One Long-Vacant Building in Rockford Is Finally Home to a New Asian Restaurant

After lying vacant for over 4 years, the former Imperial Palace location on E State Street in Rockford finally has a new restaurant to seek your teeth into.

Why Was Rockford's Imperial Palace Space Vacant For So Long?

Imperial Palace was a go-to place for Chinese food in Rockford for 27 years, so many residents were sad when the owners decided to permanently close the restaurant back in 2019.

A few years after Imperial Palace's closing, a culinary arts training program aimed to open in the space. The program spent $300,000 remodeling the interior of the building, but eventually, the leasing agreement fell apart and the program opened in the former Mary's Market space at Edgebrook instead. (Now called Awaken 815 Culinary Program).

Whenever I drive by the former Imperial Palace building I have often wondered why it's taken so long to get something new in there, and finally, there is!

Golden Bowl Asian is Now Open in Rockford

Golden Bowl Asian at 3415 E State Street serves "authentic Asian cuisine including Vietnamese, Chinese, and Thai dishes". Their menu is BIG and features appetizers, sandwiches, salads, soups, several different rice entree options, noodle dishes, drinks, and even desserts!

Golden Bowl's expansive menu isn't the only unique thing about the restaurant, the owner, Xinh (Cindy) Le, took advantage of the City of Rockford's Business First program to learn how to open and maintain a successful business...

What Is Rockford Saying About Golden Bowl Asian?

Whenever a new restaurant opens in the Rockford area, the place is usually hoppin' with curious foodies, and Golden Bowl Asian is no exception.  So far, most diners seem to be pleased with this new restaurant addition in Rockford, and reviews say things like;

Best pho I’ve had in a long time.

 

The food is so fresh.

 

The crab Rangoon are my new addiction.

 

Impressed with how well service was.

 

The food was fresh and not saturated in a ton of oils and Msg.

 

Very clean inside and out, amazing staff who are so friendly and awesome.

 

Could hardly stop eating, but there was plenty to take home.

Are you ready to give Golden Bowl Asian a try? It's open 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, (closed on Monday).