Larry Morrow refers to himself as a “serial entrepreneur.” Since 2018, he has opened a Cajun and Korean restaurant Morrow’s; Treehouse, an indoor-outdoor cocktail lounge; and Monday, a restaurant that features all-day happy hour on, you guessed it, Mondays.

Larry Morrow of Sun Chong. Photo courtesy of Sun Chong.

Larry Morrow’s latest endeavor, Sun Chong, is an Asian-fusion restaurant that he dedicated to his grandmother. It’s located in a building that previously housed Industry Bar and Kitchen.

A native of the Seventh Ward, Morrow began a career in promotions to support his family, namely his single mother. In 2013, he invested his life savings in his first business, Larry’s Poboys and Wings. While it wasn’t a success, Morrow considers it a learning experience that prepared him for future business ventures.

“I call that my ‘best, worst experience,’ because I lost a lot of money, but I learned so much,” he explained. “That whole time of becoming a young man, starting a business, and having it not succeed put me on the path I’m on today.”

Initially, Larry Morrow had no plans to open another restaurant—his promotions business “Larry Morrow Events” kept him busy working with such names as Drake, Mary J. Blige, Floyd Mayweather and Rick Ross. However, when the opportunity to open Morrow’s at 2438 St. Claude Avenue presented itself, he didn’t hesitate. Today, Morrow’s, co-owned by his mother, chef Lenora Chong, regularly tops “best of” New Orleans restaurant lists.

“When it came to Morrow’s, I was more mature and I had more of a vision than I had with Larry’s Poboys and Wings,” he said. “I was 27 and ambitious. I was more mature, and I knew more of what to expect on the business side of things. I went into that business with my mother—she focuses on the kitchen, while I focus on the business side of things and getting people in the door.”

Morrow’s ventures cultivate a fun vibe with lively music and a party atmosphere. More than just restaurant operations, Morrow has cultivated places to see and be seen. Morrow’s success has placed him as one of the top success stories for a New Orleans entrepreneur under the age of 40.

Next came Monday at 4327 Bienville Street, in the former location of Sidney Torres IV’s Trep’s. Morrow’s mother, Lenora, is the chef at that restaurant, too.

Morrow said, “Trep’s was a beautiful space and we wanted to do something special in that large space. [The name] Monday just stuck out to me and now we’re in the process of making it a brand and fully developing that concept.”

Crawfish Rice. Photo courtesy of Sun Chong.

Sun Chong, Morrow’s latest venture, is named after his grandmother, who was born and raised in Seoul. Shortly after her daughter Lenora was born, Chong emigrated to the United States to build a new life. The restaurant, named for Chong, reflects the importance of family and loyalty.

“Sun Chong’s location is a historic New Orleans landmark,” he said when describing the restaurant. “It’s a place I would visit frequently with friends after events. [Industry Bar and Kitchen] was an after-hours spot. When I had the opportunity to put something there that meant so much to me, I had to take it.”

Sun Chong is an Asian-fusion restaurant with what Morrow describes as a hip-hop vibe. Lenora Chong curates the menu along with chef Christian Green, serving a menu of family recipes coupled with some new concepts that bring classic tastes into the modern age.

The menu is divided into handhelds and small and large plates, and highlights include Crab Rangoon Dip, cheesy dip loaded with crab meat and served with fried wonton chips and a house-made sweet and sour chili sauce. Crawfish Fried Rice, with crawfish, eggs, carrots, onions, and bean sprouts. Coconut Shrimp, jumbo Gulf shrimp golden fried in a coconut batter and served with house sauce. Bulgogi, thin-sliced ribeye sauteed in a Korean teriyaki sauce and served with a side of sticky rice and a side salad. Fish-in-a-Boat, hand-cut, beer-battered, deep-fried red snapper nuggets served with a side of sticky rice and Neno Fried Chicken, Korean-marinated, battered, fried chicken served with veggie fried rice.

Sun Chow’s cocktail menu includes Korean Soju and a selection of sake. Specialty cocktails include Neno Old Fashioned, named for Morrow’s grandfather, made with Uncle Nearest whiskey, angostura and orange bitters, topped with a cherry. Another cocktail is I Love You, made with Roku gin, lychee soju, peach puree and lime juice. This cocktail is special to Morrow because the Korean version of the phrase is how he and his grandmother greet each other.

Morrow hopes Sun Chong will be a welcome addition to the New Orleans restaurant scene and cultivate good times while paying homage to his grandmother.

He said, “I wanted to add something new to the New Orleans hospitality scene. It has been an amazing process to create something that means so much to me. It has been one of the most emotional things I’ve ever done—just listening to my grandmother’s stories and how she came from Korea to establish herself here.”

Sun Chong, 240 Decatur St., 504-355-0022. Hours: Wednesday and Thursday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 12 a.m., and Sunday and Monday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.