Real estate agents are busy people. Like everyone else, we get hungry. And when we want to eat, we want good quality food that we know will be ready when we get there.
Pizza is one of our favourite foods and we know just who to call when we need it good, and we need it fast.
Cheng Tang has been operating a Panago Pizza franchise at 1504 St. Mary’s Road for the past five years, and he’s provided us with great food and service over the years. He’s going to be going out on his own soon at the same location and renaming his place Pizza Gong.
Why Pizza Gong?
“We wanted something unique, something different that people would recognize, that had a little bit of an Asian flavour to it, something that reflects Chinese and Asian culture,” said the 35-year-old Tang, who grew up in China and came to Canada when he was just 19. The first thing he had to adjust to was our welcoming Winnipeg winters.
“The coldest it ever got where we were in China was minus four,” said Tang. “It was minus 25 and minus 30 with the windchill here. I didn’t even know what windchill meant. I immediately went shopping for a winter coat.”
Tang graduated from the University of Manitoba with a business degree and worked in a Chinese restaurant while going to school. After finishing school he worked for Cultures in St. Vital Mall and Subway before deciding to start his own business. He’d learned quite a bit from all the different restaurants he worked at and decided the time had come.
“It was tough when we started out,” said Tang. “There are a lot of competitors. But we established a good base of customers in the neighbourhood and we also have a very wide delivery range. And we cater to a lot of the local businesses near here. I know all my neighbours and they all know me. They’ll stop in and say hi even when they’re not ordering anything. It’s not just business, it’s friendships. When they need me they know where to find me.”
And they do. Real estate agents, schools, local businesses, neighbourhood regulars, all know where Tang’s place is on St. Mary’s.
Their favourite pizza?
“Chicken Club,” said Tang without wavering. “People say that’s the best tasting pizza we have. Meat Lovers is also popular. Everyone has their preferences, but we’re definitely keeping those on the menu when we change over to Pizza Gong. And I’ve been trying new creations everyday. I’ve got some special sauces from China I’ve been trying and my friends really like them. So when we start Pizza Gong we’ll probably have some Chinese and Asian style-flavoured pizzas, and some different wraps, and we’ll see what people like.”
The first Asian pizza in Winnipeg? Or how about a Chinese pizza? Tang will have a mixture of both. He’ll probably post them on his Facebook page when he launches. They aren’t even on the menu yet and people already want to try them. After all, who doesn’t like Chinese food? And who doesn’t like pizza? The perfect combo.
Coming soon to a Pizza Gong near you.
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Hungry now? Call (204) 940-4950. Order the $7.00 lunch special from Tang. It includes a personal size pizza with a drink. Open Monday to Thursday and Sunday 11 a.m. – 12 a.m. Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Tell them real estate agent Mike Leclerc from Royal LePage sent you.
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