SALEM- Marco Polo Global Restaurant is changing hands after 21 years.
Owners Jackey and Cathay Cheung recently retired and have handed the reigns over to longtime employee Patty Pakulak.
Pakulak was an employee for 12 years under the Cheungs before being approached to take over as new owner.
“I’ve been doing this for a long time, and my father owned a restaurant where I worked for several years,” Pakulak said. “I really enjoy cooking and customer service. I also really enjoy getting to know my customers, connecting with them, and making sure they have a good time.”
The restaurant is a mixture of Chinese, American, and European dishes and includes options that are gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan. Since its opening in 2001, its location has been a gateway to downtown Salem residents driving down Liberty Street.
“I was one of the longest-serving employees here, and I think it was because of their long history and their vision for serving the community, especially with their restrictive menus,” Pakulak said. “We make sure that gluten-free people can eat safely. I have so many regular customers that it was the best choice to continue the legacy they’ve built over the years.”
This will be Pakulak’s first foray into restaurant ownership, but she’s excited about the challenge and the idea of keeping things the same.
“I’m looking forward to continuing what they’ve built because it’s a wonderful business,” Pauklak said. “Basically, everything stays the same. All the cooks stayed, all the staff stayed, I’m keeping the same name and the same tradition. It’s been very positive; there are a lot of grateful people who haven’t changed.”
Getting through the pandemic was the first major hurdle for the former restaurant owners, but it helped expedite their desire to retire.
The lunch crowd is still making their way back to the pre-pandemic levels with a lot of loyal and regular customers helping keep the business afloat.
Fan favorites like General Tso’s chicken and raspberry pistachio chicken will remain unchanged.
“We make the dumplings in-house, and with the garlic green beans, you can choose your protein,” Pakulak said. “The chicken parmesan is hand-breaded daily, so people love it.”
With so many options, Pakulak hopes new customers will try Marco Polo.
“Every dish is freshly prepared, so everything accommodates dietary restrictions,” Pakulak said. “If someone doesn’t like Chinese food, they can eat there and order pasta.”