The Imperial Sun has Set

For over 10 years my place for Chinese, be it Szechuan or Hunan, has been Imperial Sun on SR 161 just east of Cleveland Ave.

Ran by Leshen Sun and her husband, this was the place to go both in terms of the ambiance and the quality of the food.

When it comes to ethnic food (aside from Italian and French) I follow three points of non-PC bias.

1. Someone from that ethnic group should be serving the food
   
2. Someone of that ethnic group should be cooking
3. Someone of that ethnic group should be dinning there.

IS had all three. Plus we got to know Leshen. She would carry John in the back to let him watch the cooks work while we finished our meal. So now when John walks into a restaurant, he wants to go to the kitchen.

IS was also home to the first dates with the two women whom I had a long term relationship with, Heather (my girlfriend from college) and Jean..well you know how that worked out .

Tonight when we stopped by the IS lights were out and the dreaded "Business Closed" sign was on the door. While we had photos of the dinning room and the booth where we had our first meal together, it wouldn't be the same without Leshen welcoming us and then enjoying the wonderful food.

As we pulled away, Jean looked at me and said "This must be what its like when you get old and the places you used to enjoy are gone... I don't like it." Neither do I.