OSTERIA al DOGE at NYC's Times Square is super Italian (3/30/25)

 Our friend Denise suggested OSTERIA al DOGE on West 44th St just off Times Square after we attended a wonderful performance of Death Becomes Her on Broadway and we loved this little Italian bistro find! The place is cozy, but you should sit away from the door in the winter///it was warm last night. The wooden chairs could use some padding, but I guess they want to move folks along. The menu is very traditional, and the wines are simple, but not pricy! We had a bottle of Polizano Rosso di Montepulciano which was a very nice medium bodied red. The special starter got us very excited, and it was a huge hit: Crispy Artichoke Salad with Arugula, Parmesan, Garlic, Coriander & Lemon dressing. The yummy fried artichokes were excellent, and the portion was quite large. Whole cooked garlic cloves were a fun spice and we loved it. The Caesar salad looked good too and the Minestrone got a thumbs up.

Mains were pizza Napolitana which was gone quickly and Spaghetti alla Vongole with a bunch of clams and a superb rich lemony clam sauce. Nothing wrong here at all. The desserts were a Creme brule which Will said needed a crunchier top, but Sam & I split a huge superb Torta di Mele "Tatin" which was a yummy upside-down apple cake with Tahitian vanilla ice cream. I asked for a glass of Capovilla di Albicocche (apricot digestif) and all they had was pear, which was quite nice anyway. Definitely a place to think about pre- or post-theater, though not for fine dining.

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NYC's CASA CRUZ, costly but good (3-29-25)

 Last night we took Samuel and two of his friends to dinner at Casa Cruz on the Upper East Side. The address (61st @Park Ave) already had me seeing dollar signs, and on arrival, all this and more was confirmed. We were escorted past a curtained door into an elevator and whisked up to a dining room on the 3rd floor that was quiet, elegant and plush. Menus arrived and an i-pad with the wine list and there was pretty much nothing under $150 on that! Some of the dishes were in the $100+ zone to boot! We ordered a bottle of Domaine Barruad 2022 Pouilly Fuisse 1er Cru "La Marechaude" which was quite nice and went superbly with the Yellowfin Tuna Carpaccio with Bergamot Orange, Acacia Honey & Baby Arugula. Other dishes were a creamy (but vegan) Butternut Squash Soup as well as Scallops that looked delish. Portions were good-sized but not huge or overbearing.

I do have to comment on the wine glasses as they were the same as the water glasses, short and stumpy and did not serve the wine well at all. For these prices, decent crystal is really important. Our red was a superb Poggio Antico IGT "Madere" 2020 from Tuscany that again was simply ideal with my Colorado Lamb Chops (cooked over Marabu Charcoal) with Grilled Artichokes, Thumbelina Carrots and Nicoise Olives. I cut into the meat, and it was pretty past medium, so it went back and was replaced by perfectly medium rare chops very quickly. The meat was tender and the seasoning perfect. Grilled Branzino and Ora King Salmon were the fish choices which got raves, and the Black Truffle Fettucine was indeed smothered in truffles and tasted superb.

The weather outside during the day was very warm (80 degrees) and it really chilled down to 50 when we got there, but the room was quite chilly, despite being such a cozy setting, the warmth evaded me.

The Dark Chocolate Souffle was cooked perfectly and served with a yummy White Chocolate sauce that was a foil to the dark chocolate. The Charcoal Grilled Apples with Sage Gelato and Olive Oil Melba was declared "creepy" and indeed was a very bizarre combination of flavors that should be avoided.

We left happy, but with an emptier wallet for sure!

Alexandria's VERMILION is very very very good! (3-26-25)

 Last night a group of us returned to Vermilion in Alexandria and settled in for a truly wonderful meal with our servers Juliet & Sam. We ordered a bottle of Cabernet Franc 2023 from Blenheim in Virginia which is offered by the glass as well. There are many wonderful Virginia wines on their list and the restaurant and its superb Chef Tony Chittum stress that everything is really locally sourced (save for those wines from out of the region). Indeed, there is a map on the back of the menu showing all the vendors and what comes from where.

Bread lovers beware an addition to Bettie's Buns which are old fashioned yeast rolls sourced from grandma's recipe served with soft sorghum butter topped with pickled chilis.

We were also treated to a superb amuse of Sunchoke Soup with diced apple that was rich and creamy with a tartness and crunch from the apple.

