Post #342070 by Lapu-Lapu on Sun, Nov 4, 2007 11:25 PM

I hope the ol' Ho-Toy Luau never closes.

I rarely ever go there, but I'd rather see it there on the corner next to the gas station than another G-damned Starbucks or Quiznos!

It's in a somewhat notorious section of Worcester (or Wormtown; as we local & way-cool musician guys call it) and at night it is the bastion of too-drunk last-callers and beery college knuckleheads.

Food is OK (when it's 1:00AM - and it's that or Wendy's or nothing) -- standard Pu-Pu fare, but the Crab Rangoons taste like they are made with American Cheese; not cream cheese. Ugh!

The Ho-Toy's owner is an affable elf of a fellow and consummate wiseguy host.
When I ordered food over the phone one night and gave my name: "McCarthy" he quickly asked me if I was related to "Joe McCarthy" (the 1950's Communist-hating witch-hunter). I chuckled, "not that I know of" and he sighed in mock relief, then told me "When I came over here (USA) you people held me up for fifteen-minutes! I could have done so much more with my life!"
A real character. It's worth going once just to meet him.

A couple of years ago, his son apparently re-invented the wheel, or something at M.I.T. and he (the owner) will proudly point out the newspaper clippings on the wall behind the cash register while you wait for your Chicago-style Beef Chow Mein, Egg Fu Yung, and Pork Fried Rice.

I have an old Worcester phone book from the 1960's that has an ad/listing for the Ho-Toy in the business section. It shows the current owner (in his younger days) with a bespectacled "Ken Chin"
I have to assume he was a partner at one time, then went out on his own to open "Ken Chin's" (up Park Ave West and down Mill Street -- never been there - looks crummy and tiki-less)

I wonder what caused the schism between these two fine Chinamen?

[ Edited by: Lapu-Lapu 2007-11-04 23:30 ]

[ Edited by: Lapu-Lapu 2007-11-04 23:34 ]

[ Edited by: Lapu-Lapu 2007-11-04 23:36 ]