Indochine - Crest

I shouldn't like this place... and yet I do.First, the food is - mainly - extremely fresh. We know where they buy their vegetables and salads as it's the same place as I do, having seen the owners there. Some of the meat dishes (particularly the chicken and duck), is well-seasoned and tasty. The (home-made) spring rolls and salads are generous on the prawns and meat, and the prawn tails in a crispy crust are stunning. No, it's not "real Vietnamese food" (the owners are from Vietnam), for the main part, but they are a massive improvement on the first owners of the place where quite frankly it really was "cheap and cheerful" and the food was not good at all.The place is not attractive either - it's an old industrial building and can look very cavernous. I really wish they'd put in a few partitions to give a feel of intimacy - if there are a lot of kids in there, it can get noisy, too. They are, however, gradually adding more decor (and again, there are some lovely peaceful corners on the terrace). Having said that, again five starts. Here are a few reasons to like it.- It has a GREAT terrace area and a big play area for kids- The owners are charming and really work hard on the place- The wine is good and the prices are very low (as is the price for the buffet)- The place is very child-friendly indeed. Some of the things on the buffet are absolutely NOT what I would choose, but kids love them (they home in on the fries, nems, mini-kebabs, desserts, ice cream)- You can absolutely have a good meal by choosing some of their clearly "home made" things, or choose fresh meat and veg and they stir fry it for you individually - and will gladly spice it up a bit if you don't necessarily want "bland".- You can also order real Vietnamese pho and a chinese fondue in advance (must try that)So yes, we go there every few weeks for a low-priced treat. Choose carefully, take the kids, and enjoy. - ,