Bay Briefing: The last stand of S.F. Chinatown s storied banquet halls
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Bill Lee, shown with daughter Kathy Lee, owns the Far East Cafe, one of two remaining banquet halls in Chinatown.Jessica Christian / The Chronicle
Good morning, Bay Area. It’s Tuesday, Feb. 16, and Michelin-star dining is still available for takeout you’ll just need to brush up on your plating skills. Here’s what you need to know to start your day.
More than a restaurant
For decades, Chinatown’s banquet halls have hosted celebrations, reinforced community and offered jobs to recent immigrants. But a Chinatown banquet is not just a party with a parade of family-style dishes. For a community that has endured segregation, racist immigration exclusion that kept families apart and threats of displacement, banquets are loud, bountiful, collective affirmations of community resilience.