I started with the Crispy Chesapeake Oysters which have become a staple and are served with celery root/sweet and sour apple remoulade and a whole grain mustard aioli. I rarely feel like steak, but the Garlic Crusted Fluke Filet (which got raves) came with shaved fennel (not my cup of tea), Lobster Tortellini (one felt the pasta was thick) pickled chili and a shellfish emulsion. It sure looked good, but I adored my Roseda Farm Beef Striploin with Finger Sweet Potatoes, little deep-Fried Bay Blue Cheese Cubes(I would have loved a couple more!!), super charred Cipollini Onions and a fab salsa verde. The only problem was the wonderful fancy steak knife kept falling into the center of the curved plate! The meat was perfection, tender and rare and not a piece of sinew in sight!

Braised Creekstone Short Rib was also a hit with a Sunchoke Gratin and wilted greens in a red wine reduction. The dessert chosen by most was the very rich Dark & Milk Chocolate Cremeux with Virginia peanuts, shortbread crumbles and kumquat marmalade. I loved the Trio of Mid-Atlantic cheeses as it brought back the Bay Blue in its virgin form!!

Super fun night for all.

Vin des Pyrenees worth a visit if in the Paris Marais (3-10-25)

 Our last dinner before heading back to the states (unhappily) was at an adorable little bistro in the Marais district just blocks from our hotel. Vin des Pyrenees is as quaint as it can get with black and white tile floors, lots of mirrors, wooden tables that wobble, benches with cushions and chairs that can make your already bad back feel even worse. The walls were wines stored on shelves and in "lot" boxes and the server, while looking like a jail matron, always served with a smile and made us feel more than welcome. A couple of nice French ladies sat next to us and when the table at the window near us hosted three loud cackling foreigners (two very loud Americans) we began to cringe. The "1905" vintage bar at the rear was also a site to be seen.

The menu was as traditional as it gets with special hints of the Pyrenees, so we started with Croquettes de Confit Canard des Pyrenees which were thinly super crunchy crusted balls filled with only duck confit and deep fried with a "raita" sauce which is not the Greek one we know, but more of a mustard/sauce vert combo that was superb. These were a real treat. We ordered a bottle of Les Terrases 2017 Cabernet Franc from Clotilde Legrand in Saumur-Champigny in the Loire (where we shall visit this August) which was a medium bodied red that really fit the bill. The sommelier was impressed that we even wanted a Cab Franc and he remarked how nice it would be with our varied dishes.

The Tartare de Boeuf au Couteau avec Pignons (pine nuts), Olives Taggiasche, Parmesan et Frites arrived, and it was a gorgeous one indeed with lots of flavor so that we need not add any of the tabasco or Worcestershire sauce our server provided! the bread was superb and for a change the crust was less chewy. 

Back in December we had an amazing Croque Monsieur at a small bistro and we were ready for L'Incontoumable (essential) Croque Monsieur au Gouda Truffe avec Jambon et mesclun.  The gouda oozed and reeked of truffle, and it was indeed a treat, but we did have to agree the one from December may have been a tad better. We needed more wine and ordered a glass each of VDP Herrault Les Creisses 2022 from Philippe Chesneloy made of Cab, Syrah, Grenache and Carignane that our server suggested with the croque--perfect!

There was no room for dessert, so we headed back to our hotel for a farewell to Paris drink at the rooftop bar overlooking the city very sad that we had to leave our adopted country.

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Paris' GLOU is still great (3-9-25)

 We had lunch back in December at Glou in the Marais district and loved the upstairs all glass view of the Picasso Museum across the street, so the other day when we made new friends in the Bourdeaux countryside, it was our first choice to meet them at for dinner. Their hotel and ours were a mere 25 minute or less walk, so it just made sense.

We entered and they were already seated in a cozy booth at the downstairs rear, and while there was no view, it was quiet (unlike the very crowded and noisy upstairs as at lunch) and we were quite happy.

Our server Lilion was a gem and very helpful as we tried to get through the wine list helping us to choose a Saint Veran 2022 Ovoide "La Soufrandiere" that was a magnificent chardonnay to start. Last time I had the magnificent Tartare de Veau Basque (Veal Tartare Basque style) which both Will and Francis chose. I would have but the seeded crackers would not be friends with my diverticulitis! Christine chose L'Oeuf to start and Lilion said I must have the Rilettes de Canard au piment d'Espalette which was a huge portion (must have been 2/3 pound) which I eagerly shared with everyone on the superb thick crusty bread.

