The University of Utah dining scene got more interesting with the opening of Indochine Vietnamese Bistro. Not just a noodle house or a lame impersonation of a Vietnamese restaurant with mostly Chinese items, it's a place to discover new flavors and revisit old ones with a more svelte touch.

Shredded pork with eggplant stir-fry is tender, silky and not oversauced. Pho, though smaller in portion than at other places, features a made-from-scratch broth that's subtle with cinnamon and a nest of rice noodles. For something cleansing, there is hot and sour soup with lime leaf.

Beef is done well here, with tender morsels in the "bistro steak sandwich" (lunch only) and the Indochine steak, which has a regular following. Service is friendly, if a bit haphazard. But it is a great addition to a thriving neighborhood in need of more culinary spots.

Indochine Vietnamese Bistro is at 230 S. 1300 East, Salt Lake City; 801-582-0896. Hours are Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 9 p.m.

- Vanessa Chang

(To read the full review of Indochine Vietnamese Bistro, go to www.sltrib.com/food.)

Worldly winter menu

Dave Jones, the new executive chef at Bambara restaurant, 202 S. Main, Salt Lake City, debuted his first winter menu this week, and it is full of world flavors. Items include sesame-crusted ahi tuna with bamboo rice cake ($29), grilled Angus New York steak with roasted corn-potato puree ($32) and curry-crusted lamb T-bone with Israeli couscous ($29). Jones, who previously worked as the corporate chef at SYSCO Intermountain Foods and was the longtime chef at Log Haven, kept several customer favorites in place, including the blue cheese house-cut potato chips.

Acme open Sundays

Acme Burger Co., 275 S. 200 West, Salt Lake City, is now open Sundays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. In addition to the regular gourmet burger selection, diners can enjoy a special brunch menu until 3 p.m. Elk chop steak and eggs, house-cured salmon on potato latkes and matzoh brie (a traditional Jewish dish) are on the menu.

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