> wrote:
Weylu's was the place you took your in-laws too - the décor would impress
them and in general they don't know any better!
Actually, I did have a couple of good meals there, but the host or honoree,
in both cases was Chinese and spoke the language, as it were. I recognized
nothing I was served, but ate well both times.
Cheryl
Dan Logcher
> On 10/9/02 12:16 PM, in article 3DA45657...@attbi.com, "Dan Logcher"
> <dlogcher*xspam*@attbi.com> wrote:
>
> > Jason Alstrom wrote:
> >
> >> Great ... does a five gallon bucket of MSG come with every table of four? I
> >> was forced into eating there twice ... thankfully they served a mean Zombie
> >> to null out the MSG. ;-)
> >
> > I ate there twice, once on the Chinese side and once on the Japanese side.
> > Both meals were mediocre. The decor was fabulous. I wish they had saved
> > some money to pay for good chefs.
> >
> > --
> > Dan
> >
> >
> Weylu's was the place you took your in-laws too - the décor would impress
> them and in general they don't know any better!
I wouldn't bring my in-laws there, since they are Chinese.. they'd know it
was crappy food. I wouldn't bring my parents there either, since they have
been to the far east and would also know it was crappy food.
> Actually, I did have a couple of good meals there, but the host or honoree,
> in both cases was Chinese and spoke the language, as it were. I recognized
> nothing I was served, but ate well both times.
I was quite impressed with the decor, but the food just wasn't as good as
could be had in Chinatown or even some suburban restaurants. The sushi
in the Japanese side was also quite poor.
--
Dan
Cheryl Isaak
<dlogcher*xspam*@attbi.com> wrote:
I'll admit both really good meals where close to 20 years ago, and were
pre-arranged menus. In one case the groom to be worked there and other she
also had some relation working there. Any other meal I had at Weylu's was
at best average, but my former mother in law thought it was tres elegant.
Cheryl
Dan Logcher
> I'll admit both really good meals where close to 20 years ago, and were
> pre-arranged menus. In one case the groom to be worked there and other she
> also had some relation working there. Any other meal I had at Weylu's was
> at best average, but my former mother in law thought it was tres elegant.
Both of my meals were at most 12 years ago.. Oh, and I had one meal at the
Woburn location, which was quite less elegant. The food was actually worse
there. I'm glad China Pearl bought that one, though I only eat Dim Sum
there on weekends. The regular menu is a bit pricy.
I'll give the new Weylu's a shot of course. I'd like to see the interior again,
if it hasn't been totally redone.
--
Dan
Paul Kinnucan
> On 10/9/02 12:16 PM, in article 3DA45657...@attbi.com, "Dan Logcher"
> <dlogcher*xspam*@attbi.com> wrote:
>
> > Jason Alstrom wrote:
> >
> >> Great ... does a five gallon bucket of MSG come with every table of four? I
> >> was forced into eating there twice ... thankfully they served a mean Zombie
> >> to null out the MSG. ;-)
> >
> > I ate there twice, once on the Chinese side and once on the Japanese side.
> > Both meals were mediocre. The decor was fabulous. I wish they had saved
> > some money to pay for good chefs.
I was standing in line outside Moon Villa one night around 1979 when
this drunken college kid turned around and shouted to those of us
shivering in the cold "Hey, you fools, go to Weylus in Saugus if you
want real Chinese food." I went and have since lost all taste for the
food typically served in Chinese restaurant. Weylus showed me how good
Chinese food could be when the ingredients are fresh and freshly
prepared. I was sorry to see the decline and fall of Weylus.
- Paul
Dan Logcher
I wish I had gone back then.. and not in the 90's. Now if we want real
Chinese food, we got to Chinatown or to the restaurant in Coolage Corner..
since the in-laws live in Brookline. Its a Chinatown style restaurant in the
suburbs of Boston.
--
Dan
Cheryl Isaak
<pa...@mathworks.com> wrote:
I remember Moon Villa fondly, same era too!
Kyle Tucker
Paul Kinnucan <pa...@mathworks.com> writes:
>
> I was standing in line outside Moon Villa one night around 1979 when
> this drunken college kid turned around and shouted to those of us
> shivering in the cold "Hey, you fools, go to Weylus in Saugus if you
> want real Chinese food." I went and have since lost all taste for the
> food typically served in Chinese restaurant. Weylus showed me how good
> Chinese food could be when the ingredients are fresh and freshly
> prepared. I was sorry to see the decline and fall of Weylus.
We went to the Salem Weylu's scores of times in the mid to
late 80's. To this day I wish I could make their Ginger Beef.
They made a darn fun Mai Tai over there as well.
--
- Kyle
Cheryl Isaak
Tucker" <kylet@_DELETE_shore.net> wrote:
Or Moon Villa's Beef and Ginger - no body seems to have it on their menus
anymore..... Loved that stuff!
Charles Demas
Or Peking on Fresh Pond's Pan Fried Beef (very spicy), or
China Sails' Sweet and Sour Pork (virtually no breading).
Chuck Demas
--
Eat Healthy | _ _ | Nothing would be done at all,
Stay Fit | @ @ | If a man waited to do it so well,
Die Anyway | v | That no one could find fault with it.
de...@tiac.net | \___/ | http://www.tiac.net/users/demas
Steve Silberberg
<chery...@adelphia.net> wrote:
>I remember Moon Villa fondly, same era too!
I had a lousy date with a hot looking woman there in 1980.
