Far East Program

Project Coordinator: Bill Watanabe
Far East Chop Suey Cafe

The Far East Cafe, one of several Chop Suey restaurants in Little Tokyo during its heyday, was one of the most popular and well-known eateries in the Southern California Nikkei community - almost everyone knew what it was and where it was. 

Damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the building was rehabbed by the Little Tokyo Service Center and the cafe re-opened in 2005. Mr. Ray Chong, currently residing in Texas, has done extensive research into the history of the Far East Cafe and his family's past connection with the famed restaurant. Ray, in conjunction with the Little Tokyo Historical Society, will be presenting his family history and how it has intertwined with the history of the cafe at a seminar on Sunday, July 18, 2010 at 1:30pm at the Far East Chop Suey cafe.