What happened to this Fresno Chinese restaurant and its popular chicken salad?
What happened to Helen’s Gourmet Chinese Food — and its beloved Chinese chicken salad?
Those were the questions lots of people were asking this week after Dumpling U, a Chinese soup dumpling restaurant, opened in the spot that was once home to Helen’s, at Fresno Street and Alluvial Avenue. People were waiting in line for up to two hours to get into the dumpling spot after a Tiktok video went viral.
Helen’s closed Oct. 31.
It was one of more than 20 restaurants that closed in Fresno and Clovis that The Bee reported on earlier this year.
The owners retired, according to the owners of Dumpling U.
Helen’s Chinese most recent owners could not be reached for comment.
Helen, the original owner, retired in 2012, according to Dumpling U’s owners (she’s been by to try the dumplings twice, they noted).
In recent years, Helen’s restaurant was one of those old-fashioned, understated Chinese restaurants with fish tanks, and lazy Susans in the middle of the round tables. Now, it’s been remodeled into a modern Chinese restaurant specializing in the soup dumplings popular on TikTok.
The Chinese chicken salad
Helen’s wasn’t a heavy hitter like Imperial Garden, for example, but it had a loyal following.
And customers all seemed to love its Chinese chicken salad. There’s even a way to still get a version of it.
“Some of the best chinese food in Fresno. The chicken salad is the best. Been going here for years,” said reviewer Cheryl H. on restaurant review site Yelp.com.
Reviewer Alison J. of Fresno described the dish this way: “The Chinese chicken salad is different than any other one I’ve ever had, basically shredded chicken in a peanutty sauce on iceberg lettuce, but it is absolutely delicious.“
A post on the Fresno/Clovis Local Eats Facebook group Jan. 25 mourned Helen’s closure.
“Just found out Helen’s Gourmet Chinese closed last year. Anyone know where to find a similar Chinese chicken salad — we loved their dressing,” it said.
More than 30 comments follow, including a recipe for the salad dressing.
So, where to get the Chinese chicken salad?
Since so many people were saddened to hear it was gone, the owners of Dumpling U decided to start offering their version of it at the restaurant Monday. It may not appear on the menu yet, but you can ask for it.
