Zàijiàn To Kings Restaurant On West Capitol Avenue

We gathered with old friends to say goodbye to a West Sacramento landmark last night. Kings Restaurant will be serving up their last Dim Sum brunch this Sunday. The 94 year old owner and chef, Mr. Lam, is retiring and his local celebrity server Jennifer will be taking an extended vacation to visit her family in Hong Kong.  Will sure miss their Bao and old school chow main. Photo by Barbara Linker. See this link for a previous post about Kings.

Sacramento Bee OCTOBER 25, 2017 12:03 PM King’s Restaurant, the West Sacramento eatery specializing in dim sum and with roots dating back to 1960, will close its doors at the close of business on Sunday. For decades, the restaurant at 1500 W. Capitol Ave. has been run by China native Chew Lam. Jennifer Dong, a 33-year-employee, said Wednesday that Lam is finally ready to retire. She said he will turn 94 next month. “It’s about time to retire, right?” said Dong, who said she will return to Hong Kong after the restaurant closes.

Chew Lam Obituary

Chew Hoy Lam 

November 27, 1924 - September 29, 2023 

West Sacramento, California - Chew Hoy Lam (A.K.A. Bing Keung Wong) 

Born in Hoi Ping, China on November 27th, 1924, Chew passed away peacefully at home in West Sacramento surrounded by his family on September 29th, 2023. Chew immigrated to the United States in 1949. He worked at an herb shop and had many restaurant jobs before opening his first restaurant in 1953, The Great Wall on K Street in downtown Sacramento. In 1959, Chew closed The Great Wall, and began construction of King's Restaurant in West Sacramento, which opened in 1960. King's Restaurant was known for its traditional Cantonese style cooking as well as its Dim Sum. Chew retired in 2017 at the age of 93, after 57 years of cooking and running the restaurant. 

One of Chew's greatest accolades was on November 15, 2017, when the City of West Sacramento honored him with a proclamation: "Now, therefore, be it proclaimed, that the City Council of the City of West Sacramento does hereby recognized King's Restaurant for its delicious food and incredible longevity as a West Sacramento Institution and sends best wishes to Chew Hoy Lam and his family in retirement." After Chew closed the restaurant, he continued to live in West Sacramento. He enjoyed reading his newspaper, cooking, watching Sacramento Kings Basketball, taking his daily walk, and spending time with his dogs. He is survived by two stepdaughters, Dolores Powell (David) and Jane Fong, and five sons, Benny Wong, John Wong (Cindy), Denny Wong (Erin), Kenneth Wong (Shelley), Michael Wong (Hongdara), and close family friend, Jennifer Dong (Tim). His grandchildren: Russell Likes (Kitman), Spencer Powell (Kelly), Jonathan Fong (Kelly), Alexander Fong (Ruby), Benjamin Fong, Sarah Wong, Jason Wong, Coco Wong, Justin Wong, Emeline Wong, Addison Wong, Kandle Zehrung (Jake), Hunter Wong, Kylea Wong and Paris Wong. He is also survived by many great grandchildren. 

Services will be held at River Cities Funeral Chapel, 910 Soule Street, West Sacramento, CA 95691 on October 12, 2023 at 10:00 AM.

Published by The Sacramento Bee on Oct. 8, 2023.

River City Big Band at Dave's Pumpkin Patch today

These members of the River City High School Big Band performed for the folks at Dave Vierra's  Pumpkin Patch today. The weather was warm but the music was really cool!

Wide Open Walls Mural Project in Sacramento

Christy Jourdan shot this remarkable photo of her niece Maya Johnson under the Wide Open Walls mural at 28th & R Streets in Sacramento.

New York magazine had this to say. "Just an hour from the hills of San Francisco or the vineyards of the Napa Valley, Sacramento is now a must-visit destination for those seeking a phenomenal, world-class street art scene. Even a day trip from either of those California landmarks will leave you feeling...WOW. So, do yourself a favor and take in the beauty of the new Wide Open Walls of Sacramento. What are you waiting for?"

Celebrating Nat's 89th Birthday

Longtime friend and resident of West Sacramento, Natividad "Nat"  Lopez celebrated her 89th Birthday today at the Espanol restaurant in Sacramento. Celebrating with Nat were 40 friends from her YMCA water exercise class.

