Dumplings & Beer, Potts Point to close following stabbing of co-owner Rose Ly

The brutal stabbing of a 71-year-old owner of a beloved city dumpling house led to a staff exodus and a looming sense of fear. Now, a month later, the venue has made the difficult call to close up shop.

Dumplings & Beer Darlinghurst. Photo: Dumplings & Beer Chinese restaurant

Dumplings & Beer Chinese restaurant co-owner Alex Ly has shared the heartbreaking reason his family have made the decision to close the popular Potts Point restaurant following a traumatic attack on his sister.

The proprietor of the popular chain – which has a second outpost in Darlinghurst – said his sister was not able to return to work and run the Potts Point venue after she was stabbed by an unknown assailant as she opened the restaurant of January 17.

While the decision was “difficult” for the family, Mr Ly said it was necessary after his sister Rose Ly revealed she was “scared” to return “because of what happened”.

Mr Ly said several staff had also left the business because they did not “feel safe”.

“She’s at home recovering,” Mr Ly said of his 71-year-old sister, who spent several days at St Vincent’s Hospital following the attack.

Alex Ly, owner of Dumpling & Beer in Darlinghurst, Sydney today. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“Obviously, there‘s some psychological trauma going on as well. So she’s pretty much stayed out of the business,” he said. “Because of that, we are just looking at options at this stage [about] what we‘ll do with the business.”

Mr Ly said his sister was the heart of the business, which opened its first restaurant eight years ago at Potts Point.

Dumplings & Beer has removed its signage and shuttered as of this week.

The 71-year-old owner of the restaurant was stabbed in a shock attack last month.

On the morning of the attack, police officers rushed to the scene and found Ms Ly with a stomach wound. Police established a crime scene and launched an investigation, however the attacker is at-large.

Mr Ly said the attacker snuck into the toilet upstairs and surprised his sister while she walked down.

“She just basically said to him, ‘what are you doing here?’ And he turned around and stabbed her,” Mr Ly said.

The restaurant did not have CCTV cameras to capture the incident.

Alex Ly. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Rose Ly

He said the attack was “a little bit shocking” considering the gentrification of Kings Cross which had led to increased safety in the former nexus of drugs and organised crime.

However he did not believe the attack, which he was of the view was influenced by drugs, signalled a return to the area’s dangerous days.

“It really is just unfortunate. She was at the wrong place at the wrong time,” he said.

Mr Ly said what was most important to his family was his sister’s recovery.

“She managed to survive the attack,” he said. “She’s doing exceptionally well, much better than the doctors thought she would. She’s recovered very fast for her age.”

Kings Cross detectives said the investigation was ongoing. Anyone with any information is urged to call police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.