Arizona Business Gazette from Phoenix, Arizona • Page BG6

6 REGIONALREPORT Twolunchtimefavoritesat theChineseCulturalCenterin eastPhoenixhaveclosedbe- causeoffinancialtrouble. GoldenBuddhaRestaurant, knownforitsbite-sizeChinese dim-sumdumplingsandits ChingHingShanghaiRestau- Noticestapedtothewindows ofbothrestaurantsinformdin- takenoverthepremisesandall changedthelocks. Weworkedwiththemvery, resentativeforCOFCO. Butit Somerestaurantscontinue tostruggleinthewakeofthere- industry.TheArizonaRestau- rantAssociationcountedanes- timated500restaurantclosures from2007to2010.Althoughthe industryisonfirmergroundto- Nationallytherateofgrowth forrestaurantswasflatin2008 growingatarateof1percent tionalRestaurantAssociation. Roblinsaidhebelievesthe familythatownedLaoChing HingShanghaibecame stretchedfinanciallywhenitat- temptedasecondrestaurantin thePhoenixarea.

RoblinalsosaidGolden Buddhahadahistoryofnotpay- ingtaxes.Recordsshowitowed hundredsofthousandsofdol- sanddollarstothefederalgov- ernment. COFCOgrewconcerned Wehadtose- ChingHingShanghaicouldnot bereachedforcomment. MaricopaCountyrecords showGoldenBuddhahadsever- mentissuedalienindicatingit Recordsshowitpaidoffthe lien. noticeofviolationtotherestau- rantforfailuretopaythecity suedanoticetotherestaurant, showingitowedthestate naDepartmentofEconomicSe- curityissuedanoticethatthe taxestothestate. ernmentissuedalienfor restaurantpaidoffthelienin March2009.

PHOENIX Financialwoesfell2Chinese-centereateries ByEmilyGersema wheretworestaurantsclosed. FillmoreSt. McKinleySt. MelvinSt. BeatriceSt.

VanBurenSt. COFCOCenterCt. 40thSt. 40thPl. 42ndSt.

44thSt. 41stSt. GatewayBlvd. CHINESECULTURALCENTER TheChineseCulturalCenterineastPhoenixis 202 Chinese Cultural Center Feet 500 boutiquehotelinParadiseVal- craft-cocktaildestination. FredUngeracquired50pieces ofartfromFigarelliFineArtin than30piecesfromoriginal propertyownerandcowboyart- istLonMegargee.TravisNass, awell-knownmixologistwho waspreviouslyatRanchoPinot, wasrecruitedinthespringto gram.

TheHermosaInnwasal- readyadestinationfordistinc- tiveartwork.Ithousesanum- sketchesandscarves.In2005, theArtistinResidenceSeries musiciansandauthorstocome sharestoriesabouttheirartand lives. ButUngeralwayswantedto collectionofsculpturesbyfam- ousNativeAmericanartistAl- lanHouser.Longtimefriend andartistsIrepresenthere rellisaid. Themainattractionsare15 largesculpturestransportedby cranefromthegallerytothe inn.Thesculpturesarescat- SculptureGarden. WhenSharonandIfirst thereweresomanylittleareas whereasculpturejustmade Theart- workjustfitinperfectwithour American-inspiredpiecesby Houser.OtherworksarebyNa- vajosculptorTonyLeeandPaul boyArtistsofAmerica. said.

Thepropertyjustswal- lowsthemup.It’sspectacular.” Thirty-fiveotherpiecesare scatteredthroughouttheprop- thatarepurchasedwillbere- placedbyanotherfromthegal- lery. Anotherformofartiscreat- inganewcocktaillist.Nass bringsawealthofcocktail mosaandtheLastDropBar.He previouslyservedasbarman- ageratRanchoPinotand jumpedattheopportunityto cocktailprogram. freereigntoimplementany changestobothbars.Hehasal- readydevelopedthecocktail whichhesaidcontainsmostly classiccocktailssuchasthe MoscowMule.TheLastDrop featuresseveralnewdrinksand isstillintheworks.Itwillin- cludewhatNass moreeccen- Weincludelocalproducts callymademesquitesyrupand bittersfromtheArizonaBitters mosaInnamust-stopcraft cocktaildestination. NORTHEASTVALLEY HermosaInndebutsitsSculptureGarden ByKellieHwang TravisNassisoverhaulingthe HermosaInn'sentirecocktail menu. HERMOSAINN.