GRANVILLE -- Apparently Granville has had a pent-up desire for Chinese food.
Dragon Village Chinese restaurant opened downtown Nov. 2 to such an onslaught of customers that owner Xue Gao had to close the doors because they ran out of food.
"I expected 150 for the opening, and 400 came," Xue said.
"That really shocked me. We had to close the door at 6:15 because we ran out of everything. And the second day it was still 400 people. And the third day it was still 400 people. And we're expecting even more over the weekend.
"So far it's too busy. But I try to do my best."
It's a nice problem to have -- too much success. But Xue, 28, isn't complaining. He's just concerned because he's trying hard to maintain high standards in the face of overwhelming demand.
He knows he gets only one chance to make a good first impression.
"I would like to maintain my food," he said.
"When people come in here and eat my food, I would like them to walk out and say the food is good. I don't want people to say it's OK. I want my food on a high scale, good quality. I want people to come back."
Xue said his General Tso's chicken is his most popular entrée.
The name Dragon Village came from his home.
"I'm from a village called Dragon Village in China," he said.
He also owns another Chinese restaurant near Etna, in southwestern Licking County. He came to Granville, he said, "Because it's a beautiful town. But people here, I think, have not much of a choice of restaurants. So I will try my best."
But for Xue, that's only part of the story. Two days after he opened the Granville restaurant, he became a U.S. citizen.
"I came to America 12 years ago when I was 17," he said. "I came here to find the American dream. I met my wife here. I have three children now. I've got two restaurants. So I found the American dream. I did."
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