US Politics

Customers are flocking to a hole-in-the-wall food spot for its famous cream puffs, two months after its unexpected closure. Emperor's Garden has reopened at a new location on Thomas Street in Sydney's Haymarket, operating from a small window at Emperor's Garden BBQ & Noodles Chinese Restaurant.

Since reopening on October 9, hundreds of people have been lining up daily for the freshly baked puffs, which are filled with hot custard. The prices remain the same: 70 cents for a single puff or $5 for a pack of eight.

The business had closed in August due to a family dispute and financial matters, including over $845,000 owed to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). At the time, a note on the shuttered premises stated that the Chinatown location had been "lawfully re-entered and possession taken."

Owners explained in an Instagram post on August 28 that the closure was due to a "family disagreement involving the building as well as financial matters." They cited the difficulties faced by small businesses in Australia since COVID-19, with rising costs and inflation contributing to financial pressure.

It is understood that the family business has reached an agreement to repay the ATO. The owners had previously assured customers that the bakery was only temporarily closed, with their BBQ and Meat Restaurant remaining open across the road.

The sudden closure in August had led to widespread disappointment among customers, with many expressing their heartbreak and sadness over the loss of what they considered an iconic part of Sydney's Chinatown.