Newspaper Article Archive of
West Seattle Herald

By Lindsay Peyton

Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name.

And Young’s Restaurant, 9413 16th Ave SW, fits the bill.

Besides humongous omelets, French toast special, chicken fried steak, a variety of hamburgers and sandwiches and plates of Hunan chicken, pork lo mein and chow mein, the restaurant serves up top-notch customer service.

“We get to know the customers,” manager Janice Young said. “We know what they like and how they like it. We know them by name – and that’s the recipe that makes things good.”

Her parents, Van and Ella Young, own the restaurant – and Janice grew up among the tables and in the kitchen and has befriended generations of diners.

“Our customers are like family,” Ella said. “ And Janice was like a daughter to our customers.”

The Youngs were among the “boat people” -- refugees from Vietnam, who fled the country after the war and immigrated to the U.S. in 1978.

They first settled in North Carolina -- but fell in love with Seattle after visiting a friend in Bellevue. Five years later, they decided to make a move.

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