After a nice break and some tales of our recent travels we went on to a Maranges 1er Cru "La fussiere" 2022 from Bachelet-Monnot. I knew this was a nice, medium-bodied Bourgogne Pinot Noir but had never heard of Maranges and was thrilled that Lilion suggested it. It was amazing with my Pintade fermiere rotie sauce forestiere (Free range guinea-fowl with mushroom sauce) that was cooked perfectly and indeed a portion that would have fed two. Will and Francis again had the same Entrecote de Boeuf Holstein affinee 21 jours, or basically the 21-day ages Steak-frites. They said the edges were chewy, but the center superb and tender. Christine got the monster sized portion of Poulpe grille (grilled octopus) which was a tad chewy but very tasty.

There was no way we could eat dessert after these huge portions, so we chatted more and waddled off to our respective hotels, hoping that we would see our newfound friends again in the near future..somewhere.

BONNIE atop the SO/Paris is surprisingly super and scenic to boot (3-8-25)

 On our first night here in Paris we chose to dine at BONNIE the 15th floor restaurant atop our hotel, the SO/Paris with a wraparound terrace (although we were indoors) and spectacular views across all of Paris. On arrival, we were concerned it was loaded with tourists, but this was not necessarily the case as many clients were French celebrating special occasions or such as well. The menu seemed simple and limited and we immediately told our charming server, Theo (avec ses moustaches) that we liked to dine leisurely and wanted really good local food. He loved our selections and seemed very happy to accommodate us and indeed his service all night was superb. He had studied in Bordeaux, so we joked that they did not have our famous Bordeaux Abatilles water! We did try some fun cocktails to start which were pink and egg white foamy called Carrie made with Vodka Beluga Noble, poivre Kampot (the famous Cambodian peppers we love), rhubarb and violette. The drink was more sour than sweet, and the rhubarb was fab.

As we perused the menu, we noticed lots of tables of young girls getting up to go outside and take selfies. While we did the same, of course, some of them were truly obsessed with themselves (check out the photos on FB) and were flinging their hair and pouting and showing off their breasts! At one point, I had to open the top button of my shirt and pout back and try throw what little hair I have back!! It did not work. It was quite funny though, and in the end, great entertainment. The videos and outdoor skyline photos on FB are spectacular indeed.

We ordered a bottle of Hautes Cotes de Beaunes Vielles Vignes 2022 Domaine Parigot which was a creamy and yummy chardonnay as we settled on our food choices.

Will started with a tasty Carpaccio de Thon, huile fumee (tuna carpaccio with smoked oil) that the smoke on was indeed amazing. My Fine Tranches de Saint-Jacques, Liveche et Citron vert were even more tasty (FB photos always) with a huge plate of thinly sliced raw scallops in a sauce of mustardy/Peppery green citron and lovage leaves scattered atop. 

For our mains Will chose the Filet de Turbot, Artichauts, Chorizo, Jus de Coques( thats cockle juice, not cocks!) which was delish and I could not resist the Ris de veau, Champignons, jus de veau which was a huge but thinly battered portion of veal sweetbreads that were insanely tender in a very rich veal Madeira reduction and a huge miniature copper pot of sauteed mushrooms on the side that we gladly shared.

I could not face dessert but tasted Will's delicious trio of sorbets: Passionfruit/Raspberry/Strawberry!

The setting was gorgeous even if the tables were small and the seats a tad low for me and the music was okay and sometimes made you feel like dancing! It was the perfect place for an early evening as our dinner was about 2 hours long and we were tired from the trip in and a long walk on the Ile Saint-Louis nearby that afternoon.

Off to the opera today for me and then meeting our friends from the Bordeaux countryside for dinner at Chez Glou in the Marais where we dined so fabulously back in December!

GRAND'VIGNE at Les Sources de Caudalie (Martillac outside of Bordeaux) is indeed a grand three Michelin star surprise (3-5-25)

 For our second night at the lovely Les Sources de Caudalie outside Bordeaux we booked their 3 Michelin star restaurant which is an elegant spacious room (we also had breakfast here every morning overlooking the pond and vines, but at night it completely transforms into the gastronomic temple of Chef Nicolas Masse. We were given a choice between a 5 or 7 course menu and went for the former, which more than enough as we saw some of the other courses and felt the other courses we saw flying by were really not needed. As it was the experience lasted well over 3 hours and every bite and sip was a sensation.

