China Sails

To provide an interactive message center for our dedicated employees, patrons, and family members to re-connect with one another.

Please note that the recent opening of China Sails in Lynn, MA is by no means affiliated with the "Original" Dave Wong's China Sails.

Company Profile

After WWII, he had a vision to settle down, start a family and open a world class Chinese restaurant outside of Boston. Dave felt it was time to bring his style of Polynesian/Chinese cuisine to his customers and break away from the traditional norm of being grouped with other Chinese restaurants in Boston’s Chinatown.

Dave found an opportunity in Salem, Massachusetts, a traditional working class community, to purchase an existing Chinese restaurant, called Red Sails. Dave felt that the name itself denoted Communism and changed it to a more customer friendly name and called his restaurant, China Sails.

In 1949, Dave opened his first restaurant in Salem, Massachusetts and it took off from Day 1. He quickly expanded his business to Revere (Point of Pines) and Chestnut Hill (nearby the tennis center and Boston College). With the popularity of Shopping Centers and Malls, he then expanded his business to Peabody’s Northshore Shopping Center and Danver’s Liberty Tree Mall.

This web page is dedicated to the thousand of employees and patrons who helped Dave realize his dreams. This site is also to honor the memory of my parents, Dave and Doris Wong and my Big sister, Debbie Wong.

WOW. What great memories.

We used to go there most Sundays when I was young. We were living in Malden at the time. I remember always on the table was Guy Poo Won Ton and Char Su Din (hope I got the spelling correct). I have never seen Guy Poo Won Ton anywhere else.... I still crave it.

Dave always had a huge smile and was considered a friend of the family. He was even invited to my Bar Mitzvah!

Rick Mintz - Macedon, NY 14502

Dear Wong Family,

You have no idea how many lives your family's restaurant affected. Sorry to say I'm out in Houston Tx now, but I grew up in Marblehead and sadly left when I was 15. I've been gone for over 45 years yet I can still taste your daddy's food! My parents, my brothers and I all grew up eating your Dad's fantastic Chinese cuisine in Salem. Some days, when the air is just right here, I can even manufacture the taste of those ribs, the S&S Chicken, egg rolls w/ duck sauce in my memory. I can't stand it! I just want to jump on a plane and come back even if it's just for the evening. Please tell me that you have continued his rich heritage and kept the recipes sacred and true, and that you're still in business and going strong somewhere! I Will Be There!!!

Thanks for all the wonderful times,

Maryanne Mahoney

I grew up in Salem, remember Debbie from SHS, she was a few years older than me but if my memory serves me correctly, was a cheerleader. Anyway, I adored China Sails. I now live in Switzerland and my mother was recently visiting me and we started talking about my 8th grade graduation dinner at CS Salem and I can even remember where we were sitting, that big table in the corner when you came in past the front counter and walked straight into the restaurant.

Every Saturday night during Junior and Senior year in HS my friends and I would all go there after a night dancing at some horrible place. At least our dinner was delicious!

Susan

From: Chuck Swartz
To: Doug.Wong@chinasails.com
Sent: Sat, 6 Oct 2007 9:54 am
Subject: China Sails

I was searching the internet for a reference to your dad (he provided me with many great memories) and I found your web site. Thanks for keeping the memories alive.

Chuck Swartz

Dear Mr. Wong,

Hello from a family of loyal China Sails Customers from the 1960's..

My mom and her family are from Lynn, Mass and as a kid in the 60's we were always treated with the very best food and service at the China Sails in Chestnut Hill. It was my very first experience in Asian cuisine and I have always picked Chinese food over anything else when we had a choice!

Recently we started a reunion idea for our cousins club. My mom, age 88 and her generation used to have yearly reunions in Lynn but there are just a few of her generation left and now the Boomers are reassembling for the first time since the early 70's Memorial Day Weekend in Lynnfield, Mass!

I am trying desperately to put together a collage of our favorite places that we went to. I would love to get a 60's postcard, menu, matches ANYTHING that said China Sails on it for my collage or memory board. I would be more than happy to pay postage, etc if you would let me know if you have something like this or know who might. I tried Craigslist already and had no luck.

Is it true that you now have a restaurant there in that area and the name/

Thank you so much sir for the wonderful memories that your Dad gave the whole Slossberg ( Hartford CT ) and Cogan ( Lynn Mass) families!

Sincerely,

Joanne S. Kelly

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Please note that the recent opening of China Sails in Lynn, MA is by no means affiliated with the "Original" Dave Wong's China Sails.

Company Profile

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