Miss Saigon’s Steeps Fresh Flavors in History

A Vietnamese legend tells of a king seeking to determine who, among his 22 sons, should succeed him on the throne. He issues a challenge that the son who created the most special dish would become king.

Although his brothers searched far and wide for exotic foods, one son created two simple rice cakes, one square and one round. This choice convinced the father to make him king. The importance of the rice cakes was in the symbolism of the shapes, representing the harmony between earth and heaven, and the use of an everyday yet important ingredient.

Kimberly Yim likewise draws on symbolism in the design and cuisine of her new Vietnamese cafe. Her choices of simple, fresh ingredients, as well as the bright colors inside Miss Saigon’s restaurant at 9201 W. Center St. are carefully selected for what they represent.

Miss Saigon’s, which sits on the border of Wauwatosa and Milwaukee, opened March 11 and has been busy since. Yim grew up in Chinatown in Boston and worked for many years in restaurants there, but always dreamed of opening her own restaurant.

“I have a passion for sharing Asian culture,” she said. “I want to share food, and I want people to know that Vietnamese food is international.”

 Yim planned the menu to include simple foods that she remembers eating when she was growing up. The dishes are light and feature many fresh, traditional ingredients, which Yim believes are important in maintaining health.

The restaurant offers favorite Vietnamese food like spring rolls, pho (Vietnamese rice noodle soup), and bun (cold rice vermicelli with fresh vegetables and barbecued meat). Prices are extremely reasonable with most offerings at or below $6.95.

The vibrant colors inside the restaurant are also meaningful, and were chosen carefully.

“Yellow was the (traditional) color of royalty and respect, so I put yellow to show respect for the customer,” said Yim. She picked a complementary shade of green, “because it symbolizes newness and freshness. It is bringing together 2,000 years [of Vietnamese history] with these colors.”

 Yim’s parents, who are from Vietnam, had a large family, and some of her siblings still live there. She says she chose the name for the restaurant based on the musical Miss Saigon, whose themes, of the mixing of Vietnamese and American cultures, as well as reunion and loss, she relates to.

 Although owning a restaurant is a new experience for her, Yim is optimistic about the business.

“Everything I do is from a passion," she said. "My friends asked me, ‘What if your restaurant doesn’t make it?’

"But I don’t worry about it. If I do it from a passion, I have done my best.”

The restaurant is open daily, serving lunch and dinner.

Hours:
Tuesday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Closed Monday