June: Vietwich
It was April 20, 2019, when Viet Tran opened Vietwich, his first brick-and-mortar Vietnamese banh mi restaurant.
The opening marked a decade-long journey for the restauranteur, whose passion for cooking began at an early age from the influence of his mother, Van Tran, and grandmother, Sau Tran, he said.
Vietwich
203 Dulles Ave., Ste. 100, Staord
832-539-1642
www.vietwich.co
Hours: Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.-7 p.m., closed Sun.
August: Decadent Desserts and Coffee Bar
Lamika Dickey has been a registered nurse since 2003, but the love of baking her mother fostered in her as a small child never left. In August 2019, she decided to open Decadent Desserts and Coffee Bar in Sugar Land, noting there was a gap in that particular type of business in the area.
Although she had no prior experience in the food industry, Lamika said she was certain her idea for Decadent could be successful. So she decided to open her business under Smallcakes Cupcakery & Creamery, a franchise that provided some support but also allowed her creative freedom. The Sugar Land shop offers cakes, waffles and coffee in addition to savory breakfast and lunch items.
Decadent Desserts and Coffee Bar
350 Promenade Way, Ste. 500, Sugar Land
832-500-0511
www.decadentsugarland.com
Hours: Tue.-Thu. 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Fri. 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-6 p.m., closed Mon.
September: Silom Station
Ken Torprasitkul, a Bangkok, Thailand native, manages Silom Station, a Sugar Land restaurant offering coffee and food in a concept aiming to reimagine the Thai dining experience.
While attending Cleveland State University, Torprasitkul worked part time at a sushi bar where he met a member of the Thai Cottage restaurant group who offered him a job in the restaurant business after he graduated. Though planning to return to Thailand, he instead moved to Texas in 2004 to take the job.
Silom Station
222 Hwy. 6, Ste. 500, Sugar Land
281-340-0707
www.silomstation.com
Hours: Mon.-Sat. 8:30 a.m.-8 p.m., closed Sun.
November: Café Goo Goo Yen
Brazilian couple Jose and Iara Rabelo have brought Chinese food to Sugar Land for 21 years. They opened Café Goo Goo Yen in 2001 and sell traditional Chinese dishes.
The couple met in Brazil, and Jose moved to the United States in 1985. He is a chef by practice, having never attended culinary school.
Café Goo Goo Yen
1730 Williams Trace Blvd., Ste. L, Sugar Land
281-277-8383
www.cafegoogooyen.com
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Sat.-Sun. 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m
