WILMINGTON, N.C. — They say food is one of the best ways to heal homesickness. That’s why Solange “Niki” Thompson said she started Indochine, an authentic Thai and Vietnamese restaurant.
She came from Vietnam and brought her favorite food to Wilmington, creating a staple restaurant.
What You Need To Know
- Solange Thompson is from Saigon, Vietnam
- She said moved to the United States in 1975 at age 22
- She owns Indochine, a Vietnamese and Thai restaurant in Wilmington
- The staff take pride in the authentic dining experience
Indochine is a popular spot in Wilmington. Not only does the restaurant focus on immersing guests in Asian culture, it also takes a proactive approach to environmental and community issues. The staff takes pride in the authentic dining experience.
“I came from Vietnam, and I lived in Saigon,” Thompson said.
She met her husband at a Catholic conference in Bangkok.
“He was the lance commander at Fort Fisher,” Thompson said.
In 1975, at 22, she moved to the U.S.
“I was very nervous when I first came here, but everybody was very nice to me,” Thompson said.
She said the closet thing to Asian food back then was the La Choy section of the local grocery store. With homesickness soon setting in, her husband would take her to Washington, D.C. to stock up on Asian food from the Vietnamese grocers there. And she knew she needed to bring her culture to the area.
“I want to bring the culture of my country and my, you know, and of Thailand and Cambodia and Vietnam, all this so that the people of Wilmington, North Carolina, would enjoy, you know, it'd be like a global restaurant,” Thompson said.
Now, almost 50 years later, she knows that the Wilmington community appreciates what she’s brought to the table.
“We serve comfort food, and we serve and have a wonderful atmosphere that you don’t have to go out of the country to know to think that you are in Asia,” Thompson said.
The food not only provides a taste of the culture to those who visit, but Thompson said the restaurant’s ambiance transports you to Asia. Small bunglows with seating and a koi pond are featured on the restuarant's patio.
“I built this. This little bungalow so that it looks like Thailand,” Thompson said.
She added she’s grateful for a month dedicated to sharing her culture.
“Only in America will they do things like this, you know, where they appreciate the mixed culture and give people the freedom when they come to America to be yourself, to carry your culture proudly, whether you are Asian or African-American or, you know, American from that,” Thompson said.