Politics & Government

Licensing Problems Leave Asian Restaurant on Granite Street with Suspended Penalty

The license board penalized the restaurant for not having a manager on record and having an uncertified alcohol server.

The former Beijing Duck restaurant on Granite Street, now Mr. Chung's Asian Cuisine, was given a one-day suspended sentence earlier this week for violating the terms of its all-alcohol license.

Barring further violations over the next 180 days, Mr. Chung's will not have to serve the penalty, though it will remain on the restaurant's record for 48 months.

Members of the Board of License Commissioners penalized the eatery, located at Granite Plaza, after it came to their attention that Mr. Chung's was operating for much of 2012 without a manager of record after the former manager left the business last summer.

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The restaurant was also serving alcohol to patrons even though the two men running the operation, Tony Chung and his son Tommy Chung, did not hold certifications required under state law.

Tony Chung and his attorney George Burke admitted to the violations and promised to run the restaurant in compliance with local and state law going forward.

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"The business has been slow, but [Chung] has been making a great endeavor to be a success," Burke said. "In essence, he has been the corporation."

Board members expressed "trepidation" over the idea that Chung is working 90 hours per week as the manager, essentially running the restaurant himself with support of about 35 hours a week from his son. Still, they granted Chung status as manager of record, replacing the manager who left, on the condition that he complete alcohol certification.

"The regulations are very clear," Chair Joe Powers said, warning Chung to keep his house in order from now on.

The board granted an extension of the establishment's liquor license in 2011 to landlord F.X. Messina as the company worked to find a replacement for Beijing Duck.


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