Peking Eastside

Located on a quiet street in the beautiful city of Athens, Georgia, Peking Eastside offers diners the opportunity to taste the wonderful flavors of traditional Chinese cuisine. And with the ability to seat 250 people at one time, you can bring friends, family and co-workers without any worries.

The Scene

With a 6,700 square-foot space, Peking Eastside has an alluring appearance envied by all the competition. In the great tradition of the Summer Palace, a place where the Chinese emperors lived, Peking Eastside’s decor features tasteful paintings of birds and trees, the most eye-catching of which is the Grand Dragon and Phoenix relief sculptures displayed on a scarlet background. The Dragon and Phoenix are the principal motifs for decorative designs in ancient China, especially in the imperial palace. Tables and chairs made of rosewood are arranged to maximize the feeling of open space, and booths are provided for additional privacy. Pillars and beams with traditional Chinese-style patterns and relief sculptures add to the classic charm.

From the flowered red carpet to the cloth-covered tables adorned with delicately folded pink cloth napkins, Peking Eastside has an air of elegance unique to such an establishment. Peking Eastside owner Johnny Chang knows the importance of visual appeal in a restaurant, therefore he insists on redecorating his establishment every two years. This refreshes the customers’ impression of the restaurant and allows for variation in the artwork as well. In addition to the main dining room, there are also two banquet rooms for holding parties. On the wall facing the entrance to these rooms, Johnny has deliberately affixed a large Chinese character meaning “happiness.”

The Food

Having run restaurants for decades, Johnny has formed his own philosophy of operating a restaurant and always sticks to it. He pushes aside a menu with a wealth of choices, which he feels may confuse guests with too many options. He instead maintains the popular dishes while replacing slow-moving offerings with new items. Every half a year, Johnny changes the menu—not only the dishes, but also the menu design—and firmly insists on always stocking the freshest ingredients of the highest quality. Therefore, no matter what the circumstances, he is more likely to buy a gram of tender beef for $4 rather than buy tough beef for $2.

 “No chef can turn stale ingredients into a delicacy. Even if he makes the miracle, he must add something to stimulate or cover the flavor, but the truth can’t be kept from a shrewd food connoisseur,” said Johnny.

Peking Eastside’s delectable lunch buffet includes more than 30 delicious items to choose from.

The restaurant’s versatile menu features two of the most well-known and beloved regional Chinese specialties—Sichuan and Mandarin cuisines—and has received the recognition of “Best Chinese Food” by the local newspaper for the abundant choices of authentic and delicious creations. Instead of using pre-made sauces, they prepare every dish promptly to order and use freshly made ingredients for seasoning.

Peking Eastside provides an impressive list of signature dishes including Peking Chicken, Sweet & Sour Pork, Mongolian Beef and Princess Chicken. To prepare the Peking Chicken, chicken breast is cut into chunks, which are deep-fried until they are crunchy on the outside and tender inside. After that, the chicken pieces are cooked with sauce, of which uses a bounty of garlic and is a mouthwatering combination of sweet, sour and spicy flavors. Served on nearly every table, this item has acquired remarkable fame among diners.

Apart from taste and quality, another focus of Peking Eastside’s menu is healthy dishes. Johnny has managed to ensure that patrons have healthy and nutritional meals available for their enjoyment. He selects only the highest quality and the freshest ingredients. Dishes are cooked with little oil and salt, which are replaced by healthier seasonings. A special section called Spa Cuisine is offered for health-conscious diners, including Steamed Assorted Vegetables, Steamed Chicken with Vegetables, Steamed Shrimp with Vegetables, Steamed Tofu with Vegetables and brown rice.

The management

Established in 1997 and now well known for their high-quality food and service, Peking Eastside has been reported as a great place for dinner by USA Today. Such a reputation did not come without strict standards in service. Johnny’s employees are required to be tidy and neatly dressed—even the color of their shoes is required to fit that of their uniforms. Instead of making guests pack their own leftovers as many restaurants do, the servers at Peking Eastside make the extra effort and do it themselves. In addition, staff makes sure that fresh ingredients are in stock every day, and covered if kept in refrigerators.

“The drop hollows the stone, not by force, but by the frequency of its fall,” says Johnny, “every small detail counts and will lead to a great achievement.”

Though strict, Jonny maintains a great relationship with his employees and considers them all his friends. Parties are held every month so that they can gather and chat with one another without the time constraints they have during business hours. Constant training of outstanding chefs is another factor that contributes to the success of Johnny’s restaurants. All four of Peking Eastside’s chefs have been trained and tutored by Johnny himself in both Sichuan and Korean cuisines.

The legend of Johnny Chang

Born in the Eastern Shandong province of China and raised in Korea, Johnny learned how to create Chinese cuisine in a Chinese café just after he finished middle school. With dreams of becoming a famous chef, he struggled in this field for 16 years. Johnny traveled around to learn how to cook, and eventually became an experienced and famous chef in Korea. A few years later, he reached another peak in his culinary career—he was recommended to be an imperial chef for the President of Korea, focusing on Chinese cuisine. In 1979, Korean president Park Chung Hee was assassinated, which was a major turning point in Johnny’s life. He decided to leave Korea for the United States, and began to build his business here.

He worked for a friend for two years as he accumulated some capital, and then Johnny launched his first restaurant in America. In those days, the biggest problem for him was the language barrier. To solve this problem, Johnny hired a quick-minded young man who was fluent in English to manage the front of the house while he was busy in the kitchen. Their flawless cooperation led to a thriving business. In time, Johnny’s involvement in the community was such that he was selected to be chairman of the local Restaurant Association of Athens.

“Every success is brought by constant effort and accumulation, you pay, and then you gain,” said Johnny.

A New Beginning

This year saw the establishment of Peking Eastside’s sister property, Man Tian Hong. The new restaurant offers traditional Sichuan and authentic Korean dishes with a brand-new look. The open kitchen allows patrons to observe and appreciate the cooking process, which can be an art in itself. A large Buddha sculpture adds to the oriental charm of its dining room. Unlike the classic dining scene of Peking Eastside, the interior of Man Tian Hong is more bright and inviting with yellow- and green-toned decor and furniture.

Johnny has been diligent in his career throughout his whole life. Unfortunately, he is suffering from cancer in his later years. Although now retired, he is still present in his establishments every day to make sure that everything is in order. Many wonder how Johnny is able to manage so much responsibility. His secret is that he has three hard-working sons that help him with the work. In the beginning, his sons did not want to deal with the restaurant business. Gradually, touched by their father’s passion and diligence, the sons began to understand him and found enjoyment in running it. His eldest son is now in charge of the Man Tian Hong Restaurant, his middle son manages this Peking Eastside, and the whole family is planning to help with the new one. His youngest son, who is currently a student, will be managing the new restaurant.