09/10/2016
Kim Ling Mini Restaurant is the FIRST Chinese Restaurant in South Kolkata, possibly the first Chinese take away in India, founded and started by Mr. John Lee and his wife Mrs. Lee(Ms. Mary Liang) in 1965.
Mr John Lee started this restaurant with 20 years of experience gathered from the then finest coffee shop in the world Ferrazini's(new market kolkata), Waldorf Chinese Restaurant, Oberoi grand in Delhi and many more. Mr. John Lee also had many other trades in hand like hand woven cane and plastic wallets and bags, handmade candles, handmade shoes, home made sauces, homemade wines Etc. all with the help of his mother-in-law who was a lady from a royal descent from Guangdong province - China. Mr. John Lee also did chinese merchandize trading including packed snacks and chinese souviniers that his Father-in-law used to bring back to Kolkata from Guangdong by Ship.
Kim Ling Mini Restaurant got it's full establishment in 1972 through determination and the help of excellent lawyers back in those days. Before Kim Ling Mini Restaurant there were no other "KIM LING" in KOLKATA. Its popularity kept on increasing throughout the years till people started loving Authentic Chinese Fast food!
The origional recipes and exquisitely sumptuous taste with its generous servings for an absolutely reasonable price along with its rich cultural, interesting, nostalgic and absolutely curiousity arousing history makes you want to find out more. You should talk to Mr. John Lee who is now 85 years old and still serves and welcomes his customers heartily. He has passed down his recipes to his loyal and highly skilled chefs and cooks who now carry on his legacy since he was 33 years of age.
He is old now and looses his temper often, though he often does repeat how lovely he feels when customers return and tell him about stories of their childhood with Kim Ling Mini Restaurant and how now their children and grandchildren are enjoying the authentic taste from one of Kolkata's richest heritage - THE FIRST CHINESE RESTAURANT IN SOUTH KOLKATA!