--------------
Steve Silberberg
mailto:steve.si...@alum.mit.edu
Steve's Tiny Book of Romance
http://www.callipygianproductions.com/stbor/stbor.html
"For man so feared his ignorance, that he created god in his image"-Eric 3:16
Jason Alstrom
Chi-town for Pan-Asian cuisine IMHO.
------------
Jason Alström
BeerAdvocate.com
http://beeradvocate.com
"Gastronome" <gastr...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20020923155220...@mb-dh.aol.com...
Jean B.
>
[snip]Now if we want real
> Chinese food, we got to Chinatown or to the restaurant in Coolage Corner..
> since the in-laws live in Brookline. Its a Chinatown style restaurant in the
> suburbs of Boston.
Which Chinese restaurant in Coolidge Corner are you referring to?
Jean B.
Cheryl Isaak
"Steve Silberberg" <steve.si...@alum.mit.edu> wrote:
'fraid it wasn't me - I was hanging around the model rail road club at MIT
then. Nice bunch of guys - wonder what ever happened to most of them......
C
guy f klose
>'fraid it wasn't me - I was hanging around the model rail road club at MIT
>then. Nice bunch of guys - wonder what ever happened to most of them......
C'mon, if they're real model railroaders, you know exactly where they are.
In their basements...
--
Guy Klose
g...@world.std.com
Kyle Tucker
Cheryl Isaak <chery...@adelphia.net> writes:
>
> Or Moon Villa's Beef and Ginger - no body seems to have it on their menus
> anymore..... Loved that stuff!
I believe I saw it on the menu at Royal Garden on Rt 1 in
Peabody a couple years ago, but we were only there for lunch.
I recall the menu being very similar to Weylu's - so much so,
it was as if a chef had shuttled over there after the fall of
Weylu's. We don't get down that way much any more, so I can't
say if they still have it or even if they're still open.
--
- Kyle
Dan Logcher
Chinatown Restaurant
1306 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02446
Phone: (617) 232-9580
It's right near the nasty intersection of Beacon St. and Coolage Corner.
It is quite good, but best if you go with someone who speaks Chinese
to order.
--
Dan
Gastronome
>> anymore..... Loved that stuff!
>
>I believe I saw it on the menu at Royal Garden on Rt 1 in
>Peabody a couple years ago, but we were only there for lunch.
>I recall the menu being very similar to Weylu's - so much so,
>it was as if a chef had shuttled over there after the fall of
>Weylu's. We don't get down that way much any more, so I can't
>say if they still have it or even if they're still open.
Though I've never been in, I can attest to the fact that they're still open.
The place kind of looks like it was built from the shell of a former fast food
restaurant.
My favorite "suburban" Chinese restaurant would be Out of Asia, on Route 1
North in Saugus. However, my wife doesn't like it (probably because it's closer
to real Chinese food), so I almost never get to go there. I've seen venison and
ostrich used in specials there. And the spinach fried rice is awesome!
Cheryl Isaak
<g...@world.std.com> wrote:
Nah, more likely hanging around TMRC wondering why they can't meet any women
and playing hearts!
Cheryl
Jean B.
Thanks, Dan. I've seen that and will try it out sometime. The main
problem is there are SO many restaurants to be explored in that area.
Jean B.
Christopher C. Stacy
Cheryl> On 10/10/02 8:45 PM, in article 018cqu8nodu6kc7am...@4ax.com,
Cheryl> "Steve Silberberg" <steve.si...@alum.mit.edu> wrote:
>> On Thu, 10 Oct 2002 20:29:15 GMT, Cheryl Isaak
>> <chery...@adelphia.net> wrote:
>>
>>> I remember Moon Villa fondly, same era too!
>>
>> I had a lousy date with a hot looking woman there in 1980.
>>
>> --------------
>> Steve Silberberg
>> mailto:steve.si...@alum.mit.edu
>> Steve's Tiny Book of Romance
>> http://www.callipygianproductions.com/stbor/stbor.html
>> "For man so feared his ignorance, that he created god in his image"-Eric 3:16
Cheryl> 'fraid it wasn't me - I was hanging around the model rail road club at MIT
Cheryl> then. Nice bunch of guys - wonder what ever happened to most of them......
I've been going to Moon Villa since 1980, mostly for their Hot & Sour Soup.
Don't think I've ever been there earlier than midnight.
Dan Logcher
> Dan Logcher wrote:
> >
> > "Jean B." wrote:
> >
> > > Dan Logcher wrote:
> > > >
> > > [snip]Now if we want real
> > > > Chinese food, we got to Chinatown or to the restaurant in Coolage Corner..
> > > > since the in-laws live in Brookline. Its a Chinatown style restaurant in the
> > > > suburbs of Boston.
> > >
> > > Which Chinese restaurant in Coolidge Corner are you referring to?
> >
> > Chinatown Restaurant
> > 1306 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02446
> > Phone: (617) 232-9580
> >
> > It's right near the nasty intersection of Beacon St. and Coolage Corner.
> > It is quite good, but best if you go with someone who speaks Chinese
> > to order.
>
> Thanks, Dan. I've seen that and will try it out sometime. The main
> problem is there are SO many restaurants to be explored in that area.
Chockfulla choices.
We've enjoyed many meals the the Chinatown Restaurant, but it helps
if some can read the Chinese menu or at least speak Chinese. I've started
to learn the names of my favorites dishes.
--
Dan
Cheryl Isaak
Stacy" <cst...@dtpq.com> wrote:
Ditto on the time frame - never before midnight, Hot and Sour Soup, Beef
with Ginger and Winter Melon Chicken.....
Cheryl