Today we’d like to introduce you to Tin Dang.
Hi Tin , thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Mia Lem really started at home. I’ve always loved cooking for my family, and one day my son tried one of my dishes and said, “Mom, why don’t you open a restaurant so other people can try this too?” I laughed at first, but his words stayed with me.
Food has always been how we show love in our family. We love to eat, cook, and share meals together. Over time, that idea turned into a dream, and that dream became Mia Lem here in Grand Prairie. We just wanted a place where people could come in, enjoy good food, and feel at home — the same way we do when we share a meal with family.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it hasn’t been a smooth road at all. We’ve dealt with high rent, slow sales, and customers who can be very picky. From the beginning and even now, there are many days we work for free and don’t pay ourselves just to keep the business going. The hours are long, the work is hard, and it’s meant less time with my family.
There were times I had to bring my son to the shop just so we could spend time together. We were also broken into, which was really discouraging, but we didn’t let that stop us. Even with all these challenges, we’re still here because we believe in what we’re doing and we love sharing our food with the community.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
A lot of people ask about the name Mia Lem. It’s actually slang for “mlem” — that cute little way people describe when something looks really tasty. It fits perfectly because we focus on Vietnamese and other Asian foods, plus bakery items that are full of flavor and made to be enjoyed. I love eating, traveling, and trying all kinds of foods, and I try to keep an open mind about new ideas and flavors. I also really enjoy seeing what goes on behind the scenes — how a dish comes together from start to finish.
Mia Lem is known for our 24-hour-plus beef pho, Vietnamese meatball bánh mì, made-from-scratch chicken wings and bites, and homemade macarons. I’m especially proud of learning how to make macarons — it took hundreds of trial-and-errors, reading books, and watching tons of vlogs to get them just right. It’s been a labor of love, and seeing people enjoy them makes all the effort worth it.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I’d just love to ask readers to support small businesses like ours. Asian food can be complex — from prepping and marinating to cooking and serving, there are so many steps involved to make each dish just right. I hope people can be open-minded, enjoy the food the way it’s meant to be enjoyed, and remember to be kind and nice along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mialem.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mialemgp
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/mialemgp
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/mia-lem-grand-prairie?osq=mia+lem
- Other: https://www.google.com/maps/place/MIA+LEM/@32.6804827,-97.0253173,17z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x864e8912bd56fb43:0xe0f6e97c94131e2!8m2!3d32.6804827!4d-97.0231286!15sCkRtaWEgbGVtIDM4MTAgUyBzdGF0ZSBoaWdod2F5IDE2MSwgc3VpdGUgMTAwLCBHcmFuZCBQcmFpcmllLCBUeCA3NTA1MpIBCnJlc3RhdXJhbnTgAQA?shorturl=1
