by Quang Bao
First published 2000
Lam is a talented Vietnamese chef struggling to keep his family's struggling restaurant afloat. When a ruthless developer threatens to bulldoze the neighborhood, Lam must cook up a plan to save his business and protect his loved ones from being left homeless. In a high-stakes culinary showdown, Lam puts everything on the line for the place and people he cherishes most.
Genres: contemporary, family-drama, food-writing
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: found-family, underdog
Setting: Vietnam
Period: 21st-century
507 pages · Paperback · Temple University Press