San Francisco, CA
The New Generation Taking the Helm at San Francisco’s Legacy Chinese Restaurants
San Francisco’s Chinatown may be an iconic tourist attraction, but for many Chinese Americans in the Bay Area it’s also a cultural hub anchored by generations-old small businesses and classic Chinese restaurants.
Most were started by new immigrants in an effort to survive and provide for their children while giving them a chance at a better future. There was generally no expectation of passing them down to their kids. But a new trend has emerged post-pandemic.
After decades of working hard for that “better life,” second-generation Chinese Americans are leaving their professional careers and instead finding fulfillment in taking over what their parents started. Legacy Chinatown eateries like Hing Lung Meat Company, R&G Lounge, New Sun Hong Kong, and House of Nanking have gotten a new lease on life, proving that change can indeed be good.
Some of the dishes at 606(Eugene Lau)
Eugene Lau has owned the San Francisco restaurant 606 (606 Broadway) since 2023, taking over New Sun Hong Kong, the hub for classic Cantonese dishes his in-laws had operated since 1989. Having worked as a tech professional for years, the toll running a small business took on them during the pandemic, as well as their impending retirement, made Eugene think about making a change.
“Most Chinese parents would say they opened a restaurant to make ends meet,” Lau says. “They don’t necessarily want the same life for their kids because it’s tough to make a living. But I think they could tell I had an interest in it. When having family meals at the restaurant, I would always make sure the customers were doing okay and even get up and help serve or bus tables, clean dishes, take orders. It kind of developed from there.”
The pandemic, when Chinatown became a ghost town, spurred Eric and Simon Cheung to return to the family business, too. Hing Lung Meat Company, which their father had owned since the 1990s, was known for authentic Cantonese roasted meats like char siu (roast pork), soy sauce chicken, and classic roast duck (not to be mistaken for Peking/Beijing duck). To help it survive, the brothers launched Go Duck Yourself, an offshoot of Hing Lung Meat Company that focused solely on online and takeout orders.
Go Duck Yourself took off, but when problems arose with HLMC’s aging storefront, the Cheungs eventually decided to close the original location. Eric and Simon then opened their sit-down restaurant Go Duck Yourself in Bernal Heights (439 Cortland Ave.) in 2024, followed by their takeout counter Quack House in Lower Nob Hill (927 Post St.) last year.
Some of the dishes at Go Duck Yourself(Courtesy of Hing Lung Co/Go Duck Yourself)
Though they’re carrying on their dad’s history of well-crafted roast meats, the brothers aren’t doing things exactly the same way.
“We definitely have not altered the recipes,” says Eric. “We try to stay as traditional and classic as possible. But we only use high-end spices and quality artisan meats. And our equipment is more high-tech than it used to be. Back then my dad used to go only by feel, but I like to use my temperature probes to get it just right. I’m very particular about the temperature the meat is cooked at so it comes out as juicy as possible.”
Although noticeable changes have been made since Lau took over, 606’s food has also stayed true to the former restaurant.
“We curated our menu so that many of New Sun Hong Kong’s popular items didn’t change, but we tweaked the recipes in a way that improved the texture or flavor and added some new dishes,” Lau explains. “We’re doing things differently than my in-laws did. But at the core of it, we’re still a family restaurant with a commitment to the community. It’s a reboot.”
606 is the reboot of New Sun Hong Kong(Courtesy of 606)
So why leave the tech world to run a small restaurant? “It’d be sad to see our culture and traditions die,” says Lau. “That’s one of the main reasons why we do this. I really wanted to continue my family’s legacy, and I’m thankful I have the opportunity to do it.”
Though Eric Cheung’s pride in the food he makes fuels his passion, he never expected to carry on the family business either.
”I’m surprised there are so many second-generation adults taking over the family business, and I think it’s great! It’s sad to see something that helped raise you, that you grew up with, go away,” he says. “We have a good setup here. It’s always been my dream to own a restaurant, I just didn’t think it would be essentially my parents’ restaurant.”
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you’ll need to reclaim your account by clicking “Forgot your password?” on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
San Francisco, CA
Dozens of apparent shopping carts stuck in marsh along SF Bay: ‘How did they get there?!’
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KGO) — Dozens of apparent shopping carts are stuck in a marsh along the San Francisco Bay. And residents are puzzled as to how they got there.
“It’s crazy! Gross!” said Kim Avalos, who frequents the trail. “What is that?!”
The San Francisco Bay Trail in South San Francisco curves around the mouth of the Colma Creek marsh. It’s a popular walking and running trail, but local residents are starting to notice something in the water.
“Now that I’m looking at… wow…there’s actually so many shopping carts out here,” said Avalos. “There’s an extreme amount.”
Avalos works for a nearby garbage company. She says she walks the trail every day but has never seen anything like this.
“It’s actually kind of insane to think about how they even got there,” Avalos said.
It’s the same story for others who frequent the trail. At first glance, mistaking the debris for rocks until they actually stare at it.
“It kind of blends in,” said Hondres when we approached him on the trail. “I’ve never seen grocery carts out in the Bay like this… I don’t know, it’s kind of weird.”
