Perhaps you have passed it heading to Atikamashing, Fairbanks Provincial Park, Espanola or Sault Ste. Marie, and all points west along the Highway 17 corridor.
The Golden Palace in Lively is a place where people everywhere in the city go for their Canadian-Chinese food fix.
It is perfectly located right on the highway and situated in the shared space of the Lively Inn and Suites, formerly the Red Carpet Inn and Tradewinds.
Jessica Tan has been the co-owner with partner Mark Tan for 11 years. Before that, there were different owners and even a different location.
Tan arrived in Sudbury from Newfoundland at age nine and before that from China.
“After high school, I was deciding what to do and the opportunity came up. A lot of my friends were struggling to find work and I decided I wanted to become my own boss,” Tan said.
“I have been around this food my whole life. My partner has a lot of experience with cooking the food as well, so it is all homemade.”
Tan is no stranger to the restaurant industry. It is something her parents have instilled in her since birth, having owned their own dining spot in a different city.
Jessica’s menu favourite is the Cantonese chow mein with its barbeque pork, sliced chicken, shrimp, mixed vegetables and fine egg noodles. She also loves the chicken balls, chicken wings and egg rolls.
She said customers rave about the beef with broccoli dish, the soup and all things chicken, and they report that “nothing is overly deep-fried”.
The Golden Palace has won awards and is dubbed by cross-country visitors as a top spot for the best broth-based wonton soup. One even raved about the wonton soup in a blogpost.
It recently won a number of Community Votes awards that are being showcased in the dining room for best Asian food, best Chinese food, best take out, best Chinese restaurant and best soup.
Tan herself won a 40 Under Forty Award in 2015 for her entrepreneurial commitment to The Golden Palace.
And with that, she is moving forward and resurrecting the long-awaited and very popular buffet that was forced to close due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“We take multiple calls on the daily asking when the buffet will make its return. I think it is time,” she said.
The lunch buffet will resume this month (September, 2022) on Thursdays and Fridays.
Tan said it has been nice to have people once again come for dine in or take out.
“Our customers really do come from everywhere — even the French River, Azilda, Garson and Skead. It is amazing to know they will drive any distance for quality Chinese food,” she said.
She said even those camping at Fairbanks or on Manitoulin Island often make a point of stopping to fuel up before their trip or on the long journey back home which always feels that much longer.
Visit the Golden Palace on Facebook or on their website.
Anastasia Riouix is a writer in Greater Sudbury. Let’s Eat! is made possible by our Community Leaders Program.
