L'Indochine

Vietnamese joints are a dime a dozen in the 13th, but a good pho soup is a rare find indeed. Three cheers, then, for Indochine's recipe: devoid of the oiliness that so often mars the broth, the pho here is light and revitalising, the freshness of its herbs and soya beans beyond question. The same goes for the assortment of salads on offer, from the green papaya to the chicken and basilic or (for the adventurous) the raw beef. The banh cuon ravioli are suppler, less chewy, than what you'll generally get in these parts; and the banh xeo (fried prawn pancakes) strike just the right balance between crispy and tender. If everything at Indochine is a cut above the average (even the lovely terrace), the restaurant is also busier than most. Get there early.