L
Lieu’s Peking remains popular
ieu’s Peking has been the community’s go-to restau-
rant for plates piled high with Chinese fare. After
gaining a reputation as one
of the tastiest and most con-
sistent restaurants in the
Milledgeville area, Lieu’s is
now under the direction of
two experienced restaura-
teurs.
“They didn’t find us, we
actually found them,” said
Dat Lieu of purchasing
Lieu’s Peking from its for-
mer owners, Kuei Ching,
Chui You, and Bob Su.
“[Lieu’s co-owner and Dat’s
uncle Michael Lamb] heard
through the grapevine that this place was trying to sell …
He approached me about it, and I said ‘Let’s take a look at
it’. I made the call to Mrs. Chui and spoke to her, and she
said they were ready to sell.”
After 15 years of operating Lieu’s, which itself came after
Kuei Ching’s long career as a chef that included a stint in
a 5-star kitchen, last year Kuei and Chui felt the time had
finally come to retire from the restaurant business. Hav-
ing themselves acquired Lieu’s from their own relatives
and not wanting the business to close, the family found
a worthy buyer in Lamb, who has owned and operated
Hong Kong Express inside Hatcher Square Mall for sev-
eral years. After hearing about the impending sale, Lamb
called his nephew in Atlanta and the two parties struck a
Y AN
A PP
deal.
“I grew up in the restaurant business - I come from a
family of mostly restaurant owners,” said Lieu, who shares
no relation with the restaurant’s original owners/namesake.
“Mike and his wife own Hong Kong Express, which will still
be operational, but now he’s going to spend more time over
here. He’s had that business for 17 years.”
Since Jan. 1 2018, Lamb and Lieu have been the official
owners of Lieu’s Peking, slowly meeting the multitude of
Lieu’s regulars and learning the ins and outs of the popular
business. In an effort to reassure Lieu’s longtime customers,
Bob and his family stayed on for several weeks to make make
sure the transition was running smoothly, and the result has
been a smooth and comfortable transition. Rather than re-
make the menu with their own recipes, the new owners have
opted to continue with the recipes that made Lieu’s success-
ful in the first place. In addition to Chinese staples like sweet
and sour chicken, fried rice, and egg drop soup, for years
Lieu’s has cemented its reputation among true aficionados
with favorites like Szechuan-style scallops and shrimp with
snow peas. Although the restaurant’s menu features scores
of multifaceted dishes, both Lieu and Lamb are in agreement
on their favorite dish - the Happy Family, which includes
cooked scallops, chicken, and steak sautéed with mixed veg-
etables in a traditional brown sauce. After four months of
operating the local favorite, Lieu said his initial worry at tak-
ing on he restaurant has given way to reassurance, as Lieu’s
longtime customers continue to return. In taking over one
of the community’s favorite establishments, Lieu’s new
owners expressed gratitude to their customers for helping
the local standard enter a brand new chapter.
NIVERSA
RY
200 Years
H
OPEN 6 DAYS A WEEK
LUNCH
Tuesday-Friday 11:00am-3:00pm • Saturday & Sunday 12:00pm-3:00pm
DINNER
Tuesday-Thursday 4:00pm-9:00pm • Friday-Saturday 4:00pm-9:30pm
Sunday 4:00pm-8:30pm
2485 N. Columbia St. Suite 101
Milledgeville, GA 31061
We are social:
62 l 200th
478-804-0083
www.lieuspekings.com
352893-1