China Harbor's menu infuses new culture, cuisine into Solomons harbor

By G.D. Powell
You know that old saying, “appearances can be deceiving?” Well this is the case with one of Solomons’ nearly buried treasures-China Harbor Seafood Restaurant. Situated on the island next to the Tiki Bar, China Harbor adds a new dimension to the way Southern Marylanders eat their seafood—and a lot of other things.
China Harbor is owned by Yvonne Lee, who for the last year has spent all of her time, energy and money getting this restaurant off the ground. Originally form Taipei, Taiwan; Lee came to the United States in 1980 where she settled in Annapolis.
She has spent most of her life in restaurants, beginning when she was 15 years old. Since moving to the U.S., she has made appoint of working in a variety of American food services establishments to see how the operate. Her resume includes stints in restaurants (both Chinese and American), hotels, bars and even Denny’s. Lee confessed she even considered working at McDonalds, but stopped just short of doing so. Her philosophy is, everywhere has something you can learn from.”
After 12 years in the states Lee’s chances of having her own restaurant seemed hopeless. Disappointed, she sold her house with the intention of returning to Taipei. However, before she was about to leave, Lee was introduced to a fellow restaurateur in New Jersey and after an initial meeting, Lee said he asked her if she would like to help him design and manage his new restaurant in Solomons. Lee said she hesitantly agreed to see the place. Within three days, “I just fell in love with it (Solomons),” she said.
Coming from Taipei, Lee said she was attracted to Solomons’ scenic water setting and fresh seafood. After discussing the proposition with her family in Taiwan she was able with their financial support to by the restaurant outright.
“I had two dreams,” Lee said, “one to own a restaurant and one to design a restaurant. It’s like the Gods gave me this gift.”
Lee’s China Harbor, in reality is anything but a gift. She has worked very hard in the last year to remodel and redecorate the existing structure, making it more accessible to the kitchen staff and bore pleasing to the customers. One of Lee’s first impressions of the restaurant was, “this can be done very nicely.”
She was able to live up to this prophecy. Upon entering, the dimly lit dining room’s overall effect of a calming one, inviting the diner to sit, relaxes and enjoy. The dominantly black and pink color scheme is both bold and reticent, an extension of the oriental philosophy of yin and yang.
Lee said she feels she has finally found the perfect addition to her kitchen—Chef Yow. Yow, 32, who speaks Little if any English, comes to Solomons from Hong Kong, where since the age of 12, he has spent his life in and around kitchens. Yow if unique in his culinary ability in that he is knowledgeable in virtually all aspects of Chinese cuisine—Szechuan, Cantonese, Mongolian, etc. Few Chinese chefs, according to Lee, experiment beyond their own region.