China Chen

About the Business

Specialties

Since we opened in 1983, China Chen has been the neighborhood spot for locals in search of authentic Chinese/Vietnamese cuisine. Using family recipes, we take a traditional approach to flavors so you can enjoy classics like egg noodles and bánh bot chiên trung, a fried egg dish that's not to be missed. We want you to experience the same flavors we grew up with, and because of this commitment to authenticity, we're known for serving up the best shrimp-wonton egg-noodle soup in the Bay Area. It only takes one bite to taste why families have been visiting us for decades.

History

Established in 1983.

After the Fall of Saigon in 1975, droves of people from Vietnam fled the country and endured severe hardships in order to escape the new communist government. Two of the people from this mass exodus were Jong Kwok and Lee An-Bo Kwok, who fled Vietnam in 1978 and eventually settled in San Jose, California. Both were originally from Ch Ln, the Chinese district in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). With no college education and only a Vietnamese high school diploma, Jong and Lee opened China Chen Restaurant in 1983 when San Jose's Vietnamese community was still in its infancy. Vietnamese restaurants in San Jose were few and far between in the early 1980s, so China Chen was one of the first restaurants in San Jose to serve customers the popular shrimp wonton egg noodles (mì si co) and fried flour cake (bánh bt chiên).

Meet the Business Owner

Business owner information

Huy Q.

Business Owner

Huy is the owner of China Chen. His aunt and uncle started this business back in 1983 and have retired after 35 years in the business. He was selected to carry on the family legacy and continue serving the Bay Area the best food. He's kept the family recipes intact and is committed to continuing to improve the customer experience.