Family brings 'food passion' to struggling Jannali

Mr Eng and his university student daughter Ellie have taken over the cafe and takeaway food shop, which are on opposite sides of Box Road across from Jannali train station.

The previous long-time operators of Coffee Box Cafe and Flaming Chix Takeaway left in March and "Under New Management" signs went up on the doors and windows.

Mr Eng, who operated the bakery at Parkside Plaza, Miranda, for 10 years, reopened the cafe quickly with an expanded range of food and pastries, and the takeaway food shop, which will include "fish and chips", is due to open on Monday.

The business names are being retained.

"Food has always been our family's passion and we decided to branch out into a new, different area," Mr Eng said.

"The response so far has been very good."

Despite recent business closures in the Jannali shopping centre, he is optimistic about its future.

"We have been locals for 20 years, we love the community and we do good food," he said.

Mr Eng and his wife, who was pregnant at the time, came to Australia from Cambodia in 2006 and have three children. They live at Sylvania.

Members of their extended family are now operating the bakery at Parkside Plaza.

Juliette, a customer at the Jannali cafe, said she was "coming here to support them".

"They are nice people, who are working hard."

In another positive move for the Jannali shopping centre, real estate agency MattBlak has set up a new office in the former newsagency space, which has been vacant for more than a year.