STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Jade Island, the iconic Polynesian restaurant in New Springville, has signed a new lease—quelling rumors that the beloved Staten Island eatery was preparing to close. The deal also means longtime owner John Yip isn’t retiring anytime soon.
Yip, who began working at Jade Island in 1986 and took over management in 1994, has spent more than 40 years in the restaurant business. Despite gentle nudges from his wife to consider retirement, he says he’s not going anywhere.
“I enjoy my job, so I keep the happiness here. I don’t want to retire,” Yip said with a smile.“No one else still serves drinks in pineapples,” he added. “Maybe they’re still doing that in San Francisco—but we’re always doing it here.”
Jade Island even gained national attention when the late Anthony Bourdain filmed an episode of No Reservations there with Staten Island native, the late David Johansen of the New York Dolls. The booth where the two legends sat remains a popular request among diners eager to relive the moment or share it with new generations.
The restaurant’s customer base stretches far beyond Staten Island. Yip recalled a tradition from about 15 years ago when busloads of customers would arrive from Manhattan the Saturday before Mother’s Day…