I am looking for a recipe for a Vietnamese dish from a restaraunt in
Minneapolis that is now closed (closed around 1995).

The name of the dish as described on the menu is: "hot and spicy chicken"
- Ingredients included chicken, onions, dried peppers that were
carmelized in some sauce (soysauce base) and I think a reddish spice
(but not curry flavor, probably chili sauce).  Besides the chicken and
onions, there weren't any other main ingredients (i.e. no other
vegetables)  It was typically served with rice.

The restaraunt was called "The Chau", but the sign also said "Cuu
Long"  The owner was named Francois

I have eaten at several dozen other vietnamese restaraunts since this
has closed and have not found a similar dish.  It is probably because
this is a regional dish (from Cuu Long) and isn't often made in US
restaraunts?

If the specific recipe cannot be found, I'll also settle for
contact information on the former owner of this restaraunt so that I
can ask them myself.

Hi there, I know that my offering is a Chinese dish rather than a
Vietnamese one, but I have sent it in the hope that there might be
various regional/national 'interpretations' of the basic recipe for
what *I* know as "Szechuan Chicken". It has the red colour, spicy, soy
based caramelized sauce with optional veges. Hope this helps! Bon
appetit.

http://chinesefood.about.com/od/szechuanpoultryrecipes/r/szechuanchicken.htm
Your Guide, Rhonda Parkinson	From Rhonda Parkinson,
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This spicy Szechuan chicken recipe gets its heat from Tabasco sauce,
cayenne pepper and crushed chilies. Parboiling or "oil poaching" the
chicken in hot oil helps make it extra tender.

INGREDIENTS:

    * 4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, about 7 ounces each
    * 2 egg whites
    * 2 tablespoons cornstarch
    * Sauce:
    * 2 tablespoons Shao Xing rice wine, dry sherry or cooking wine
    * 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    * 2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
    * 2 tablespoons sesame oil
    * 1 tablespoon soy sauce
    * 2 tablespoon brown sugar
    * 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    * 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red chilies, or to taste
    * 2 slices ginger, minced, to form 1 tablespoon
    * Other:
    * 4 carrots, cut into thin strips
    * 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
    * 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
    * 3 green onions, chopped
    * 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

PREPARATION:
Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the chicken
breasts into thin strips. (Partially freeze chicken breasts first to
make this easier).
Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Whisk the
cornstarch into the egg whites. Coat the chicken strips in the
cornstarch mixture. Heat 1 cup oil in the wok. Cook the chicken strips
briefly in the hot oil until they turn white. Remove the chicken and
drain on paper towels. Clean out the wok and add 1 tablespoon oil.
When the oil is hot, add the carrots. Stir-fry briefly and add the
peppers.
Make a "well" in the middle of the wok and add the sauce. Heat
briefly, then mix the sauce in with the vegetables.
Return the chicken to the wok.
Stir-fry 1 to 2 more minutes. Stir in the green onions. Serve with rice.

Reader Review:
Rating: 4 stars
Quick, easy, and very tasty. Can vary the "heat" according to taste.

Or this one, which is actually from a Cambodian/Laotian recipe website:
http://www.asianonlinerecipes.com/online_recipes/laoscambodia/steamed_spicy_chicken.php.
You've helped me decide what to cook for dinner tonight!