There’s a buzz in Summit about a new Chinese Restaurant at 6033 S. Archer Road.
They serve generous portions, and that’s something that owner Kris An is proud of, and hoping word-of-mouth gets around.
Premier Taste opened in February in a space that has cycled through identities — a Mexican restaurant for years, a brief hibachi experiment, and most recently a gaming lounge. An and his partner, who owns the gaming business, saw potential in the kitchen that was already built out but never fully used. An, who owns another restaurant in Evergreen Park and has spent years in the food business, saw a chance to do something different.
“I’m not trying to make some money and close the next year,” An said. “I want to identify ourselves as a value takeout restaurant — where people can get reasonable prices and good quality food.”
The strategy is simple: a simplified menu of about 40 to 50 items instead of the 200-plus dishes typical Chinese takeout restaurants offer. Fewer options mean the kitchen can focus on consistency and freshness. An sources larger shrimp than competitors use. He cuts orange chicken into cubes so diners can actually taste the meat, not just breading. Lunch specials run $10.99 and come with portions generous enough that customers open the box and say, “Wow, this is a lot of food.”
The most popular dishes so far tell a story about the neighborhood. The hot and spicy chicken steak — a unique item An doesn’t see at other takeout restaurants — has drawn consistent praise, especially from the area’s Hispanic population. The walnut shrimp and traditional favorites like orange chicken and sweet and sour chicken are also moving.
An is committed to neighborhood businesses — the kind that puts roots in a community and stays.
Opening seven days a week proved unsustainable. Staffing is hard. People need days off. Consistency suffers when you’re stretched thin. So Premier Taste now operates Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The restaurant has four tables for dine-in customers — An knows that when he grabs lunch, he wants somewhere to sit and eat it.
The simplified menu also reflects a philosophy about how to run a restaurant sustainably. A massive menu requires chefs who can execute hundreds of dishes flawlessly. A focused menu lets the kitchen nail consistency and freshness — the two things An cares about most.
“What we can do here is make sure our food quality stays maintained at the same level,” he said. “Being consistent, basically. So we get more comeback customers.”
Premier Taste offers limited dine-in seating and carries beer and mixed drinks. The space still functions as a gaming lounge — a holdover from its previous life that An has kept in place.
An plans to slowly add pork dishes and eventually offer different portion sizes. For now, everything comes in one size: generous.
“We’re just trying to do it slowly,” he said. “Even different sizes — that’s a lot to maintain the service level at the beginning.”
For readers who mention this article and Southwest Regional Publishing, Premier Taste is offering a free appetizer on orders over $20.
To order online, visit premiertaste.kwickmenu.com or call 708-701-2184.