This beloved local Chinese restaurant plans to rise again from the ashes

Man, you guys really miss your garlic chicken.

After several emails and calls about what’s happening with Lee’s Chinese Kitchen, I’m happy to provide an update. The long-standing Chinese restaurant on McHenry Avenue has been close since an early morning fire June 10. The blaze started in the back of the building in a storage area and spread into the restaurant.

The Modesto Fire Department estimated it caused some $75,000 in damages and forced the restaurant’s closure. The property at at 3128 McHenry Ave. has been shuttered and fenced off since with cleanup and construction is yet to begin.

But, good news gang, the owner plans to rebuild and renovate. Work should take about six months, according to the family.

Lee’s Chinese Kitchen is arguably one of Modesto’s longest-running Chinese restaurants. Owner Henry Ma has been operating continuously for more than 40 years since he brought the restaurant in 1977. According to Modesto Bee archives the restaurant was first opened in May 1973 by its namesake owners, Bob and Barbara Lee.

At the time of its debut combinations meat dish, chow mein, egg foo yung and fried rice dishes were selling for $.99 to $1.99 a pop. Before the fire those same combo dinners were going for about $6.75 to $7.75, which is not too shabby an increase when you factor in inflation and the rest over all those decades.

Until the beloved spot returns, you’re still in luck. Lee’s Chinese Kitchen is owned by the same family that runs the China Garden Restaurant on Coffee Road just south of Briggsmore Avenue. Ma’s brother, who used to work at Lee’s Chinese Kitchen, has owned the eatery for the past seven years. And, wouldn’t you know it, they also make garlic chicken.

You can find the China Garden at 1501 Coffee Road. For more information call 209-527-3876.

Elsewhere around the Business Beat:

If you have noticed a large structure going up amid the car dealerships on north McHenry Avenue, it is the new home for Valley BMW.

The plans have been work for more than a year and construction has been zipping along all summer on the 30,000-square-foot building north of Bangs Avenue, right next door to Valley Lexus. The Modesto-based Fitzpatrick Dealership Group owns both car dealerships. The new building will house showroom, offices and service department. The current Valley BMW is less than half a mile away just south of Bangs Avenue.

This story was originally published August 29, 2017 at 4:52 PM.