Philadelphia's Sang Kee Peking Duck House reopens after steam issue closed Chinatown restaurant
A popular longstanding restaurant in Philadelphia's Chinatown is back open Saturday after a broken steam pipe led city inspectors to shut it down for about a week.
Sang Kee Peking Duck House announced its reopening on Instagram, saying it'd be back to regular hours on Saturday.
"Some people say it's a Christmas miracle," said Henry Chow, the general manager. "These two weeks are our busiest of the entire year."
The restaurant was forced to shut down by the Department of Licenses and Inspections last week until its electrical and fire panels could be repaired.
Manager Henry Chow shared a video with CBS News Philadelphia showing beads of water dripping from the basement ceiling and steam pouring into the building.
Chow said temporary vents have been installed on the sidewalk and the majority of the steam has been redirected.
"We also had some really great help from PECO, they were able to come in and block some of the steam that was coming in through a conduit," Chow said.
Chow's parents opened the restaurant in 1980, and they say it's one of the oldest restaurants in Chinatown. But the closure led to the business losing money every day, he said last week.
Long-time customers were happy it was back in business.
"We are very lucky and feel privileged to be part of the reopening. We've been coming here for 20 to 25 years," said Richard Levine, who lives in Wilmington.
"It's unfortunate, but I'm glad they're open," said Florencio Perez, who lives in Blackwood, New Jersey.
Chow said the steam issue went unresolved for over a year and worsened recently.
A company that operates steam pipes in the city said a water service line at a nearby business was identified as the cause and was repaired Friday.
"This whole resolution feels like it's a big win for the people of Philadelphia, not just us," Chow said.
On Instagram, Sang Kee thanked several local organizations and officials as well as local businesses who helped them get back open.
"During this extraordinarily challenging time, your outpouring of support and offers to assist have meant the world to us. It's because of your voices and encouragement, combined with the collective efforts of community leaders and city officials, that a temporary solution has been put in place — allowing us to reopen our doors," the post read.
The restaurant starts work before dawn roasting hundreds of ducks Hong Kong style. You can find them at 9th and Winter streets.
