Indochine Shines

A Taste of Asia in Tacoma

WHEN YOU GO 1924 Pacific Ave. Tacoma 253.272.8200 indochinedowntown.com Mon. to Fri., 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sat., noon to 10 p.m.; closed on Sundays. Prices ranging from $6 for appetizers to $13-$26 for entrees.

Lovers of Thai cuisine don’t have to book a trip to Bangkok to enjoy authentic dishes in a gorgeous Thai house setting. The Indochine Asian Dining Lounge offers a perfect getaway to exotic Southeast Asia right in the heart of downtown Tacoma. Indochine opened in 2005 and has since become a popular spot for both casual diners and Pan Asian aficionados.

“We’re able to fill very different roles and meet a wide variety of needs in a classy, downtown style,” co-owner Russel Brunton said. “We cater to families, executives and corporate groups, or customers who simply want an appetizer and a beer. Accessibility is a cornerstone of what has made us successful.”

Brunton and his wife, Ly Ngov, based many of their dishes on traditional recipes passed down through several generations in Ly’s family. From fresh spring rolls to sweet and spicy curries, the cuisine mixes elements of Chinese, Indian, Cambodian and Thai cultures.

“Food is a very important part of Thai social life,” Brunton explained. “There’s a strong integrity for food.”

AWARD-WINNING DECOR
The Ngov family first opened another restaurant, Café Indochine in Federal Way, nearly 15 years ago. When Brunton and Ly began dating, he decided to give up a promising career in high tech software engineering and join Ly’s family in the restaurant business. In 2003, the Bruntons saw the opportunity to open their own restaurant as part of the University of Washington Tacoma’s renovation of Pacific Avenue. Architect Dan Kinkella worked closely with the owners for months to develop the perfect Pan Asian theme.

“We did a lot of research and traveled to a lot of restaurants, even heading up to Vancouver, B.C.,” Dan said. “We had a giant space to work with, so we decided upon concept rooms within a room. Each room would give a feeling of one of the Pan-Asian cuisines that inspired it.”

The pavilion in the dining room is modeled after a traditional Thai house, and the booths are inspired by Chinese opium beds. The décor is also heavily influenced by Japanese design, which favors a more natural look rather than the ornate details found in Chinese and Thai architecture. The basalt “Dragon’s Tail” fountain in the center of the restaurant resembles a Japanese koi pond, and the tatami room looks like it could belong in a Zen teahouse. 

“The tatami room is not traditional, but it’s definitely inspired by Japanese design,” Brunton said. “The hardwood flooring was designed to look just like tatami mats. We took inspiration from many different places and used it to develop our own designs.”

Finally, the owners wanted to preserve and highlight Tacoma’s historic downtown and working-class nature. 

“We have these great old buildings in downtown Tacoma, and we wanted to show that history,” Dan said. “We left the old brick and beams exposed, and used the original colors as a design cue. We tried to keep everything elemental by using brick, stone, wood and glass. We wanted natural colors — something very soothing while you’re dining.”

Indochine has since gained regional and national attention for its unique design. The 2009 Zagat Guide named Indochine the second-best restaurant in the Puget Sound for décor. Indochine tied with Seattle’s Canlis for the award. National prestige aside, Brunton said that he’s honored that Indochine is part of the new downtown scene.

“We have visitors from south King County, Lacey and Olympia,” Brunton said. “Downtown Tacoma is becoming very much a regional destination, with beautiful museums and great dining spots.”

SWEET AND SPICY
Despite the upscale ambience, Indochine still delivers hearty portions of Southeast Asian comfort food. Brunton said the signature appetizer is fresh spring rolls stuffed with delectable flakes of chicken, juicy shrimp and crispy lettuce. It’s a perfect delicacy for dipping in homemade garlic and chili sauce. For visitors who have allergies to shellfish, the firecracker fried spring roll or sesame chicken wraps make wonderful alternatives.

If you’re looking to quench your thirst after enjoying homemade chili sauces, Indochine offers several signature cocktails. Head bartender Wesley McLain mixes up martinis that are as tropical and exotic as the Southeast Asian cuisine. The coconut martini contains real coconut gelato, making it a creamy decadent treat. The drunken Buddha delivers a tropical concoction of coconut rum and vodka mixed with lime and pineapple juices. One of Wesley’s favorite creations is the jade martini, which combines Hypnotiq vodka with Midori and pineapple juices.

“People come into Indochine for three reasons: the food, the drinks, and toward the end of the night, the desserts,” Wesley said.

The entrees are heavily inspired by traditional Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai recipes. Ly has adopted many of the Chinese cooking techniques that she learned from her mother. The pad Thai and other noodle dishes are quite popular, as are the curries. In particular, the Panang chicken curry stands out thanks to a rich peanut sauce base infused with traditional Malaysian spices like coriander, cumin and turmeric. The Thai green curry also is quite popular, Brunton said, because the use of sugar in Thai cooking translates well to the American palate. A truly exotic delicacy is the yin and yang tuna: fresh ahi tuna rubbed in hot ancho chili and sesame paste, then cooled by cucumbers in a wasabi aioli dressing.

Last but not least, the sumptuous summer basil chicken salad and crying tiger beef salads are also house favorites.

“Our salads really shine,” Brunton said. “We use three to four fresh dressings in each salad to create an explosion of flavor.”

If the sweetness of the main course doesn’t satisfy your sweet tooth, Indochine offers a variety of what Brunton calls “best in class” desserts. These include several flavors of Italian gelato, crème brulée, and the nemesis flourless chocolate cake. There’s also mango sticky rice for diners who want a more traditional treat.

Brunton described the best part of working at Indochine as working side-by-side with his wife to bring authentic Asian cooking to the South Sound.

“It’s really nice to be close to your family even when you’re working 12 hours a day,” Brunton said.

John DeWeese is a Tacoma writer who spent several years living in Japan and Korea. Although his wife Kate is a little less adventurous when it comes to Asian cuisine, they both find plenty of tasty dishes to enjoy when visiting Indochine.

For the full story pick up the latest copy of South Sound magazine. Subscriptions are available by phone at 253.588.5340 or you may order your subscription online.