Shanghai Cafe, which sits between the Hair Cuttery and Subway, opened for business Jan. 26. It is now one of several restaurants offering Chinese food to late-night diners.
Walking into Shanghai Cafe, a recently opened Chinese restaurant on Route 1, almost feels familiar — its red vinyl seats and photographs of Chinese entrees mimic the decor of other neighboring Chinese restaurants.
City residents and university students can’t seem to get enough Chinese food, with at least five other similar options nearby. Shanghai Cafe, the city’s newest Chinese restaurant, quietly opened Jan. 26, and provides another food venue for university students and city residents.
Tucked between Subway and the Hair Cuttery, Shanghai Cafe is open until 3 a.m. Monday through Thursday and 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, providing a new late-night dining option. Delivery is available until close, and it offers similar choices in the $3 to $8 price range as other Chinese restaurants.
Two competing restaurants, China Cafe and Panda, are literally across the street. In many ways, Shanghai Cafe is more of the same, highlighting a lack of alternative food options for university students and College Park residents.
Manager Betty Jiang isn’t worried about the competition.
“I think we have the best food, so I don’t worry about the other places,” she said.
“Without the competition, people wouldn’t improve what they could provide,” said Sabrina Liu, a friend of Jiang’s who has been helping at the restaurant since it opened. “The winner will be the customer. At the same time we will improve ourselves, so I think its a win-win situation.”
The city continues to form an economic development plan to attract businesses to College Park. “[The city] will work to reach out to other businesses so we can get a good mix of retail and business,” said Claire Sale, city economic development coordinator.
Shanghai Cafe was purchased two months ago by Yang Chon and Jiang, a couple who has accumulated more than 10 years experience working in Chinese restaurants in Maryland. They selected the College Park because of the student population.
Liu said the preparation and presentation of their food distinguishes them from neighboring restaurants. General Tso’s Chicken and fried dumplings are two of the cafe’s specialties.
But some people, such as Dave Redzensky, a 40-year College Park resident, can’t tell the difference between most Chinese restaurants. “They’re pretty much all the same,” he said.
Redzensky said he was attracted to Shanghai because it specializes in Chinese food.
“When I get good Chinese food, I look for a place that sells just Chinese food, not subs and stuff,” he said.
