Jade Palace is closed, but the restaurant hopes for a second life

Closures of longtime restaurants usually yield plenty of phone calls from people asking what’s happening.

Jade Palace was no exception.

Yes, to all the readers who called, it’s true, the Chinese restaurant in University Place has closed.

Its last night of service was July 16. Then it closed quietly with little fanfare other than a mention on social media that indicated the restaurant’s future plans. A Facebook post said, “Thank you for all your support and likes for the past four decades.”

The restaurant operated in the Green Firs Towne Center shopping center. It was known for a menu featuring the greatest hits of Chinese-American dining, its private booths and abundance of floral patterns in the decor.

In a Facebook message, the departure was characterized as a rental disagreement.

What happens next is uncertain, but the restaurant is searching for a new home.

“The manager is working day and night for the goal,” read a Facebook message.

One restaurant exits and another immediately enters.

Slated to go into the former Jade Palace space is a Japanese steakhouse, Sapporo. It will have teppanyaki tables with a surf-and-turf options, plus sushi and Japanese dishes such as donburi.

UPDATE 8/7/17: Here is a story with more detail about Sapporo, which plans to open this year in the former home of Jade Palace.

This story was originally published August 4, 2017 at 8:00 AM with the headline "Jade Palace is closed, but the restaurant hopes for a second life."