Fire-Closed Chinese Restaurant Reopens After 16 Months

Celebrating a "grand reopening" Thursday was the L & L Chinese Seafood Restaurant in El Cerrito, which  when it was damaged by a fire that started in the kitchen after an employee locked himself in the freezer and apparently left something heating on a stove.

The front of the establishment at 10140 San Pablo Ave. was festooned by balloons, potted flowering plants adorned with auspicious red ribbons, and a hand-written red sign saying, "L&L Chinese Restaurant Grand Reopening Daily Business." The sign said the business is open 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

A late-afternoon visit Thursday by Patch to the restaurant, located on the eastern side of San Pablo between Central and Lincoln avenues, found several employees and no customers.

The restaurant is essentially the same as it was before, with the same owner, one of the employees said. The owner was not there and cannot be reached by phone, the employee said.