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Happy Dragon Chinese Restaurant

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Coordinates: 45°31′40″N 122°34′46″W / 45.5277°N 122.5794°W / 45.5277; -122.5794
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Happy Dragon Chinese Restaurant
Map
Restaurant information
Food type
Street address707 Northeast 82nd Avenue
CityPortland
CountyMultnomah
StateOregon
Postal/ZIP Code97220
CountryUnited States
Coordinates45°31′40″N 122°34′46″W / 45.5277°N 122.5794°W / 45.5277; -122.5794

Happy Dragon Chinese Restaurant is a family-operated Chinese restaurant in Portland, Oregon, United States.[1] The business was established in Independence in 2013 and relocated to 82nd Avenue in the northeast Portland part of the Montavilla neighborhood in 2018.

Happy Dragon also operated an outpost at Spirit Mountain Casino, a Native American casino operated by the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon in Grand Ronde, from 2022 to 2024.

Description

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Happy Dragon Chinese Restaurant operates in the northeast Portland part of the Montavilla neighborhood. Previously, the business operated in a wood-paneled space with gold-painted dragon wallpaper on Polk Street in Independence.[2] The Portland restaurant operates on 82nd Avenue and has a banquet hall with Lazy Susans.[3][4][5] The menu has included Cantonese / Chinese cuisine such as lo mein, Peking duck, and sweet-and-sour chicken. The restaurant has also served Chinese pancakes, chicken feet,[6] jellyfish, king crab, ginger-scallion lobster,[7] and other seafood,[8] as well as soy sauce chicken, vegetable fried rice,[5] and xiaolongbao (soup dumplings).[2]

History

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Happy Dragon opened in Independence in 2013. Linan (or Li Nan)[9] Feng, who previously worked at Ocean City Seafood Restaurant and Wong's King in Portland,[10] is a chef and owner.[2]

In 2018, the business announced plans to relocate to Portland.[11][12][13][14] Happy Dragon opened in Portland in October 2018,[1] and Lucky Dragon Restaurant began operating in the Independence space that had previously housed Happy Dragon on April 6, 2019.[15]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Happy Dragon experienced declined sales because of indoor dining restrictions as well as racial discrimination.[16] In 2021, the restaurant participated in the Around the World in 82 Dishes, a food competition organized by the 82nd Avenue Business District for businesses along 82nd Avenue.[17]

An outpost of Happy Dragon operated at Spirit Mountain Casino from June 2022 to April 7, 2024.[6][18]

Reception

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In Eater Portland's 2024 list of "stellar" restaurants on the "culinarily blessed" 82nd Avenue, Alli Fodor and Nathan Williams wrote, "By outside appearances, Happy Dragon looks like a longstanding institution on 82nd, the sort of mid-century Chinese restaurant that might just be coasting on a decades-old reputation." They said the business "quickly earning enthusiastic word of mouth praise for its Cantonese fare" following the move to Portland and called the Peking duck "the best in town".[8] Writers also included the business in the website's 2024 overview of Portland's best Chinese food.[4] Eater Portland's Brooke Jackson-Glidden has recommended Happy Dragon for large groups.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Happy Dragon's Peking Duck Is an Excuse to Celebrate". Portland Monthly. ISSN 1546-2765. Archived from the original on 2023-03-26. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  2. ^ a b c Jackson-Glidden, Brooke. "Dining review: Must try Peking duck at Independence's Happy Dragon". Statesman Journal. Gannett. ISSN 0739-5507. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  3. ^ "A Tour of Portland's Best Cantonese Barbecue Spots". Willamette Week. 2021-08-04. Archived from the original on 2021-09-26. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  4. ^ a b Nanbu, Seiji (2016-03-03). "Where to Find the Best Chinese Food in Portland". Eater Portland. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 2021-05-20. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  5. ^ a b Damewood, Andrea. "We Should All Be Eating Chinese Takeout for Christmas This Year". Portland Mercury. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  6. ^ a b Hale, Jamie (2024-04-07). "How to spend a night at Spirit Mountain Casino without gambling". The Oregonian. Advance Publications. ISSN 8750-1317. OCLC 985410693. Archived from the original on 2024-06-28. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  7. ^ a b Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2022-08-02). "Portland Restaurants and Food Cart Pods Great for Large Groups". Eater Portland. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  8. ^ a b Fodor, Alli (2018-01-24). "Stellar Restaurants to Visit on Portland's Culinarily Blessed Southeast 82nd Avenue". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2024-09-10. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  9. ^ "New Chinese restaurant is a family affair". Polk County Itemizer-Observer. Country Media. 2013-08-16. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  10. ^ Russell, Michael (2018-12-19). "13 new Portland restaurants you should know about right now". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2021-01-18. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  11. ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2018-08-13). "This Hidden Gem Chinese Restaurant in Farm Country Is Relocating to Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2022-12-03. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  12. ^ Teel, Emily. "Happy Dragon restaurant in Independence announces closure, plans to move". Statesman Journal. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  13. ^ Teel, Emily. "Happy Dragon Chinese Restaurant finds new home, sets opening date". Statesman Journal. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  14. ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2018-09-20). "Beloved Farm Country Chinese Restaurant Will Open in Montavilla This Month". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-09-29. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  15. ^ Teel, Emily. "A new Chinese restaurant for Independence in the former home of Lucky Dragon". Statesman Journal. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  16. ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2020-03-11). "Restaurants Brace for Sharper Decline in Events Business With State Ban on Large Gatherings". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2020-05-08. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  17. ^ Russell, Michael (2021-10-21). "Go 'Around the World in 82 dishes' during 82nd Avenue event". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2021-11-27. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  18. ^ "Happy Dragon Restaurant closed". Smoke Signals. Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon. June 1, 2024. p. 5.
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