Indochine Vietnamese Bistro

Indochine... where history, culture, and fresh flavors come together for a dining experience we hope you'll truly enjoy!

Vietnam, from its beginnings as a distinct nation, has been strongly influenced by China. Ten centuries of Chinese rule contributed to the custom of eating with chopsticks, the art of stir-frying and deep frying in a wok, many food staples and the development of vegetarian cuisine.

During the thirteenth century, the Mongolian invasion also left a lasting imprint on Vietnamese food, evidenced by the prominent use of beef in Northern specialties such as "Pho." Contacts with Vietnam's Southern Asian neighbors, all of which had been under cultural influence of India, introduces curry and Indian spices. In the old trading port of Cho Lon, the French built a new city as the Central Market for all Indochina (1859-1954). Saigon was dubbed "the Paris of the Orient."

Vietnamese gastronomy owes a great deal to the example of France. The French implanted a passion for café au lait, butter, yogurt, paté, baguette, pastries and even ice cream. Sautéing was preferred to stir-frying in the south. As much as Vietnamese cuisine has been influenced by various cultures, the Vietnamese are ever-conscious of retaining its own unique native culture, leading to a distinctly different cuisine.