AFTER 15 years on James Street, restaurateur Tam Pham is calling it a day.
Mr Pham and wife Tai ran the Saigon Cafe, a cornerstone of Northbridge’s late night crowd.
The independent, family-run restaurant will be replaced by Malaysian chain PappaRich.
Mr Pham says it feels like the right time to move on: a buyer had dropped by and was keen to move into the corner location.
“We’re so tired!” he says. “We work 90 or 100 hours a week,” often staying open to 2.30am for punters falling out of closing pubs.
Originally from south of Saigon, his family spent time in a refugee camp before coming to Australia in 1983.
He worked in the market gardens then moved on to a kitchen where he learned how to cook.
Mr Pham struck out on his own opening the first incarnation of his business in the old Shanghai food court, naming it after the nearest major city in his homeland.
High rents in the markets led him to his shop on the corner of Nick’s Lane, where he ran the kitchen and Ms Pham the front of house.
The family took off on a six-week holiday shortly after closing up, but Mr Pham says he’s not sure what they’ll do long term.
“We don’t know yet, but we’ll relax for a while.”
by DAVID BELL
Perth Voice Interactive 
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