“Have you noticed it before?” 7 On Your Side’s Stephanie Sierra asked another passer-by.
“Uh… no. This is kind of new,” he said. “Someone is being very stupid… I’ve seen them over the years. I don’t remember there being this many. There’s quite a few.”
Many people who frequent the trail said when it’s high tide it’s hard to notice anything.
“It does look like shopping carts, do you know if that’s what it is?”
It’s hard to say for sure. But at low tide, it certainly looks that way.
“It does look like shopping carts, amongst other things,” Save the Bay representative Josh Quigley said.
And there’s not just one or two, but there’s what appears to be dozens of them spanning the Colma Creek marsh adjacent to the bay.
“Have you ever seen this many shopping carts along the bay?” Stephanie Sierra asked.
“I have not, no,” Quigley said. “This is certainly the greater concentration that I’ve ever seen in one place.”
Quigley is the Senior Policy Manager for Save the Bay, an environmental nonprofit founded in 1961 to stop excessive filling of the San Francisco Bay.
“I think it’s really unfortunate… the bay is treated not as the jewel and resource that it should be, but as a dumping ground,” Quigley said.
So, where is it all coming from? That seems to be up for debate.
“It could be a big prank, if anything, but at this rate I have no idea,” said Alvin Lau, who visits the trail regularly.
“There’s often homeless people in the mobile RV vehicles,” said another. “There’s always a lot of trash here, not going to lie.”
“I don’t know, maybe Costco. They are our neighbors,” Kim Avalos said. “Could be because they do look bigger.”
A Costco Business Center is about a mile from Colma Marsh. 7 On Your Side reached out to Costco’s corporate office, and the South San Francisco Costco General Manager said: “We walk and clean the trail multiple times a week, in addition to checking for any carts that might end up in the bay.”
The goal now is to clean it out — and ensure it stays that way.
“Stop being dumb. There’s only one planet we got, so take care of it,” said Lau.
“It hurts me as an animal lover to see all these shopping carts in their place of habitat,” Avalos said.
“Save the Bay” says overall pollution is decreasing across the bay shoreline, but there are instances–like this one–where smaller pockets need to be addressed.
Locally, there are regulations in place to prevent this type of pollution.
7 On Your Side contacted the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board to further investigate and clean up the area.
Take a look at more stories and videos by 7 On Your Side.
7OYS’s consumer hotline is a free consumer mediation service for those in the San Francisco Bay Area. We assist individuals with consumer-related issues; we cannot assist on cases between businesses, or cases involving family law, criminal matters, landlord/tenant disputes, labor issues, or medical issues. Please review our FAQ here. As a part of our process in assisting you, it is necessary that we contact the company / agency you are writing about. If you do not wish us to contact them, please let us know right away, as it will affect our ability to work on your case. If we are able to assist you, we will reach back out.
Copyright © 2026 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — San Francisco will celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary this July 4 with a rare fireworks show on the Golden Gate Bridge, the mayor’s office announced Monday. It will be the first time in 14 years, and the third time ever, that a fireworks display will be held on the iconic span.
“The Golden Gate Bridge is as iconic as any landmark in the United States, so it’s an ideal place to launch fireworks for our country’s 250th anniversary,” Mayor Daniel Lurie said in a news release announcing the event.
With the change of venue for the city’s annual July 4 fireworks show, the mayor’s office is providing guidance on where to watch, and where not to watch, this year’s Golden Gate Bridge display, set to begin at 9:30 p.m.
Recommended viewing locations:
- Crissy Field
- Marina Green
- Fisherman’s Wharf/Pier 39
The mayor’s office noted that “because this year’s fireworks will launch from the east side of the Golden Gate Bridge between its two towers, the best viewing areas are those with a clear northwest sightline toward the bridge.”
Locations that are not recommended for viewing the fireworks show due to obstructed views include Ocean Beach, the Ferry Building and the Embarcadero waterfront.
The Golden Gate Bridge will be completely shut down to vehicle and pedestrian traffic during the Independence Day show. Vehicles will be blocked from the bridge beginning around 8:30 p.m. until “shortly after the conclusion of the fireworks display,” officials said. The east and west sidewalks will be closed from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The two previous fireworks displays were in 1987 and 2012, when the Golden Gate Bridge’s 50th and 75th anniversaries were celebrated.
-
New Jersey5 minutes agoHow to Canoe to the World Cup in New Jersey
-
New Mexico8 minutes agoFire contained to 2 acres after prompting evacuations in San Juan County
-
North Carolina13 minutes agoNC lawmakers seek $5 million to study psychedelic medicines
-
North Dakota20 minutes ago
Nadine Bratz Obituary June 15, 2026 – Eastgate Funeral & Cremation Services
-
Ohio23 minutes agoOhio ramp closures set to begin in late June amid Brent Spence Corridor Project construction
-
Oklahoma28 minutes agoTeen facing multiple charges in Oklahoma City shooting death
-
Oregon35 minutes agoOregon lawmakers set to hear from climate advocates on heat death prevention
-
Pennsylvania38 minutes agoNokia announces major expansion of U.S. semiconductor advanced test and packaging in Pennsylvania to bolster AI growth
