1

Bentley - Early Days- Special event
Early 1900's
Bentley, Alberta


Credits:
Bentley Museum Society

2

Bentley Rose Cafe
2009
Bentley, Alberta


Credits:
Bentley Museum Society

3

The Wine Building- Often known as the Brick Building -2005
2005
Bentley, Alberta


Credits:
Bentley Museum Society

4

Bentley Hotel - 2005
2005
Bentley, Alberta


Credits:
Bentley Museum Society

5

Chinese Restaurants in Bentley
It seems every small town has a Chinese restaurant. Bentley is no different. According to what we can find out from our historians, Don Wong ran the first Chinese restaurant in the building known as the Wine Building 5011- 50th Ave in the twenties and thirties. A very friendly fellow who enjoyed his patrons. Besides his restaurant or Café as it was known in the early days Mr Wong also rented rooms out above his business.
The second Chinese restaurant was in the Balmoral Café now known as the Bentley Rose 4938 - 50 Ave. In the 1980's John and Anna Leung purchased the building and ran a restaurant. Some of the other families whom have operated out of the Bentley Rose are Gary and Jen Tang-Tuon, Tim and Jean Chen and presently the Li Family. There may have been other Chinese families that we have missed. The "Bentley Rose" has been a Chinese Café since the 1980's.
The Bentley Hotel , 5025 50th Ave had a Chinese man run their restaurant in the late 1970's. A very friendly man, known to all as Clem. The teen crowd liked to hang out in his café, drink coffee and listen to the Jute box. Clem took great delight in reading their palms. He must have been a Chinese fortune teller. Clem always cooked up special meals for his employees. They were never sure what was in the food or what it was but they enjoyed it as it was very tasty.
The influx of Chinese folks to our community affected us in many ways. We loved their food, their fashions , mandarin collars and colorful tops and dresses. These Chinese families always set positive images in our community, their focus is on hard work, family values and education.
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Bentley's First Chinese Cafe
By Norva Landry
We, as almost every, small town had our own "Chinaman" and this Chinaman ran a Chinese cafe in the late twenties and thirties. Mr. Wong sold meals for twenty five cents. How many of us knew of any of the stories behind our "Chinaman"? My only real source of information about "Don" was from a bachelor neighbor and friend. Don, we seem to remember that it was "Don Wong" but at this point who knows.
At five or six years old, I was most interested in the small rolls of candy that were the results of our neighbor "Charlie". Charlie always brought these rolls to me. Charlie played the slot machine in the Chinese Cafe and of course the prize would be cash or a roll of candy. Don was a really true citizen. Lots of years I am sure that Charlie had no money until he sold grain or pigs or whatever. Don Wong fed Charlie right through those tough times and knowing Charlie, Don would always be paid.
This café was located in the brick building that we refer to as the Wine building on the south side of Main Street. There were at least two rooms upstairs above Don's restaurant that could be rented out. I think that they were usually "long term renters" - at least one was and the other probably saved for the passing salesman.
The building was as a duplex. The other half of it housed the rental for our "Drama Society", the "Chataqua", etc, etc.
I remember the fact that he (Don) had a wife and family in China but I know nothing of them. I often wonder how they survived financially.
In the late 1930's Don fell ill. I'm presuming that it was cancer, but that is a guess. I know the doctor called for blood donors. Our school buddies all showed up. Those with incompatible blood types were quite upset - blamed the doctor because he wouldn't use their blood to save their "Chinaman". I don't believe our Chinaman lived too much longer.
My granddaughter looked aghast when I spoke of Don Wong as "The Chinaman". In our day and age it was certainly not used in a derogatory manner. Don Wong was a good man well respected and actually quite a favorite with us kids. We sure didn't have "treat" money those days either. I now regret that we knew nothing of his family or of his back ground. I'm sure Charlie knew but we never asked!