Indochine Cafe @ Tanjung Tokong, Penang.

While Penang does have a fair share of Vietnamese food joints, it is not common to find a restaurant that serves Indo-China cuisine (Laotian, Cambodian and Vietnamese). Indochine Cafe is probably the first restaurant that does so in Penang, the newly opened restaurant settled in a semi-detached house at Jalan Hashim, right next to Hotel Sentral Seaview (formerly known as Naza Talyya Penang). Once we were ushered in and seated, the friendly proprietor approached us fast and introduced us to the menu. The Indo-China delicacies-focused menu is extensive and covers some of the countries' highlights. But the al-fresco atmosphere at the restaurant is equally interesting- homey, harmony yet with a sense of elegance. We love the variety here but somehow the flavors did not quite hit us, they were perfectly fine but lacked the wow factor to lure us back.

Barbecue Laotian Chicken (Rm 16)

Barbecue Pork Ribs (Rm 18)

Barbecue Cuttlefish (Rm 18)

Vietnamese Beef Pho (Rm 16)

Thai Pork Hor Fun (Rm 16)

Thai Mango Salad (Rm 8)

We were most impressed with the food presentation, at least they have made good effort in ensuring their dishes looked palatable. We started off with Thai Mango Salad, a little unusual as compared to those found in Thai restaurants, yet delicious in its own way. The Mangoes were definitely more fibrous and refreshing but it lacked the spiciness. Unlike Thai Mango Salad, it was not heavily dressed with Fish Sauce and Sugar; it was perfectly light and fruity, just the way we like.

The Thai Pork Hor Fun was alright, it possessed the delightful charred aroma but it was overly greasy to our liking. The Malaysian in us wanted to pair the Hor Fun with Sambal and Indochine Cafe's Sambal certainly did not live up to our expectation. The Vietnamese Beef Pho was nothing out of the ordinary either, it lacked the "X" factor and they could be more generous with the Herbs (Lime was missing either).

While their Hor Fun and Pho did not shine, we thought the barbecue goods were toothsome. The barbecued Cuttlefish was especially lip-smacking, it was lightly grilled and seasoned. The edges carried a delightful burned aroma while the texture was slightly resilient, it was best to dip with the Lime-Pepper-Salt concoction. The Chicken and Ribs did not disappoint, they were beautifully marinated (with Turmeric, Ginger, Lemongrass etc) and grilled to perfection; served with some Thai Mango Salad and Glutinous Rice. 

Ratings:

Taste: 7/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Service: 7/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Price: 7/10 (1-3 expensive, 4-7 average, 8-10 cheap)

Parking: 6/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Ambiance: 7/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Non-Halal

Service Charge: No

Government Tax: No

Additional Information:

Address: 515 A, Jalan Hashim, 11200, Tanjung Tokong, Penang.

Business Hours: 5 pm to 11 pm. Opens Daily.

Contact Number: 604- 899 4515

Indochine Cafe Facebook Page