Replacing the Past

A film about Sacramento's Redevelopment History.  This film made me sad and perhaps explains one of the reasons I decided to start this photoblog and capture some of the flavor of West Sacramento in transition.

National Night Out August 1,2017 West Sacramento

Mayor Christopher Cabaldon stopped by the 2017 Night Out event at Bo & Bonnie VonHoffman's house on Meadow Road this year.  With a great BBQ, kids water slide, classic cars and DJ Music, Bo and his team of volunteers always make this night a fun time for the neighbors and his family and friends.

Wheelchairs for Vets

The Knights of Columbus American Wheel Chair Mission donated 80 brand new wheelchairs still in the box to the Bryte VFW to distribute to their members in need today.

The Broderick Boys in the Great War

In 1917, a group of nineteen patriotic young men from Washington (Broderick) went to Mare Island Naval Base and enlisted in the U.S. Navy.  What is more remarkable, they all served on the same ship, USS Huntington, and made their community proud.



Through photographs and personal memorabilia this exhibition chronologically follows the history of the USS West Virginia before its renaming to the USS Huntington and pays a tribute to those young Broderick men who enlisted and fought in the war that was known as a war to end all wars, World War I.   City of West Sacramento, Community Center, HISTORY GALLERY, ​1075 West Capitol Avenue, West Sacramento

This exhibition is brought to West Sacramento thanks to the research and commitment of volunteer members of State of California Military Department-Military Museum, the West Sacramento Historical Society, Dorothy Dupzyk and her niece Julie Duncan.

For further information, you may contact the West Sacramento Historical Society at (916) 374-1849.

West Sacramento Launches Major Levee Project

Congresswoman Doris Matsui and West Sacramento’s Mayor Christopher Cabaldon, along with flood protection partners, broke ground on the Southport Levee Improvement Project today, Tuesday, May 9 with more than 75 people in attendance. The Southport Levee Improvement Project is West Sacramento’s largest levee project to date. It will improve nearly six miles of vulnerable levee along the Sacramento River in Southport. It is one of four significant West Sacramento levee projects initiated in the past ten years. “The Southport project represents the first levee improvement initiative to meet both federal and state requirements in the post Katrina era,” said West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon. “The levee will provide a 200-year level of protection consistent with the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan. This benefits not only the citizens and businesses of West Sacramento, but also provides significant habitat and recreational opportunities for the entire region.” West Sacramento is approved for $1.2 billion in federal funding for flood protection projects as part of the 2016 Water Resources Development Act thanks to the tireless effort of Congresswoman Doris Matsui and project partners. The Southport project is the first step in addressing the remaining levee deficiencies in West Sacramento. Project partners including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Central Valley Flood Protection Board and California Department of Water Resources spoke about the significance of the Southport Project and the benefits contained in the federal WRDA bill. About West Sac Flood Protect diligently works to improve 52 miles of levees that protect West Sacramento. Created in 1994, West Sac Flood Protect coordinates, funds and constructs major flood risk reduction projects and spearheads West Sacramento-area flood risk reduction efforts.

Contact: Paul Hosley

City of West Sacramento

M: 415.699.8196

Meagan Luevano

Crocker & Crocker

M: 916.896.7406

Our Lady of Grace Track Meet

Thank you to Laura Garcia-MacDonald for sharing this great photo of a hurdler from Our Lady of Grace Scool in West Sacramento.  This girls stride is picture perfect!

Ready for summer Burgers and Brew

Patios are ready and the slide up doors are open for this wonderful weather at the new Burgers and Brew on Third Street in West Sacramento!

Runaway Stage Productions coming to West Sacramento

How exciting! Runaway Stage Productions will be moving to their new facility of South River Road.  Read more in the Sacramento Bee
"The nonprofit theater company produces six shows a year, and also runs a series of youth workshops for dancing, vocals and acting. Runaway Stage Productions will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2017, and currently rents separate spaces for equipment storage and rehearsals. Plans for its West Sacramento theater call for all of its operations and storage to be housed in one facility."

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/entertainment/arts-culture/article95636902.html#storylink=cpy