Indochine’s French-Vietnamese

Another serendipitous result of colonial history, French-Vietnamese cuisine combines buttery Gallic extravagance with the fresh, peppery flavors of Vietnamese chilies, cilantro, and lemongrass.  Indochine has been serving this sexy fusion of flavors for over twenty years.  The room itself feels like a tropical vacation with palm trees, wicker chairs and twirling ceiling fans.   Settle into the swanky digs and start with the Duck Confit Salad, a combination of chopped duck, Napa cabbage, carrots, pear tomatoes, orange, apple, coriander, anointed with a Vietnamese vinaigrette.   There’s a Five Spice-Roasted Hen and Glazed Duck Breast on Bok Choy with Vidalia Onion Sauce.  One of our favorites, a delicious take on the classic French stew, the Vietnamese Bouillabaisse is brimming with sea scallops, prawns, shrimp, baby squid, mussels, and cabbage in a lime leaf and galangal sauce (galangal is a peppery root used in Thai curries).