Known for its homemade sauces and authentic flavors, Vung Tau gained its initial popularity with a loyal following among Vietnamese people who longed for the authentic cuisine of their homeland.

• The original Vung Tau restaurant, a twelve-table eatery, opened in 1985 on San Carlos Street in San Jose, Calif. It was so successful that in less than two years, the family moved the restaurant to its current location at 535 East Santa Clara Street, and went from serving 32 guests to 150.
• The family opened a second Vung Tau restaurant in Milpitas, Calif. in 1996, and four years after that, opened a third Vung Tau in Newark, Calif.
• In 2001, Vung Tau was named the "Best Vietnamese Restaurant" by Silicon Valley Accent magazine and won a three-and-a-half star rating from the San Jose Mercury News in 1998.
• Tamarine, the family's first contemporary Vietnamese restaurant, opened in 2002.