Cafe des Amis - Hoi An

Mr Kim used to be chef to the top brass of the South Vietnamese army. Not great credentials to have on your CV post 'Liberation Day'.

As the eldest son he stayed behind when the rest of his family (including 15 brothers and sisters) fled the country in '75 - someone had to stay behind to look after the tombs of the family's ancestors.

After 15 years of keeping a low profile he opened his restaurant in the early 90s around the same time that the country opened its doors to the outside world. The choice of Hoi-An, a UNESCO World Heritage site half way between North and South, guaranteed a steady stream of visitors to his restaurant.

The only choice on the menu is between Vegetarian or Seafood. Having made that important decision you are treated to a series of gastronomic delights that are apparently never repeated within a 22 day cycle. The last time we ate at Mr. Kim's we enjoyed 'White Rose', Scallops in their shells, Squid and vegetable salad, and skate (Mr. Kim said it was Sting Ray but it looked a lot like skate). The quality and variety are possibly two good reasons why Michael Caine was a frequent visitor during the filming of Graham Greene's, 'The Quiet American' . Hoi-An was the picturesque backdrop standing in for colonial Saigon in a number of the scenes from the film.

From the name of the restaurant, 'Cafe des Amis' to the lilting sounds of Piaff playing in the background, it's clear that Mr. Kim is a francophile. What better place for the cast and film crew to soak up the atmosphere of a bygone age.