Kim Son
Encyclopedia
Kim Sơn is a family-owned chain of restaurant
s in Houston, Texas
, that serves both Vietnamese cuisine and Chinese cuisine
. As of 2009 Tri La is the owner of the restaurant group.
Kim Sơn was originally founded in Vinh Long
, Vietnam
, by the family matriarch Kim Su Tran La. When the Communists
came to South Vietnam
, Kim and her family fled Vietnam in 1979 to Malaysia. In 1980, the family received approval to join relatives already in the United States
. On August 16, 1980, the family arrived in the United States by boat; on their way to the United States pirates had attacked their group in an area in the South Pacific
. The family re-established the restaurant in Houston's Downtown Chinatown in 1982. Kim and her husband Son oversee all the restaurants with their sons Tan, Tri, Thuc, Tony, Tu, Tao, and daughter Tina. They also have a beautiful granddaughter named Tiffany.
The restaurant has an extensive menu of Chinese and Vietnamese dishes, serves weekend Dim Sum
and quickly became a success. In 1993, the La family opened a new $2 million, 22000 square feet (2,043.9 m²) restaurant and banquet facility that was built catty-corner to the original location. At the time it was the largest Chinese restaurant in the state of Texas. A location existed at 7531 Westheimer at Hillcroft, but it has closed.
The success of the restaurant has led to the opening of two additional full service restaurants. One in Stafford, Texas
, and the new 35000 square feet (3,251.6 m²) restaurant and ballroom at Bellaire and Wilcrest Boulevards in Houston. Both new locations are located in southwest suburbs that have thriving Asian communities. The company has also opened as several smaller outlets in Houston with limited menus called "Little Kim Sơn.".
The chain has become one of the best known restaurants in the state of Texas and has received accolades from such prestigious magazines as Bon Appetit
, Esquire, and Food & Wine
. The September 1995 issue of Bon Appetit
featured Kim Sơn in an article about ethnic restaurants in the United States. The October 1998 issue of Gourmet
' s reader's choice restaurant awards ranked Kim Sơn as having the "Best Value" in the Houston and New Orleans areas. In 2003 Kim Sơn was ranked as the "best other ethnic restaurant" in the Houston Business Journal. In 2002 the same restaurant ranked second place of the Houston Business Journals rankings of the best Chinese
restaurants.
In 2005, the La family opened Asia in conjunction with the new L’Auberge du Lac Hotel & Casino
in Lake Charles, Louisiana
. In 2008, the family opened another Asia in conjunction with Boomtown Casino New Orleans
in Harvey, Louisiana
.
In 1995 Allison Cook of the Houston Press
described Kim Sơn as the most prominent "success story as the Great Houston Restaurant Parable."
Little Kim Sơn
Former Kim Sơn Locations
Former little Kim Sơn locations
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, that serves both Vietnamese cuisine and Chinese cuisine
Chinese cuisine
Chinese cuisine is any of several styles originating in the regions of China, some of which have become highly popular in other parts of the world – from Asia to the Americas, Australia, Western Europe and Southern Africa...
. As of 2009 Tri La is the owner of the restaurant group.
Kim Sơn was originally founded in Vinh Long
Vinh Long
Vĩnh Long is the capital of the Vinh Long province in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. The name was spelled 永隆 in the former Hán Tự writing system....
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, by the family matriarch Kim Su Tran La. When the Communists
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
came to South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
, Kim and her family fled Vietnam in 1979 to Malaysia. In 1980, the family received approval to join relatives already in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. On August 16, 1980, the family arrived in the United States by boat; on their way to the United States pirates had attacked their group in an area in the South Pacific
Australasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
. The family re-established the restaurant in Houston's Downtown Chinatown in 1982. Kim and her husband Son oversee all the restaurants with their sons Tan, Tri, Thuc, Tony, Tu, Tao, and daughter Tina. They also have a beautiful granddaughter named Tiffany.
The restaurant has an extensive menu of Chinese and Vietnamese dishes, serves weekend Dim Sum
Dim sum
Dim sum refers to a style of Chinese food prepared as small bite-sized or individual portions of food traditionally served in small steamer baskets or on small plates...
and quickly became a success. In 1993, the La family opened a new $2 million, 22000 square feet (2,043.9 m²) restaurant and banquet facility that was built catty-corner to the original location. At the time it was the largest Chinese restaurant in the state of Texas. A location existed at 7531 Westheimer at Hillcroft, but it has closed.
