Sandy Weng has been the owner-operator of China Inn Cafe since it was founded in 1994 along I-10 in Katy, east of its current location. The restaurant serves traditional Chinese cuisine in-house and offers delivery services. Weng moved to the Katy area from New York shortly before the restaurant opened.

“After [your] teenager years, you realize you need to start looking for a career and doing what you know the best,” Weng said.

She employs a staff of about a dozen people.

Weng is proud of the food at her restaurant, especially the General Tso’s chicken, orange beef, and asparagus chicken and shrimp dishes, she said. Weng said the key thing with the orange beef is to make sure the beef breading remains crispy.

She said she uses secret family recipes to stand out from other Chinese restaurants in the area.

“My whole family is in the restaurant business,” Weng said.

Weng said China Inn Cafe has seen some challenges with delivery revenues over the last few years as online delivery services have become popular.

Delivery customers often do not realize they can get free delivery at her restaurant, she said. She also noted that online delivery services charge a fee.

“I just hope to improve the delivery business,” Weng said. “We do catering [services], too.”

Weng said smaller catering orders can be completed with one-day notice, but larger catering orders for 30 people or more should contact her at least three days in advance.

Weng said she enjoys seeing diners come into the restaurant to eat. Whether they stop in for lunch, dinner or carryout, she is glad to see customers enjoying the food from the family recipes she is so proud to serve.

“It always puts a smile on my face when my customers tell me how much they enjoy my food,” Weng said.

China Inn Cafe
402 W. Grand Parkway S., Ste. 108, Katy
281-392-9200
www.chinainnkaty.com
Hours: Mon.-Thu. 11 a.m-10 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.