The restaurant formerly known as Indochine has reopened after closing for renovations for four months with a new name, Star Anise Pan Asian Cuisine.  This is a good change as it reflects what the restaurant serves –  cuisine that represents several regions in Asia (mostly Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese), not just Vietnam.  It’s also less confusing – a lot of people do not know that Indochina = Vietnam.

Vegetarian salad rolls

The newly renovated restaurant looks different –  a little trendier than before, but the menu is more or less the same.  An old favourite of mine (or what I like to call the “lazy person’s dinner”) which is a soup course plus a main, Vietnamese spring roll and rice as the second course is still on the menu.

At my visit last night, I started with the vegetable salad rolls (veggies and noodles wrapped in a rice paper roll – much healthier than the deep fried spring rolls) the battered fish with a lemongrass sauce.  For the starch, I had their “coloured rice,” which is a mixture of wild and brown rice.  There’s also standard steamed rice as well as coconut rice.  The fish wasn’t bad – I think I would have preferred it to be lighter on the sauce and perhaps the breading as well.  Otherwise, it was good, especially since it had a good helping of sliced mushrooms.  If you’re really into something light, however, there’s always pho – soup noodles.

“Coloured” rice (mix of brown and wild rice)

Star Anise is a great place if you’re looking for a quieter place for an affordable dinner with familiar choices.  The restaurant is located on Collier Street, which is just north of Bloor on the east side of Yonge – a good thing if you want to get away from the crazy Yorkville scene!  Dinner for two without alcohol will average out at $40-45.

Star Anise Pan-Asian Cuisine is located on 4 Collier.  Phone is 416-922-5840