Shoo Loong Kan (SLK), an authentic, Sichuan-style hot pot chain with thousands of locations around the world, held a soft opening of its first northeast location at Tangram in Flushing on Wednesday, June 1.
As one of the most famous Chinese hot pot brands, SLK’s mission is to bring traditional Chinese cuisine to the world. Following its soft opening, SLK will celebrate its grand opening later this month.
The Chengdu-based restaurant brand is known for its acclaimed hot pot broth recipe served with accompaniments like beef tripe, pork meatballs, spicy beef and dessert fried rice cakes with brown sugar, along with other dippable delicacies.
This opening marks the brand’s premier location in the United States.
“As the first flagship location in North America, SLK at Tangram marks a new stage in Shoo Loong Kan’s history and global presence,” said General Manager Eason Liu. “Tangram is the ideal location to introduce a U.S. audience to SLK. We are opening alongside world-renowned brands and are honored to bring our history, culture and cuisine to this destination.”
Offering the best of Sichuan cuisine in China, Shoo Loong Kan’s new 5,029-square-foot restaurant at Tangram will immerse guests in a culturally rich experience centered around Sichuan dishes and communal hot pot dining, along with cultural performances and curated menus exclusive to the Tangram location.
In addition to hot pot classics food fans know and love, SLK serves high-grade beef ribs, precious mushrooms and fresh seafood, all presented with an eye-catching ceremony in line with its traditional Chinese culture for banquet settings.
The menu will introduce nine new dishes exclusive to the first U.S. location for banquet-style dining including beef cured in pink Himalayan salt, and a fresh aorta with bamboo and pearl mushrooms, among others.
The design of the restaurant guides guests through an intimate and traditionally inspired transitional landscape, utilizing richly layered, natural and well-crafted materials of wood, stone, plantings, water and light throughout the space.
The stone walls and floors with themed reliefs are strong yet airy with historical Chinese-inspired carvings and openings. The restaurant’s wood lattice detailing creates a delightful ornate screen of semi-privacy throughout, while bamboo provides an organically vibrant screen set against a grey stone interior, incorporating natural elements into the setting. A central water feature reflects and shimmers with lights and soothing sounds, adding movement and freshness to the flow of the restaurant.
The culminating effect of the theory of the five elements — water, wood, fire, earth and metal — to the overall ambiance of the space delights the senses in preparation for the culinary experience and deep flavors served. SLK’s western-style Sichuan courtyard will feature red lanterns hanging from the ceiling, blue brick walls to signal tranquility and a central pool with live carp surrounded by a carved dragon gate. The restaurant showcases banquet tables inspired by the Han, Tang, Ming and Qing dynasties, all custom designed exclusively for the Tangram location.
“We are thrilled to be able to help SLK build their presence here in the heart of downtown Flushing, and to introduce an authentic experience of this world-class Chinese cuisine to New Yorkers and the world,” said architect Ning Lu, principal of Lu Ning Architecture (LNA). “LNA has worked with many Asian enterprises to establish their presence in New York. The space specifically is rooted in our understanding and appreciation of Asian language, art and culture.”
For an all-inclusive experience, guests can dine at SLK, along with experiencing Tangram’s 1.2-million-square-foot destination that features immersive retail, global cuisine, nightlife, entertainment, a four-star 208-key Renaissance Hotel complete with a Prime Met Steakhouse and rooftop, a Regal Tangram 4DX (the first new movie theater to open in Flushing in over 35 years), family-friendly activities, two residential towers, an office tower and more.
“Flushing is in the middle of a renaissance and our vision was for Tangram to be at the forefront of that by providing a community oasis to our local residents and visitors,” said Xiao Hu, a spokesperson for F&T Group. “Tangram is unlike any other place in the city and featuring international brand debuts like Shoo Loong Kan is an extremely important part of our retail strategy. We hope to attract visitors from all over the tri-state area and beyond who want to be the first to experience SLK’s world-famous dishes and all that Tangram has to offer.”
