Former Blue Shades owner Samuel Cheng opens new 'Hong Kong-style' café Yume Dumplings
Samuel Cheng, former owner of Blue Shades on Park Avenue in Worcester, is managing partner of the newly opened Yume Dumplings, 5 Pleasant St., Worcester. The shop welcomed its first customers Jan. 12 in the former space of A Taste of Monrovia, a restaurant that offered Liberian cuisine.
At Yume Dumplings, you won’t only find steamed and pan-seared dumplings, but also Xia Long Bao (soup dumplings), a variety of noodle and rice dishes, soups, bao (steamed buns), sandwiches (fried buttermilk chicken, etc.) salads, desserts and specialty beverages, such as dalgona whipped coffee and dalgona-style whipped matcha. The menu’s snacks, foods most often considered appetizers at other local eateries, include crab rangoons, scallion pancakes, spring rolls, edamame, fries, onion rings, mac & cheese bites and jalapeno poppers. Note: soft shell crab with fries and slaw ($25) is a special Friday and Saturday only.
Cheng said he made improvements to the Pleasant Street space, including cleaning and renovations, after he signed the lease in the fall of 2023. He partnered with a family friend in New York in opening his “Hong Kong-style” café. The business offers a diverse and reasonable menu incorporating Asian fusion food and more, said Cheng, who spent about a year looking for the right spot to open. “We have a great landlord who has worked with us from day one,” said Cheng. “We’re very lucky.”
The dish:
Cheng, with his parents and three siblings, came to Worcester from Vietnam in the 1980s. “We were boat people, among the refugees who fled Vietnam after the Vietnam War,” said Cheng, who was 7 at the time. At the Blue Shades opening in Nov. 2017, Cheng thanked the Worcester Jewish Community that accepted his Vietnamese family. He was educated in Worcester schools and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
When Cheng closed Blue Shades in 2020 as a result of the pandemic, he had the chance to “take a break, reorganize his life and to be more involved with his family.” He has a teenage son, a student at Doherty Memorial High School in Worcester, and a 4-year-old daughter. His wife, Crystal, works the front of the house at Yume Dumplings whenever she’s needed.
“For more than 20 years, I’ve worked long hours and holidays as an owner of two hibachi/sushi restaurants in the state,” said Cheng. “I’ve also helped in family businesses. Work, work, work,” he said, explaining that as an immigrant he always thought of survival and a better life. “Any restaurant owner knows that in this business you put in long hours, holidays, you name it. It’s a labor of love.” Despite it all, his passion has presented an exciting and challenging entrepreneurial journey, he said. Cheng also has a real estate license in Massachusetts and is a notary public.
Yume means “dream, vision” in Japanese, according to Cheng, who explained how taking time off really gave him perspective on restaurant work-life balance. He said he especially wants to thank all his Blue Shades customers who followed him to his new business. Their support means so much, he said.
Yume Dumplings currently is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and closed Sunday (Cheng family day). Dine in (several tables), takeout, delivery and curbside pickup are offered. Call (508) 304-1936. Connect on social media for menu updates and announcements.
Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine share some similarities with regional variations, according to Cheng, who said Vietnamese people love their food and cooks make the most of each region’s special ingredients. “My mother made delicious Cantonese Chinese food, using regional recipes,” said Cheng. “I’ve always liked working in a kitchen. Look at me. Can’t you tell I enjoy food? I’m not blaming my weight gain on the pandemic because I taste-test new recipes all the time.” He said family meals especially are a big hit at his house and his wife and kids sometimes would rather have "Dad cook at home" than eat out at a restaurant.
Tiffiniy Cheng of Worcester has encouraged her brother in his city businesses and originally came up with the idea for waffles at Blue Shades. The large inflatable waffle hanging at the entrance when Blue Shades first opened is memorable and so are Cheng’s specialty sweet and savory waffles that he made fresh daily, served with decadent toppings.
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Cheng said his family members remain close and recalled how at an early age he would cook meals for Tiffiniy. “Our parents worked and sometimes because of their schedule I would be the one to put a meal on the table,” said Cheng. “Tiffiniy still reminds me of my beef stew. Well, it actually was Dinty Moore Beef Stew that I served over white rice, with a splash of Tabasco. It haunts her that I called the stew my secret recipe. Maybe it was the hot sauce that finally got to her. Clam 'chowda' over white rice was another one of my secret specialties. It was canned chowder. Hey, I was young. We still laugh about it.”
Yume Dumplings with Cheng as owner sets the right kind of atmosphere, creating a welcoming and enjoyable experience for customers. From the open kitchen, the super-friendly Cheng likes to poke his head out to say hello. He absolutely loves talking about food and cooking. A lot.
Enjoy the latest downtown eatery to open its doors in 2024.
Villa Sofia, 17 Main St., Brimfield
Executive chef/owner Chris Rovezzi of Villa Sofia, 17 Main St., Brimfield, announced changes at his restaurant on a recent video on Facebook.
It’s all about the menu, with Rovezzi now serving only homemade pizzas, sides, salads and baked dishes Tuesday through Friday. Ordering and food pickup is at the counter. There is no table service with a very casual atmosphere, eat in or takeout and BYOB. The restaurant provides disposable plates and utensils for guests.
Saturdays, full dinner service returns to the restaurant. Rovezzi will post menus on Facebook and reservations are highly recommended.
Rovezzi said he’s excited about the weekday changes and making pizza is one of his joys working in the culinary world. Takeout pizza nights have been a big hit at the restaurant and one of the reasons Rovezzi decided to expand on it. The restaurant labor shortage hasn’t gone away, another reason he said he opted to change how he operates. “I’m also doing this for my family and myself,” said Rovezzi in the video. He said he expects some people won’t be happy about the changes and asked people to try to be kind with their comments.
On Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14), Villa Sofia will be open for full dinner service. For reservations, call (413) 245-1176.
Chris Rovezzi has a loyal following, having previously owned restaurants in Worcester, Rutland and Sturbridge. His menus have boasted house specialties such as the chef’s handmade pappardelle with home-cooked bolognese and veal and chicken parmigiano.
He’s from a family of culinarians including his parents who years ago owned the iconic Rovezzi’s restaurant on Main Street in Worcester. Rovezzi named his Brimfield restaurant, which opened in 2021, after his daughter.
There’s no shortage of pizza lovers, and polls show it still ranks as one of America’s favorite comfort foods.
Perfect for every season!
If you have a tidbit for the column, call (508) 868-5282. Send email to bhoulefood@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Samuel Cheng opens new 'Hong Kong-style' café Yume Dumplings
