Chinese, sushi restaurants coming to Crystal Lake

CRYSTAL LAKE — Two new restaurants are coming in early 2018 to the Virginia Street corridor in Crystal Lake.

McHenry's Plum Garden owner Perry Moy said he's excited to bring Chinese food and sushi to the Crystal Lake area with his two new restaurant concepts at 446 W. Virginia St.

Moy and his sons are planning to open a sit-down, Chinese-style restaurant that will include similar items to Plum Garden. The other restaurant will consist of a sushi bar with areas to relax, socialize and enjoy evening entertainment over cocktails, according to a news release from the city of Crystal Lake.

The family-owned business saw the large space on Virginia Street as an opportunity to do two different concept restaurants but use the same kitchen, Crystal Lake economic development manager Heather Maieritsch said. Currently, the space is divided with a restaurant on the far left, a bar and entertainment area in the middle and a large open space for banquets to the right.

“Plum Garden is a very well-known restaurant that people from Crystal Lake have enjoyed traveling to,” Maieritsch said. “I’m really excited he’s going to bring the great atmosphere and food to the Crystal Lake community.”

The former location used to be Porter’s Oyster Bar, which closed about 2006 and has been vacant since.

Earlier this year, M Supper Club also opened in the Virginia Street corridor and 1776, a restaurant specialized in wine pairing and locally sourced foods, underwent renovations and is under new ownership.

“This has been a great draw within the community, and now Moy will bring another location people can go to and visit,” Maieritsch said. “A couple of years ago, we did a lot of improvements with walkability, landscape and increasing the vibrancy of the corridor, so it’s nice to see that restaurants are really picking up and creating a restaurant row.”