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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Friday, September 18, 2009 9:12 PM CDT
Hunan Restaurant offers Asian taste for 25 years

By HERB MEEKER, Staff Writer
hmeeker@jg-tc.com

MATTOON — Mae Chen felt she was making a good business deal when she bought a restaurant at 116 S. 17th St. in Mattoon.

Twenty-five years later, she has gained many friends and adopted a community. And she’s raised a family, too.

“This is really a nice town,” Chen said of Mattoon. “When I started people asked, ‘Are you staying here?’ I told them that this was my business and I will be staying for a while.”

A quarter of a century is definitely nailing down that promise. The anniversary came on July 27 for the Taiwanese immigrant, who came to the United States in 1978. Through the years, generations of local families have sat down for oriental cuisine at Hunan Restaurant, surrounded by an Asian decor with flowers, vases and a circular doorway with a Chinese dragon.

“It’s very interesting. We have generations come through. This is a second home to me. And my hope is to bring more people to the downtown,” Chen said.

The Hunan name of the restaurant is inspired by the Chinese city of Hunan. But the menu includes different Asian dishes, including Thai food. In many ways, asking the right questions can produce a lesson on Asian culture.

“People will ask me about what a menu item is. I try to help them. We enjoy explaining where the dishes come from,” Chen said.

The restaurant has received several awards over the years, including one of the Top 100 Chinese Restaurants in the United States for 2006-08, awarded by the Chinese Restaurant News, and Metropolitan’s Who’s Who for restaurant excellence. But the best praise comes from customers through special requests.

“We changed the menu a couple of years ago. But some of our customers asked if we could cook up some of their favorites. And we do it for them,” Chen said.

Unfortunately, the downturn in the economy has struck Hunan like many small businesses. Chen has a bare-bones staff now and hopes for a turnaround like other Mattoon businesses.

“I am very busy now, but this is more than just a restaurant to me,” she said.

Contact Herb Meeker at hmeeker@jg-tc.com or 238-6869.

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Mama says wrote on Sep 20, 2009 3:03 AM:

" Mae and Tom have been good citizens.
We enjoy Tom's cooking abilities and suggested to them to purchase nearer the Mall or Mall for their restaurant.
The area would been better altho some still go uptown. We suggested the buffet long before had a buffet. Now they no longer have buffets.
We remember when their children were babies in the babybed in restaurant.
Mae would work and babies watching all the activity. When my son died, Tom sat in the booth with me tears in eyes.
His grief was evident and endeared me to him for his compassion.
Their children are good citizens as well. They taught their children and educating them. The Chens have done a fabulous job for Mattoon and their family. "

Jim1969 wrote on Sep 21, 2009 5:47 PM:

" Glad to see the JG doing something good and reminding people that Hunan's is still open.

I can easily recall going there when they first opened. My friends and I would save our money and have lunch there once a week or so when we were still in High School.

Great food, great service, and fair prices. Congratulations on 25 years. "

kamfong wrote on Sep 22, 2009 9:04 AM:

" Weren't they the original owners of the House Of Chen on broadway many moons ago? Their food was good then too. "

7X6Z9 wrote on Sep 22, 2009 3:07 PM:

" Hunan's Beef Lo Mein and Pepper Steak dishes are excellent. And the service is great too. "

BW wrote on Sep 22, 2009 3:20 PM:

" Didn't they also have a place around Lakeland Blvd and Lafayette Ave.? "