As selected by the passionate users of the EATGNV Instagram page, Liquid Ginger's owner, Jeff Lin, joined us for a brief interview last week. As one of Gainesville's best restaurants for Asian delicacies, Jeff takes pride in the work he has done to bring Liquid Ginger to the top of the Best of Gainesville list.
Jeff Lin. Owner of Liquid Ginger Gainesville
Liquid Ginger has been in Gainesville for over a decade, but it wasn't the same one you might know today. Jeff noticed that for a restaurant in the heart of downtown, the original Liquid Ginger did not perform as well as he expected. He believed that Liquid Ginger could become one of the best local Gainesville restaurants with the right redecorations and reinvention of the menu. Jeff took charge of Liquid Ginger many years ago. He revamped the interiors and exteriors to become sleek, modern while not losing its Asian touch and more fitting with the downtown Gainesville atmosphere.
Liquid Ginger in Downtown Gainesville
Unlike many Asian restaurants in Gainesville, Liquid Ginger decided not to close down during COVID-19 fully. Initially, he intended to close shop for the safety of his own family and customers. However, after realizing that closing shop would mean leaving all of his employees unemployed, he decided to keep Liquid Ginger functioning with thorough sanitary precautions established in place. The first months of COVID-19 relied on pickups only. After ensuring that all of his employees are equipped with protective masks and gloves, Jeff continued to serve delicious Asian food to the community.
Jeff Lin with a mask inside Liquid Ginger
"I'm going to lose money if I close, and I'm going to lose money if I open. But if I open, at least my employees won't be unemployed and hungry. My employees have been with me for a long time, and I can't stand the thought of them being hungry and unemployed."
Jeff's plan for the past decade and the following decade has always been to share his culture and passion for good food with the Gainesville community. He wants his customers to explore and discover the beauty behind Asian delicacies through Liquid Ginger's looking glass. If you're wondering what to order from Liquid Ginger's menu, here's what Jeff says is the "best" and most popular dish on his menu is.
Dine-in area by the window inside Liquid Ginger
"I think our Pad Thai is the best dish! After many months of tweaking and reworking of the recipe, I think I've finally gotten the flavor just right."
If you're ever near downtown craving some Thai or Chinese, stop by Liquid Ginger and try out the Pad Thai recommended by the owner himself. Take COVID precautions and sit outside to enjoy the downtown vibe!
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