The "Cafe" started in 1997 as The Triumph Coffee House, serving coffees and teas. The name Triumph was a reflection on the escape from Viet Nam and the rebuilding of lives in the face of uncertainties in a new culture.
In 1999, the original coffee house was expanded to include Vietnamese food, and was so renamed as The Triumph Cafe. The recipes were based on those used at home, without MSG and using minimum amounts of light vegetable oil, a healthy fare.