Renovated Kong Opens

The Hong Kong Restaurant, a staple of the late-night student diet for nearly half a century, reopened in early July after extensive renovation, to both the building and the menu.

The "Kong," known for its dark interio: and high-octane scorpion bowls, has added three new windows and changed the way customers enter the building at 1236 Mass. Ave.

The Kong has also replaced its entire kitchen crew and chef, according to Kong staff member Paul Lee.

"We have new cooks who have worked in [Boston's] Chinatown and Hong Kong," Lee said. "The [new] chef [Paul Lau] was being courted by four or five different restaurants."

Lau, a native of Hong Kong, has previously worked at Weylu's, a restaurant in Chinatown, as well as in Hong Kong restaurants, Lee said.

Reflecting the changes in the kitchen stall, the menu has more than 30 new items.

The new menu concentrates on seafood selections, and has some new sections including "chow foon, panfried noodle, or rice plate," and "chef specialties," such as House special salmon, baked salted chicken, steamed shrimp and scallop and double flavor lamb.

After the renovations, the Kong discontinued its 10 percent discount on student food bills. Lee said that prices were already as low as the restaurant thought feasible.

New menu items range from $3.25 for a small order of most kinds of fried rice and some kinds of noodles to $23.00 for Peking Duck, a two-course dish.

Customers will notice changes in the physical aspects of the Kong as well. The new entrance, which is on the right-hand side of the small above marking the doorway, opens into a room now well-lit by sunlight and new electric lights.

The back area, which customers previously walked through on the way to the main dining area, is now around a corner and somewhat secluded. Lee said that change would please customers who prefer privacy while dining.