Legendary Tung Sing Chinese restaurant is opening a new outlet in a Cork suburb

ONE of Cork’s oldest restaurants, Tung Sing, is opening a new outlet in Ballincollig in the coming weeks.

The Chinese restaurant, which currently has two outlets — one in the city centre on Patrick Street and another in Blarney — is opening a third venue on Main Street in Ballincollig, above Sam’s Bar.

Speaking to The Echo, Frank Lee, who runs the restaurant chain with his two brothers, said that he is both nervous and excited about the new venture.

“We weren’t really thinking about expanding, someone approached us and originally I said no. Then I asked to take a look at the place and saw an opportunity.”

The new restaurant has the capacity for 100 diners.

Frank said that initially they are employing 10 to 15 staff which could grow to 25-35 if all goes well.

“Ballincollig is a developing thriving centre with a growing population and we think there is a lot of potential to do very well.

“We are not giving an official opening date yet, it is completely new staff except for the head chef and second chef so we are giving everyone a chance to settle in.”

Frank said he was very lucky to get chefs he had worked with previously and that he knew he could rely on.

“It was one of my biggest concerns that I could rely on my chefs to maintain the standards that we have at our other two restaurants and meet the expectation of the customers.

“I know the quality of the work of these chefs and I know how hard they work and I consider myself very lucky.”

Mr Lee said that the secret to the family restaurant’s success is good quality food at a good price.

“We are not reinventing the wheel, but we know what we are at,” Mr Lee said.

“We provide all the things you expect from a good quality restaurant and people come and enjoy our food and know that when they come back again everything will be just as good.”

Tung Sing in Ballincollig will be opening above Sam’s Bar on the Main Street in the coming weeks.

Also opening in Ballincollig in the coming weeks is a second Cork Jam café.

Jam has a number of cafés across Cork and Kerry with one in Kenmare and another in Killarney.

Jam food, sweet, savoury and salads are all made by a team of artisan bakers and chefs, under the direction of Chef and Proprietor James Mulchrone, at their own dedicated bakery in Kenmare which are delivered to their cafes in Kerry and Cork early each morning.

The original Cork Jam café is located on Frankfield Road, Ballycurran and their second Cork venue is to be located on the main street of Ballincollig where Republic Café and Social used to be.