By Tom Spoth, tspoth@lowellsun.com
The Mandarin Kitchen Chinese restaurant in downtown Lowell has changed hands, with new owner Steven Lin planning to concentrate on Japanese cuisine. SUN FILE PHOTO
LOWELL -- Since 2001, it's been a Burger King, a fried-chicken joint and a Chinese buffet.
All have failed.
Now, yet another owner hopes to make 16 Merrimack St. in downtown Lowell viable as an eatery.
Steven Lin recently bought the business from Jenny's Gift House owner Lifang Zhuo, who took over in November 2006, and plans to convert the space into a Japanese restaurant. As opposed to the current buffet format, Lin will offer sit-down dining with a wait staff, as well as take-out and delivery service, said manager Janet Ng.
Lin has been in the restaurant business for 16 years and recently owned eateries in Norwalk, Conn., and Haverhill.
The restaurant is still operating under the name Mandarin Kitchen, Ng said, but will be renamed Etsogo once the new format is installed. Lin is waiting on a liquor license -- he plans to serve Japanese beer, as well as sake and rice wine -- before making any changes, according to Ng.
Etsogo will serve Japanese cuisine, including sushi, she said.
"We're keeping our fingers crossed," Ng said. "We're here to serve the community." Etsogo will have plenty of company in the Kearney Square area. In addition to the Chinese place Green Bamboo across the square, the pizza and sub shop Angelina's has been open for several months, and a Latin restaurant called Bambu and a Thai eatery called Blue Taleh are scheduled to open soon.
John DeAngelis, who is developing the former Sun building at 15 Kearney Square, has said he hopes to attract a few eateries to the location in addition to Blue Taleh.
This article appeared in the Lowell Sun on Thursday, August 16, 2007