Before we went to dinner we met our wonderful new friends, Christina & Francis, for a drink in the very fun bar, with a very fun menu. The server suggested Pinxto Pote knowing I enjoyed the spicy mezcal drink the previous night. The drink was made of Oli Still, a black olive eau de vie from the south of France, Giundilla (a fish snack from Basque country), salmorejo pickle juice and Garum syrup (yes fish sauce). It was quite sour and pickle-y and while I drank it, I felt that I should have stuck with my previous night's choice! In the dining room the sommelier brought over a huge thick-bound "bible" of wines and we finally settled on Chateau Couhins Lurton Grand Gru Classe de Graves 2016 which was an amazingly creamy, unctuous and mineral-based Sauvignon Blanc (with a tad of Semillon, I think) that had huge legs and was one of our favorite whites so far in Bordeaux! Riedel glassware was the norm here unlike the hotel's second restaurant the night before, where the crystal was very basic. The water was Bonneval, whoch the sommelier was a sparkling water from Savoie made by the owner of Chateau Petrus....lots of hype and very fizzy, so we switched to the much less expensive local Abatilles after one bottle. The huge, rounded glasses for the water were extremely unwieldy and for me, required two hands to drink, which was quite silly, even if they were very pretty.

One of the servers (there were many) poured an herbal drink tableside made of hyssop, lavender, sparkling water and a tad of mint which was interesting but no revelation unless you are into herbal water...maybe it's a spa thing. The amuses began and they were all superb. A small "log" was placed on the table with two cork-like items perched on it which turned out to be a feuille (the lightest crispy paper-thin dough) filled with foie gras and Pinot de Charentes which was a mouthful of magnificence. Another platter had chestnut tuille with chestnut puree and black truffles from Perigord. We learned soon that each course has a link to some wine vintage or such and when presented with the menu at the end of the night, the wine vintages & origins were listed. All the photos are on facebook! The final amuse was a one-bite in the mouth ravioli that was explained to us as herb-cream filled. In the mouth it exploded with liquid and all I could think of was a French version of Shanghai dumpling!  The local crusty sourdough arrived with a verjus and fennel butter, which I loved, as the fennel was almost impossible to detect.

Our first course was yellow beets poached with red wine, beet confit, a hint of smoked meagre (fish) which we joked was very meagre as it was wrapped in the layers of beets and hidden, with a scoop(that looked like ice cream) of red-wine infused Normandie Isynee cream. It was a rich and divine cream that was irresistible and the beets a perfect foil all called Terre de Grave Millesime 2024 as the beets were local from Graves!

Second came Normandie grilled scallop that was barely cooked with Black truffle from Perigord atop a risotto of celery (there was no rice) and a sauce de pied de Saint Jacques(made from the scallop "foot") with vin jaune and onion, called Coquille et Tuber Melanosporum Millesime 2023.

Just when we thought no fish could outdo the scallop, the third course arrived in the form of Hake Fish from Saint Jean de Luz along with butternut squash disk, marinated and roasted and a "ravioli" filled with pumpkin seed and confit citrus puree. Entre terre et mer Millesime 2023 said this was a "butternut puck" and I have to say it was the only thing we disliked about the entire meal. The filling was extremely sour and pickle-y and reminded me of the drink I had before dinner! The hake was superb and it sat on a cream of butternut and sea urchin that was simply divine.

We had a long break here to finish our white wine and decided to have a full bottle of red since the lowest price glass of red on the menu was 29 Euros and there were full bottles of some amazing reds for around 100!! Chateau Bouscaut was literally from around the corner and the 2015 Grand Cru Classe de Graves (Pessac-Leognan) was a super fruit berry forward wine that was so smooth with virtually no intense tannins. We loved it. At this point we were also invited into the kitchen to meet the chef, pastry chef and team and watch a bit of the insanity as this huge kitchen serves two restaurants and is indeed quite busy.

Our pre-main course was a pickled cabbage consomme with foie gras that I forgot to photograph, but this was followed by Chasse et Chou Millisime 2023 a goregous filet of venison perfectly cooked in red wine, red pepper and red cabbage with a surprise piece of foie gras hidden underneath. Granny smith apple gave this dish a special taste to boot. Douceur d'hiver Primeur 2024 was two desserts presented simultaneously. Comice pear poached in saffron de Bordeaux and vin jaune with a biscuit and a Saffron cream custard with ice cream and bee honey, biscuit and pear gelee. There were meant to mirror each other, and they were gone quite fast.

The entire meal ended with the same mini-log on the able from the start but now with two cigar-like dark chocolate praline treats for us to finish before heading up to bed.

