POULSBO — For the first time in almost two months, the Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant in downtown Little Norway is hopping.

The decor is a little different, trading red accents for white and gold, and wood-topped tables for white linen.

Yukshim “Sandy” Fung, matriarch of the 23-year-old business is serving customers hot tea and a smile like always.

And Sonja Stuart is watching her closely — trying to glean 21-years of know-how from the nimble little lady.

And asking a lot of questions.

“Sandy, what’s that liquid soap back there called?”

“Sandy, what’s the Chinese word for half order?”

Sonja and her husband David “Stu” Stuart will soon be the new owners of the Golden Dragon. Sandy and her husband Manyui are planning to retire from the restaurant. While they’re leaving behind a lifetime of memories and friends in Poulsbo, Sandy said she’s happy one thing will remain the same.

“It’ll be the same menu, same price, same cooks,” Sandy explained of the coming change-over. “I’m glad to have someone to keep the same name and the same good food.”

Sandy’s especially happy because as of a March 8 retirement party, she had no idea what the restaurant’s fate would be. More than 400 people showed up to wish the Fungs well, but knew it could be the last time they set foot in the Golden Dragon.

But Stuart, who had worked as the establishment’s bartender for nearly four years, knew what she wanted to happen.

“I told Sandy the first day I came to work for her that if she ever wanted to sell that I wanted to buy,” Stuart recalled.

The Stuarts are newlyweds, and Sonja said buying the Golden Dragon gives them the opportunity to work together. Also, Stu is a long-time North Kitsap resident whose family is deeply rooted in the community. Sonja said she made many friends at the Golden Dragon and she’s happy to be able to serve them at the same restaurant they’ve always loved.

“My whole feeling about the restaurant was if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Sonja commented.

The Golden Dragon was started in 1980 by Sandy’s parents and sister and brother in-law when they immigrated from Hong Kong. Sandy and Manyui were still working toward coming to the states, but they sent money so the three couples could go into business together.

“In 1982, my first day in America we arrived in SeaTac, had lunch and then came right over to Poulsbo because my daddy wanted us to see where our money went,” Sandy recalled.

The next 21 years, the couple worked 15-hour days at the restaurant, commuting from Seattle nearly seven days a week. Their three sons grew up in the eatery helping on the weekends. And over the years, they gained many great friends who they are very grateful to for more than two decades of support.

“I see my customers just as my family, my friends,” Sandy commented. “I watched so many kids growing up and now they’re fathers and mothers.”

And while Poulsbo may be the land of lutefisk and lefse, the Golden Dragon’s mix of Cantonese, Madarin and Schezwan cooking matched with Little Norway just fine. Sandy said she was often told that the restaurant had the best Chinese food in Kitsap County. But she was still unsure of her place in the community two years ago when she asked if she could bring a golden Chinese dragon to the Viking Fest parade. The parade organizers welcomed the entry with open arms and the dragon received first place that year. The Dragon will dance at least one last dance at this year’s Viking Fest parade.

“At first I was worried with the differences in cultures, but it mixed together you know,” Sandy said.