Indochine, East Village, NYC

When my friends suggested Indochine, I reluctantly said yes. The service was horrid on my last visit during restaurant week. I reminded myself that on the previous visit, they went above and beyond, sending someone to CVS to buy mosquito repellent for me!

I knew service standards were back as the host looked at me, smiled, then asked the person on the telephone to hold a moment and handled my reservation.

When my friends suggested Indochine, I reluctantly said yes. My last visit, during Restaurant Week, was marred by disappointing service. Then I remembered an earlier visit when they had gone above and beyond, actually sending someone to CVS to buy mosquito repellent for me.

I knew Indochine was back to its old self the moment I arrived. The host looked up, smiled, politely asked the person on the phone to hold for a moment and took care of my reservation.

The person who seated me was just as welcoming. When my friends arrived, I shared the story of my two very different experiences and they shared theirs. They had both dined at Indochine before—just never together.

Since I wanted to try the Indochine Martini but also planned to drink wine with dinner, we asked if we could share one. Our server happily accommodated us. Made with citrus vodka infused with pineapple and ginger, it was refreshing and worth ordering ($19). One friend opted for a Singha beer ($10).

My friend insisted we order her favorite, the Spicy Beef Salad ($24), tossed with fresh basil, mint, shallots and a spicy tamarind dressing. To enjoy with that and the rest of our meal, we shared a bottle of Albariño ($75).

We also started with the fried spring rolls ($19), filled with chicken, vegetables and glass vermicelli, served with butter lettuce leaves for wrapping and a flavorful dipping sauce. The grilled babyback ribs ($28) had caught my attention the moment I walked into the restaurant—the aroma was irresistible. Seasoned with Asian spices and a dry coriander seed rub, the meat practically fell off the bone when I picked one up. Yes, they were that tender.

For our entrée, we shared the Vietnamese barbecued boneless half chicken ($41), marinated in turmeric, coriander, lemongrass and coconut milk. While flavorful, the chicken was slightly overcooked for my taste.

Alongside it, we ordered the sautéed Asian greens ($17), fragrant with ginger and garlic, and one of the newer additions to the menu since my last visit: the mushroom fried rice ($20), made with grilled corn, dried and fresh shiitake mushrooms and seaweed. It turned out to be one of the surprises of the evening, earthy from the mushrooms with pops of sweetness from the grilled corn.

Even though we were happily satiated, dessert was non-negotiable. We shared—and pretty much devoured—the coconut crème brûlée ($16) and the classic French lemon tart ($15), topped with toasted meringue. By then we were more than full, but somehow managed to polish off every bite.

It was a sweet ending to a meal that reminded me why I was glad I gave Indochine another chance.