Five Points, Center of the Nori Rolling Universe

[ProjectMaximus]

in my above post I meant to say "circa 1998"

[Ernest Street]

Five Points as a "China Town" District?  Doubt it.  For a vibrant cultural district you need a decent amount of residents and businesses catering to a certain culture placed in a compact setting next to each other.  The closest decent sized type of district to Jax I can think of is "Little Vietnam" ("Vi-Mi" district) in Orlando.  Btw, isn't sushi....Japanese?

Discover Orlando’s ViMi District
Just northeast of downtown Orlando, the ViMi district (near the intersection of Virginia and Mills avenues) is an expanding enclave of authentic Asian restaurants, shops and markets and is home to one of the largest Vietnamese-American communities in Florida.  Vietnamese, Korean, Thai and Chinese restaurants crowd along Colonial Drive and Mills Avenue; and grocery stores, stocked with everything from alternative medicines to exotic produce, cater mostly to Asian customers.

http://www.orlandoinfo.com/articles/multicultural-orlando.cfm

In Reality The Armenians (Ralph Kazarian and large family) own most of those blocks and lease out to the asians. I have had some truly wonderful Vietnamese soups around there when I lived in Orlando.

[stephElf]

As an aside, I'll mention that there aren't any really really good authentic Chinese restaurants in all of Jacksonville. I'm not trying to be critical...it's just become apparent to me over the years. Chinese families in Jax have been known to drive down to Orlando just for a meal.

are there any chinese restaurants in Jax?

If so please let me know b/c I could really go for some Dim Sum !

[RiversideGator]

Silver Star on Blanding is a pretty good, sit down Chinese restaurant. 
http://jacksonville.citysearch.com/profile/2253762/?brand=smx_restaurant-nc

I dont know how authentic it is though (certainly not an expert on this).  An ethnic Chinese reviewer on that site recommended Bamboo Creek in Tinseltown.  Here is a review:
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/042508/lif_271421077.shtml

[stephElf]

Silver Star on Blanding is a pretty good, sit down Chinese restaurant. 
http://jacksonville.citysearch.com/profile/2253762/?brand=smx_restaurant-nc

I dont know how authentic it is though (certainly not an expert on this).  An ethnic Chinese reviewer on that site recommended Bamboo Creek in Tinseltown.  Here is a review:
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/042508/lif_271421077.shtml

ahh that place in tinseltown does have dim sum, i will have to make my way over there and post a review

thanks!

[jacksonvilleconfidential]

Silver Star on Blanding is a pretty good, sit down Chinese restaurant. 
http://jacksonville.citysearch.com/profile/2253762/?brand=smx_restaurant-nc

I dont know how authentic it is though (certainly not an expert on this).  An ethnic Chinese reviewer on that site recommended Bamboo Creek in Tinseltown.  Here is a review:
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/042508/lif_271421077.shtml

Wow, i havent been to Silver Star in years, I didnt even know that place was still around. And still good? The last time I was there, probably over 5 years ago, it was fantastic.

[jacksonvilleconfidential]

I LOVED their Cashew Chicken. Hated the seizures I had everytime I ate there.



http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.jacksonvilleconfidential.com/2010/07/fu-hao-bistro-closed_15.html

[Shwaz]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Captain Zissou]

SAD!!!!

I tried to give them plenty of business, but for whatever reason they were never that busy.

[ben says]

Always thought the place was a tad lackluster. Tried to do way too much, and when that happens, quality and consistency usually suffers.

I'd much rather a niche restaurant go in that space....Indian, Vietnamese, Turkish...bring some new flavors to the area, whether that area is Jacksonville or Five Points...

Damn, I'd even take Chew (if they are actually relocating).

[RockStar]

They went sushi and got rid of almost all of their Chinese dishes and that's what buried them. When the Chinese food stopped, they alienated alot of their clientele.

That spot should be a winner...

[ben says]

They went sushi and got rid of almost all of their Chinese dishes and that's what buried them. When the Chinese food stopped, they alienated alot of their clientele.

That spot should be a winner...

Good point-I actually do remember liking them more when they had more genuine Chinese meals--dishes that separated them from the rest of Sushi Hell...I'm talking to the twenty Sushi places within a ten mile radius of 5 Points...

[ChriswUfGator]

They went sushi and got rid of almost all of their Chinese dishes and that's what buried them. When the Chinese food stopped, they alienated alot of their clientele.

That spot should be a winner...

Good point-I actually do remember liking them more when they had more genuine Chinese meals--dishes that separated them from the rest of Sushi Hell...I'm talking to the twenty Sushi places within a ten mile radius of 5 Points...

Yeah, that's what killed them alright.

I can't believe they somehow didn't notice the dozens of sushi restaurants already operating within such a small area? It was destined to fail, there is waaaay too much competition in that niche already.

[Shwaz]

Especially since they also own and operate both Sake Houses.

[stjr]

Sad, I ate there regularly for lunch. Great food for a great price in a nice setting in a good location.  Really, not many places that offer this combination of value and quality.  They will be missed.

Actually, I wonder if they gave us too much for the money squeezing their margins.  Efficient service was uneven but generally adequate and better more recently.  I did have one business lunch there that took nearly an hour and half to get through and you can't do that too many times.