This team worked very hard and really shone throughout virtually all the meal (we had to ask for wine once or twice!) and they served with a smile and always happily repeated for us when the descriptions were not so coherent! That said, it was indeed a treat and way less than any gastronomic temple 3-Michelin star spot in Paris would charge; that's why we love Bordeaux! It's great to know we can easily take an Uber or Bolt(much cheaper here) just 20 minutes to dine here anytime we want!

Happy travels.

LE TABLE du LAVOIR at Les Sources de Caudalie (just south of Bordeaux) is luscious!(3-4-25)

 We decided to take a small break from our apartment in Bordeaux and head to Les Sources de Caudalie, a fabulous wine country retreat/spa just 20 mins south of our home. Our afternoon was filled with a fabulous wine tasting across the street at Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte as they own the hotel! We met a super couple, Christina and Francis, from Napa and we agreed to dine together making our dinner even better in the rustic "casual" restaurant here (tonight we dine at the Michelin starred restaurant). 

We stopped at the bar first and while Will had the standard Grey Goose martini, I was adventurous and chose the Casca Bella, a slightly spicy avocado infused mezcal called Sotol-veneno mixed with chamoy & chipotle, acide solution and housemade antiseptic liquor. Yes that was the exact description on the drink menu!! It was sour at first, then a tad salty and spicy and then herby....super drink and I may have another tonight!

We sat down to dinner and the hard crusty fresh bread was superb with the interesting grape-must butter. Our newfound friends were very kind and let me choose the wines (after I told them the price) and our servers seemed impressed that I knew so many French wines. Our first choice was a Condrieu from Yves Cuilleron in the Rhone, who I met several times in the early 2000's before he passed away and I try to drink his wines whenever I can. The server came back and, alas, it was sold out, but he had a Les terrasses du Palat Condrieu 2022(Condrieu is a very specific appellation for Viognier) from Francois Villard that was creamy and rich and fabulous.  The wine was diving with our Celery Risotto with grilled scallops and truffles and our friends seemed to like it as well with their Mushroom Tartelette and Pate.

When with friends, a second wine is always needed and the server suggested a 2019 Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux called L'Aurage which we fell in love with (it was his last bottle, so no more tonight!) and was divine with the Canette (female) duckling with red cabbage that we all ordered! 

Of course a third wine was needed, and I had seen the lesser wine of Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte earlier in the day called Le Lievre 2021 which was so different from the big Bordeaux Cab/Merlot blends we had. It was the same grapes, but different plots and very fruity. Will and I split desserts, and I started with the matured loacl cheeses: tomme papillon (sheep), a flour-crusted goat tomme and Bethemalle, a second goat. They were nice and different, but I wanted something a tad more intense for one cheese at least. The Poached pear with Spice Biscuit and roasted vanilla ice cream was quite nice and by then we were all ready for bed.

Tonight..we move to Le Grand'Vigne....just steps away.

A la prochaine!

LATEST RECIPE at the Bangkok Meridien will make you merry (2/24/25)

 While our last meal in Cambodia may have been a slight dud, we expected very little from the restaurant at the Meridien Bangkok Airport Hotel where we were staying overnight on our way back to Bordeaux as the flight home was at 615am! The hotel had two restaurants: one Italian and one "local" and we really thought it would be very hotel/touristy. WRONG.

We were first invited when we arrived for complimentary tapas and TWO drinks each at the hotel bar, so that was a real nice boost, then we sat down in the beautiful indoor courtyard with pools and fountains for our dinner. We told our server Emy that we wanted spicy foods and she guided us perfectly.

Som Tom Thai was grilled papaya with chicken, dried fermented shrimp, chilies, garlic, string beans, peanuts, salted egg, sticky rice and cabbage and was a dream dish/salad that would make anyone happy with all the amazing ingredients and kicky spice to boot.

We ordered a bottle of 2022 Famillia Correz Lisona Rose which was the best wine deal we found in Thailand on special that night for 1200Baht(just over $30!!). It was not on the wine list, but Emy said they had a special that night! She won again!

Punim Thod Sauce Makham was fried softshell crab in tamarind sauce and I warned Emy we are softshell aficionados. We LOVED these crispy critters, and the sauce was to die for!

Lastly we had Khao Phad Pla Salid that is a local specialty that we had tried earlier in the trip but this salad with fried gourami rinds was amazing with Thai fried rice, crispy gourami, shallot, basil, chili and fried egg on top. All that was left was rice crackers and some rice!

