I never thought I would cry over a restaurant. Just typing that seems so silly, but it's true: Who would think they would cry over a simple restaurant closing? I certainly didn't think so, but I did.
On January 24th, I heard the news the Imperial Inn was closing its doors after 45 years of business in Philadelphia's Chinatown. When I saw the article posted by the Philly Voice, my heart sunk. This place is more than just a restaurant with amazing Shumai. This is the place I had my first Dim Sum. It is the only place I go to for Dim Sum and the only place I want to go to for Dim Sum.
The not so little big cheeked girl in the photo is me. That is a photo of me at the Imperial Inn experiencing Dim Sum for the very first time.
Now, this photo is again me, only this time it is a photo of me experiencing Dim Sum at the Imperial Inn for the very last time. That's right, as soon as I heard the news of the Imperial Inn's closing, I hopped in my car and drove down to Chinatown. It was a great last meal, but the food wasn't what really made this place so special to me.
If you want to know why this restaurant means so much to an 18-year-old girl, just take a look at the man in the first photo. He is the reason the Imperial Inn is like a home. I've written about my grandpa before. I've told the story of how I have adopted the Chinese culture and how he meant so much to me. I also told the world how he tragically passed when I was only seven.
The Imperial Inn is a connection. When I'm there I feel I am stepping into his life, his shoes, and his happiness. In that photo, I can see the joy in his face. How happy he was to be sharing something he enjoyed so much with me. Of course, at that moment I didn't know how much that place would end up meaning to me.
Trust me, I never imagined crying over a restaurant closing, but on January 24th I did. I took on the tradition of sharing this place with people I cared about. I have brought numerous friends to the Imperial Inn hoping it would give them even half as much joy as it gave me. I hoped to share it with more people in the future, but that hope has come to end.
I know I will always have the photos and memories I made at the Imperial Inn, but still, there is no feeling like losing a place that feels like home.
