I began this column wondering how many southeast Asian restaurants the average neighborhood in Tampa can reasonably support. At the Bayshore end of Gandy Boulevard, it seems that they've got more than their fair share. A single strip mall hosts three — count 'em — three Vietnamese eateries. Granted, two of these are the interconnected French-Vietnamese trendsetter Café B.T. and its low-key cousin, The Noodle Lounge. But with such flashy neighbors, what can the third restaurant on the strip do to distinguish itself and draw clients that aren't spillovers from its neighbors, but rather its own loyal patrons?If you're Indochinois, you do it with a solid menu, excellent service and a subtle but substantial sense of style. The more I looked into the menus and dining experiences available at these three restaurants, the more I realized that they catered to three very different audiences. Where Café B.T. has slightly higher-priced French-Asian fusion and The Noodle Lounge is a lunch joint, Indochinois holds its own as an inexpensive eatery of exacting standards and traditional dishes tinged with a sensibility of the Western palate. It's not just the third Vietnamese joint on the block, but a restaurant worthy of a column all its own.
Of course, the menu includes the types of items that have wide appeal to any visitors to an Asian restaurant. Good egg rolls (two for $3.95) and barbequed pork skewers (two for $4.50) make a great intro for the less adventurous. I also sampled a spicy shredded papaya salad with ginger, garlic and chunks of pork and shrimp ($4.50). This dish, along with the similar chicken shrimp salad ($4.50, and described as Saigon's most famous salad made with a secret family recipe) reminded me of nothing more than coleslaw with an Asian touch. Though tasty, these two salads didn't particularly jump out at me. Another appetizer, the fresh spring rolls (two for $3.95), featured a mix of meat, veggies and vermicelli in uncooked rice paper. Though I prefer my spring rolls to be fried to a crisp, both my dining companions raved about this dish and its traditional, uncooked preparation, as well as the Indonesian spicy peanut sauce that accompanied it.
I tried the key lime chicken ($10.95), a rather bland dish despite having its skewered chicken pieces seasoned with key lime zest and a variety of herbs and spices. The chicken skewers are served on a bed of greens and tomatoes with a drizzle of vinaigrette, which unfortunately gave me the impression of a salad rather than a real meal. Much better was the "roll-your-own" meals, which allowed me to expand my uncooked rice paper palate and discover how wonderful they could be under the right circumstances. I tried the Three-Way Delight ($12.95), which might just be my favorite name for a food item ever. Get your minds out of the gutter, people. The three-way refers to the charcoal-grilled skewers of marinated chicken breast, pork and beef that make up the bulk of the dish. Like a sort of Vietnamese fajita, the meat is served with sauce, mint, basil, salad greens and cucumbers as well as a stack of delicate, translucent rice paper circles. Though getting the right ratio of ingredients in one of the rolls without breaking it is an acquired skill, our server was not afraid to pass out some pointers. "The most common mistake I see," he said, with a level of diplomacy that is never going to earn him a spot judging American Idol, "is that people put too much stuff inside." Thus instructed, we kept the rolls on the light side.
My favorite dish on the menu was, of course, the traditional beef noodle soup, pho ($7.50). This "meal-in-a-bowl" can be found on every street corner in Saigon, and no self-respecting Vietnamese restaurant would be without some version of its fragrant broth, noodle, bean-sprout and beef slices combo. Pho is one of my all-time favorite dishes, so I was eager to see what Indochinois had on offer. The large bowl of soup (complete with requisite bottle of hot sauce and sprigs of basil garnish) was an admirable entry in the genre and a good introduction to anyone not familiar with this wonder of Vietnamese cuisine. I was perfectly satisfied with it, though I found it unusual that the dish was served already put together. It's common for the broth and noodles to be served separately, and for each diner to put in only as much meat, bean sprouts and herbs as they wish. However, whether assembled in the kitchen or at the table, the pho at Indochinois is a dish to try.
As is the catch of the day ($14.95). During our visit, the fish was snapper, but any of Florida's wonderful whitefish would have succeeded equally well steamed and topped with a delicious black bean sauce featuring ginger, scallions, herbs, veggies and unusual "perfume" mushrooms. This delicious entrée surprised me with its subtle but complex array of flavors. I wasn't expecting such a stunning dish in the relatively low-key restaurant, and the other entrées, though perfectly respectable, hadn't prepared me for it.
Other specialties of the house include a Thai iced coffee ($2.95) that might prove a bit too strong and bitter to those with palates corrupted by the sweet, syrupy concoctions at Starbucks, as well as bottomless little pots of Asian-style green tea ($1.50). For dessert, I sampled a few spoonfuls of super-rich coconut ice cream ($4.50). The dessert was presented in a half-coconut and came garnished with two cylindrical cookies. Though I was impressed by both the look and taste of the dish, it was rich enough to remind me how full I really was, and I didn't finish it. If you order this to end your meal, I suggest you share.
With a menu that runs the gamut from standard Asian fare to great takes on traditional dishes and spectacular specialties, Indochinois manages to reserve a place for itself in the crowded Vietnamese market of south Tampa. It may be surrounded by restaurants of a similar ilk, but it's got the goods to stand on its own.
Freelance Food Critic Diana Peterfreund dines anonymously and the Planet pays for her meals. She can be reached at diana.peterfreund@weeklyplanet.com. Restaurants chosen for review are not related to advertising.
This article appears in May 13-19, 2004.