Saratoga News

Photograph by Tim Kao

Daniel Kwan's Loon Wah Restaurant maintains a three-generation family tradition.

Loon Wah continues old family tradition

By Suzanne Cristallo

There is much symbolism in the name Loon Wah. It contains the fire and nobility of a dragon and the fragrance of a blossom. It also represents the Kwan family, who originated the name for their Cantonese and Szechuan restaurant in Hong Kong three generations ago.

Today, a son, Daniel Kwan, maintains the tradition started by his parents for "good food, good service and good atmosphere" in a new restaurant on S. De Anza Boulevard near the Highway 85 exit.

While the restaurant opened three weeks ago, it is only the building and location that have changed. Customers have known Kwan and his restaurant for the past 16 years a short distance up the road from its new location.

Kwan, 47, came to this country when he was 20 to study chemistry at San Jose State University. After graduation, he worked for nine months as a lab technician but realized his true desire was to return to the family business. He and his brother, Tung, who had been trained as a chef in their parents' restaurant, opened the American revival of Loon Wah in San Ramon.

Two years later, they brought the restaurant to De Anza Boulevard. With a home just two blocks away, Kwan and his wife Lian, whom he had met in Taiwan prior to his departure for the United States, have been able to run the restaurant while keeping a close eye on their three children. All through their school years, the children have worked summers in the restaurant. The two eldest, both daughters, are now at UC--Berkeley while the youngest, a son, attends middle school.

The new Loon Wah is architect-designed to accommodate up to 200 customers for either individual dining groups, banquets, meetings or takeout. There's a total of 150 menu choices of the Cantonese style, with seasoned vegetables and tropical produce, and the spicier Szechuan cuisine, ranging from $5 to $10 for main dishes. A cocktail lounge offers a complete spectrum of beverages.

Loon Wah Chinese Restaurant, 1146 S. DeAnza Blvd., San Jose. Open daily for lunch and dinner, Sun.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.