The success of the restaurant has led to the opening of two additional full service restaurants. One in Stafford, Texas
Stafford, Texas
Stafford is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The city is mostly in Fort Bend County with a small portion in Harris County. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, Stafford's population was 15,681....
, and the new 35000 square feet (3,251.6 m²) restaurant and ballroom at Bellaire and Wilcrest Boulevards in Houston. Both new locations are located in southwest suburbs that have thriving Asian communities. The company has also opened as several smaller outlets in Houston with limited menus called "Little Kim Sơn.".
The chain has become one of the best known restaurants in the state of Texas and has received accolades from such prestigious magazines as Bon Appetit
Bon Appétit
Bon Appétit describes itself as "a food and entertaining magazine" and is published monthly. Named after the French phrase for "Enjoy your meal", it was started by M. Frank Jones in Kansas City in 1956...
, Esquire, and Food & Wine
Food & Wine
Food & Wine is a monthly magazine published by American Express Publishing. It was founded in 1978 by Ariane and Michael Batterberry. It features recipes, cooking tips, travel information, restaurant reviews, chefs, wine pairings and seasonal/holiday content and has been credited by The New York...
. The September 1995 issue of Bon Appetit
Bon Appétit
Bon Appétit describes itself as "a food and entertaining magazine" and is published monthly. Named after the French phrase for "Enjoy your meal", it was started by M. Frank Jones in Kansas City in 1956...
featured Kim Sơn in an article about ethnic restaurants in the United States. The October 1998 issue of Gourmet
Gourmet (magazine)
Gourmet magazine was a monthly publication of Condé Nast and the first U.S. magazine devoted to food and wine. Founded by Earle R. MacAusland and first published in 1941, Gourmet also covered "good living" on a wider scale....
Chinese cuisine
Chinese cuisine is any of several styles originating in the regions of China, some of which have become highly popular in other parts of the world – from Asia to the Americas, Australia, Western Europe and Southern Africa...
restaurants.
In 2005, the La family opened Asia in conjunction with the new L’Auberge du Lac Hotel & Casino
L'Auberge du Lac Resort
-History:The state of Texas does not allow casino gambling and, as a result, the gaming industry has flourished along Louisiana's border with that state...
in Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in...
. In 2008, the family opened another Asia in conjunction with Boomtown Casino New Orleans
Boomtown Casino New Orleans
Boomtown Casino New Orleans is a riverboat casino located on the West Bank of Jefferson Parish in Harvey, Louisiana. It is on a site. Boomtown is owned by Pinnacle Entertainment.-Casino:...
in Harvey, Louisiana
Harvey, Louisiana
Harvey is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. Harvey is on the West Bank of the Mississippi River, within the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
In 1995 Allison Cook of the Houston Press
Houston Press
The Houston Press is an alternative weekly newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in Downtown Houston....
described Kim Sơn as the most prominent "success story as the Great Houston Restaurant Parable."
Locations
Kim Sơn- 2001 Jefferson Street Downtown HoustonDowntown HoustonDowntown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
(Houston, Flagship) Opened 1993 - 12750 U.S. Route 59U.S. Route 59U.S. Route 59 is a north–south United States highway . A latecomer to the U.S. numbered route system, U.S. 59 is now a border-to-border route, Part of NAFTA Corridor Highway System. It parallels U.S. Route 75 for nearly its entire route, never much more than away, until it veers southwest...
(Southwest Freeway) (StaffordStafford, TexasStafford is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The city is mostly in Fort Bend County with a small portion in Harris County. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, Stafford's population was 15,681....
) Opened 1999 - 10603 Bellaire Boulevard (Houston) Opened 2006
Little Kim Sơn
- University of HoustonUniversity of HoustonThe University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
(University Center Satellite) - American General
- Union Square Food Court (Downtown Tunnel)
- Texas Medical CenterTexas Medical CenterThe Texas Medical Center is the largest medical center in the world with one of the highest densities of clinical facilities for patient care, basic science, and translational research...
Commons - BPBPBP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
Building (Westlake) - Cullen Building (Downtown Houston)
Former Kim Sơn Locations
- 7531 Westheimer
- 8200 Wilcrest
- 300 Milam (Ballroom)
Former little Kim Sơn locations
- First Colony Mall (Sugar LandSugar Land, TexasSugar Land is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area and Fort Bend County. Sugar Land is one of the most affluent and fastest-growing cities in Texas, having grown more than 158 percent in the last decade. In the time period of 2000–2007, Sugar Land also enjoyed a...
)