By Dave Matlow
Westport is about to get a new Chinese takeout from a Westport family with a long history of serving up Oriental fare.
Westport Chinese Takeout will open in about three weeks at 67 Saugatuck Ave. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Westport Chinese Takeout will open at 67 Saugatuck Ave. in about three weeks, according to co-owner Lena Liu. She and her husband John also own the nearby Jasmine Restaurant at 60 Charles St.
Lena Liu said that they are opening the additional food establishment because they intend to renovate Jasmine which she said will require it to be closed for about two months.
“This way customers will a choice for good Chinese food even when Jasmine is closed.” she said.
Lena Liu said she and her husband purchased the building at 67 Saugatuck Ave. while it was in foreclosure.
She said that when they checked the town’s title records they were surprised to learn that the 67 Saugatuck Ave. property had been owned years ago by the Nistico family when they operated the Arrow Restaurant in that location. 
Lena Liu works in the family’s Jasmine Restaurant in Saugatuck. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
She said it was called the Arrow because it was situated on a triangular corner.
“This was a real coincidence because we purchased the Arrow Restaurant from the Nistico family when the Arrow was located at 60 Charles,” the current location of Jasmine.
“We seem to follow the Nistico family around…it is a coincidence.”
John and Lena Liu have been prominent in the Westport restaurant scene for many years. 
A worker prepares for the opening of Westport Chinese Takeout. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
They owned Panda Pavilion, 1300 Post Road East, from 1987 to 1997. Prior to that, they owned Ship’s Corner on Jesup Road.
Lena said, “I remember that the movie ‘Back to the Future’ was playing at the (former) Fine Arts 3 Theater—the lines were long and people came into Ship’s Corner to buy egg roll and eat while standing in line.”
They opened the jasmine Restaurant in 1996.
The Lius, residents of Westport for 25 years, have four children, two of whom graduated from Staples High School, a third child is in 11th grade at Staples and their fourth is in fifth grade at Greens Farms Elementary School.
What a coincidence indeed! My great grandparents started the Arrow Restaurant there as Ms Liu mentioned and it did get its name from the shape of it. It’s nice to see some life brought back to that old building and wish the Liu family the same luck and prosperity that our family had for many years to come-