Top Long Island burger spot closes in Great Neck
A double cheeseburger with bacon at Kai Burgers & Dumplings in Great Neck, which has closed. Credit: Newsday/Andi Berlin
One of Long Island's most creative concepts, Kai Burgers & Dumplings has closed after four years in Great Neck. The small, pub-like restaurant kept a low profile among all the Asian food options in the village, but the compelling food combo made it stand out. Kai has been featured on Newsday's list of best things we ate in 2023, as well as our current list of standout burgers.
Owner Lei "Denny" Gao, who originally hails from the Heilongjiang province in Northeastern China, said his last day of business was July 15. It was his first restaurant, and he was inspired to open a burger spot after having great burgers during a visit to South Korea.
"I have to try this in America," he said he thought at the time. "I [also] wanted to make handcrafted dumplings. Most dumplings that are frozen taste different, it’s not that fresh. I make them pan-fried, not that many people do it. It’s really hard to find, because this skill is a little bit complicated."
In addition to a full menu of smashburgers, Gao served some of the most delicate pot stickers around. The shrimp dumplings were supple and plump, and still connected by a thin, crispy shell on the bottom that you could snap with your fingers. Gao also prepared a dumpling from his hometown in Heilongjiang, which is so far north that the province borders Russia. The dumpling was called the hometown classic, and was filled with ground pork, just like his mom made when he was young.
"I love that so much, that’s one of the best," he said.
But running a restaurant with such high standards was difficult, and Gao said he's 50 years old now and wants more freedom. He also mentioned high food costs, high taxes, and the difficulty of keeping his staff who were traveling from Flushing, Queens, to work. He said he was working 12-hour days, shopping in the morning and then working the restaurant to keep it running.
"It was really hard to survive. I just made the decision," he said. "I love this restaurant. I love my customers, particularly the young guys from the Merchant Marine Academy. They really enjoy here. Even the last night. Some guys made me cry. Some guys wanted me to stay."
Andi Berlin is from Arizona and does not know where she is going. But when she gets there, she’ll find something beautiful and delicious that the world needs to taste.
