Capturing The Spirit Of The Carolinas (continued)
Our first appetizer was “rouleaux de printemps,” (Spring Rolls) special,
Vietnamese, deep-fried rolls of rice paper filled with mango and shrimp.
To truly appreciate the “Nems” another name for Spring Rolls we rolled
them in lettuce and dipped them in Nuoc Nam, or Fish Sauce. They were crisp
and tasty and went well with the medium bodied, slightly fruity Zinfandel.
Next, we were treated to Vietnamese lobster and mango rolls with a sweet
and pungent, plum, dipping sauce. Unlike the Nems, the second rolls were
not fried. We were pleased with both kinds.
We welcomed the eight sample entrees offered to us and were delighted to discover that Indochine uses no MSG or preservatives. The first one was a mélange of chicken, shrimp, squid and scallops in a mildly spicy sauce. We had to remember to ask for the level of spiciness desired in each dish because this authentic restaurant serves food as hot as you like it, with curries from yellow to red to green the hottest. The coconut soup with lime leaves is a flavor sensation as is most of the exotic food at Indochine. Unlike some local restaurants, Indochine uses fresh ingredients for maximum flavor like basil, cilantro, mint, Vietnamese black peppercorn, ginger, garlic and many others. Our fried catfish braised with Vietnamese sauce was exquisite and light while the stir-fried vegetables with eggplant, Hoi Sin sauce and lotus root as well as many other vegetarian dishes is great for vegetable lovers.
While we dined, the beautiful music piped into the dining room was Vietnamese
Opera, a first for our ears. The Thai chicken curry was another treat, as
was the chicken with intoxicating lemon grass. Lemon grass adds such an
ever-present flavor to any dish. At Indochine many entrees give the choice
of chicken, beef, pork or shrimp. Each dish comes with aromatic Jasmine
rice. In addition, there are salads, soups and satays skewers of spicy,
marinated, grilled meats. For dessert we shared a banana egg roll with vanilla
ice cream, honey and sesame seeds. We sipped on Jasmine Tea to conclude
the flavorful experience.
Artical by Billy Cone
Photography by Brownie Harris