Kim Son

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This article is about a restaurant chain. For other uses, see Kim Son (disambiguation).

Kim Sơn pronunciation (help·info) is a family owned chain of restaurants in Houston, Texas that serves both Vietnamese cuisine and Chinese cuisine.

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. 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, Tony, Tao, and daughter Tina.

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, 22,000 square foot restaurant and banquet facility that was built caddy corner to the original location. At the time it was the largest Chinese restaurant in the State of Texas. A location formerly existed at 7531 Westheimer at Hillcroft, but it closed.

The success of the restaurant has led to the opening of two additional full service restaurants. One in Stafford, Texas and the new 35,000 square foot 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 magazine, and Food & Wine.

In 2005, the La family opened Asia™ in conjunction with the new L’Auberge du Lac Hotel & Casino in Lake Charles, Louisiana.