Alberto Martínez photos AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Triple delight of beef, chicken and shrimp or tilapia fillet can round out the meal.
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ON THE SIDE
Kim Son
A feast of delights accompanies food at Kim Son
AMERICAN-STATESMAN RESTAURANT CRITIC
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Despite its name, the China Center — the big new shopping complex on Lamar Boulevard in far North Austin — is not limited to a single cuisine.
Although there is a wealth of tasty Chinese food available in the center, there are other Asian cuisines represented, such as the Vietnamese dishes offered by Kim Son, a Houston-based chain making its first foray into the Austin market.
From the outside, the restaurant appears to be huge. But inside, much of that space is given over to private banquet facilities, so the public dining area is relatively small and intimate. And, on a recent Saturday night, there were only a few tables occupied at 8 p.m.
As diners learn about the quality offerings at Kim Son (including the dim sum offered daily at lunch), that will change.
The steamed pork dumplings ($5.95), plump and delicious, arrived quickly, the opposite of many Asian restaurants that warn steamed dumplings will take much longer than pan-fried ones.
The Vietnamese crepe ($6.96) was a golden, egg-and-vegetable pancake the size of a dinner plate served with another large plate of condiments that included fresh herbs, julienned vegetables and sliced pineapple to eat with the folded crepe. A tasty dish, it could easily be an entree item as well.
The Vietnamese eggrolls ($5.95) were delivered with a similar array of sides, including lettuce leaves, and a sweet-spicy dipping sauce. Diners took the small, delicate, fried eggrolls, rolled them inside lettuce leaves with the desired accompaniments and then dipped them in the sauce before eating.
Our main items – the marinated tilapia fillet ($12.95) and the triple delight ($13.95) – brought even more of the mint, basil, sprouts, vegetables and pineapple to enjoy. The fish was appealing, as were the grilled shrimp, chicken and beef that made up the triple delight. The beef, labeled "Vietnamese fajitas" on the menu, included wedges of rice paper that could be softened in water and used to enclose the meat and condiments fajita-style.
With its enjoyable food and friendly, attentive service, Kim Son is yet another reason the China Center should be on everyone's list.
Kim Son. 10901 N. Lamar Blvd., 832-0500. Rating:Forks up. Price:Cheap/moderate.
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