“She came to this country with nothing, and she built everything on the American dream,” Sam said.
He keeps a framed copy of a 2004 newspaper article about his mother and restaurateur, Le Kim, above the dining tables at Miyoka. In it, the family’s journey from a refugee camp in Guam to the success of her four Pan Asian restaurants in South Florida is outlined.
Sam opened Miyoka in June 2021 and chose the Katy location to be closer to home, which allowed him to build his schedule around his wife and his two youngest children—who are all involved in the restaurant.
Miyoka’s menu features Japanese dishes fused with flavors from South and Central American cuisine, which are influences of Sam’s South Florida upbringing, he said.
“With Japanese cuisine, mostly it is the very clean taste of fresh fish,” Sam said. “But of course sushi rice is important [and varies in flavor] depending on the chef. South American cuisine has more lemon flavor—with citrus, fresh onions, red onions, cilantro and fresh peppers like jalapeno [or] serrano for spice.”
Sam said he takes a more simplistic approach when preparing his food to emphasize the flavors in each dish.
Both mother and son restaurateurs emphasize family involvement when it comes to ownership and business, Sam said. Where they differ is in their vision of a successful restaurant.
“My mom is different,” Sam said. “She loves to open more locations, more locations. I’m different. I just want people to come enjoy my food.”
Sam said he wants his restaurant to become memorable by gaining familiarity with Katy locals. Aside from spending more time with family, his goal has been to earn a loyal customer base through word of mouth rather than social media promotions.
“Just seeing how the customers enjoy your food,” Sam said. “And when you make something different, they come back again and ask for the same items. That is what makes me proud as the chef.”
Miyoka Katy
22044 Westheimer Parkway, Katy
281-767-7138
www.miyokakaty.com
Hours: Mon., Wed.-Thu. noon-9 p.m., Fri.-Sat. noon-10 p.m., Sun. 4-9 p.m., closed Tue.
