A decades-old Chinese restaurant known in part for its buffet and dim sum has shut down for good, with a new spot opening in its space.
According to a source, Yangtze River in Lexington is closed, and while checks on the place over the past few months indicated that it seemed to be closed for renovations, a page within the town's website shows that the Depot Square space is getting a new owner and a new dining spot called Sanyo is planning to open there. Yangtze River had been in business since the mid-1970s, offering a mix of Chinese-American and authentic Chinese fare and featuring a lunch and dinner buffet along with a weekend dim sum.
Very little is currently known about Sanyo; as soon as we find out more, we will post an update here.
The address for the now-closed Yangtze River (and the new Sanyo) is 25 Depot Square, Lexington, MA, 02420.
[February 26, 2018 update: The Lexington Minuteman is reporting that Sanyo will be a Chinese and Japanese restaurant owned by the person behind Bamboo and Mandarin, two dining spots with a handful of locations in the local area. The article says that the upcoming eatery will offer dishes found on Bamboo's menu, while also offering sushi, udon noodles, tempura, and more--and the restaurant will also keep some of Yangtze River's favorites, including Chinese-American dishes, a lunch buffet, and dim sum. (Thanks to a source for initially bringing this to our attention.)]
[May 18, 2018 update: A new post from The Lexington Minuteman states that renovations are approximately 90% complete on the space in which Sanyo is moving into, and if all goes well, the new restaurant could be opening sometime in June.]
[September 12, 2018 update: A source tells us that Sanyo has apparently opened (or is in the process of opening) in Lexington.]
[September 26, 2018 update: A check on the place last night indicates that Sanyo is indeed open, though the sign for Yangtze River is still in place (a sign for Sanyo is also shown by the front door).]
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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Food Items from Asian Restaurants in the Boston Area]