Several times during the meal we were visited by Sutthipong, the Assistant director of marketing for the hotel who was always a cheery face and so thrilled we loved the food.

I said that this restaurant needs to get more exposure because it is at an airport hotel and not near the center. I can't recommend the hotel and the experience enough...we were sad we had to leave at 4am!!

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1932 at Raffles Grand Angkor in Siem Reap needs a slight remake (2/24/25)

 Our last dinner in Cambodia was at the hotel's famous 1932 restaurant which is a gorgeous, elegant setting with rattan and wood chairs, silk pillow and walls lit with niches full of artwork. One wall was all glass facing the patio and pool area below, but there was a horrid disjoint with hideous music that sounded like something from a disco club. We finally got them to change it and what a relief that was.

The menus were presented, and each came from a different time period in the last 100 years reflecting the cuisine of the time. It was an odd choice, but we were told we could also mix and match.  I chose the 6 course 1960's menu and Will opted for the same with one less course...a wise move indeed.

Bread arrived with butter, fun salt and a coconut curry spicy dip that was super. The amuse was supposed to be Khmer fish cake but Lobster arrived which was really delish (from another of the menus as apparently the fish cake had sesame seeds, a no-no for me these days!). The wine prices were miuch higher thatn we had seen elsewhere in Cambodia so we opted for a basic Yalumba "Y: Viognier knowing it works with spicy food. we asked for spicy, but that was really not the case here as it is a tourist hotel restaurant.

A very loud Englishwoman and her companion sat at a nearby table, and we noticed their menu was nothing we had seen. Apparently, one could order anything from the other restaurants in the hotel, which we did not know. Boy, would I have liked one last Fish Amok!

The starter was a Roasted Eggplant/Minced Pork/Lime dressing/crispy vermicelli(fried white rice noodles) and local herbs that was nice and this was followed by the soup a Barramundi fish soup with tamarind/tomato and Khmer Ma'orm(a herb) that was a slightly sour broth that we loved, although then pineapple in it was weird.

I forgot a picture of the Stri-fry scallops with prawns, baby squid, green Kampot pepper(that gave the dish a quick kick of spice) and palm sugar. The dish was quite nice, but more spice would have been most welcome.

The Siem Reap roasted chicken with green tamarind dip, banana flowers and organic brown rice was pretty much a dud, and Will was glad he omitted this. My dessert was a delicious Pumpkin & Vanilla Tart with Bantaey Srey(where we had visited that day) vanilla ice cream, while Will switched to the banana fritter with pandam and coconut sorbet. They were nice and we headed upstairs sadly knowing we had to leave Cambodia the next day.

SUGAR PALM in Siem Reap doesn't pan out so well (2/23/24)

 Our second night in Siem Reap did not fare so well. We decided to tuk-tuk over to Sugar Palm as it was another 25 minute walk in the 90 degree heat. It was a cute setting in a giant inverted V building with a huge arched roof, so typical of Thailand and Cambodia. There were (thankfully) lots of fans in the ceiling and the setting was quite nice with teak tables although many of the chairs had hard backs and I really would have liked the cushioned ones. The music was extremely odd and went from kitchy 1930's Asian to 1950's and later. My husband noted that the place was "full of white folk." We did tell the servers that we loved spicy food and wanted to eat as local as possible, but I think that was heard with deaf ears, or perhaps a language issue. 

We had discovered the wonderful herby local gin Seekers "Jason King" Botanicals Gin and it was served here with tonic, kaffir lime leaf and our favorite butterfly pea and also apple giving it a blue tint. Super drink indeed and the wine prices were in the 30$ range making me very happy with a bottle of Ferraton et Fils "La Tournee" Vermentino & Viognier blend from the Rhone Valley, a winemaker I actually met in his home many years ago.

The Khmer Fish Salad was basically a ceviche with lime juice, capsicum, carrot, cabbage, bean sprouts, peanuts and a hint of mint with peanuts on top that was most refreshing but not spicy at all.

The Shrimp Cakes were not what we expected at all. Rather than battering them in a paste like we do with shrimp, fish or any seafood, these are teeny shrimp all held together with a light batter and then deep fried until super crispy and served with lime/pepper/salt dipping sauce that carried a punch. They were fun, but as dep fried foods can be, a tad greasy. 

Spicy Sour Soup was with chicken, tamarind paste, kroeung (hope you know what this is by now), Khmer spice, prahok (fermented fish paste), morning glory, eggplant and curry leaves and was a very nice soup indeed but not too spicy. 

I decided I really wanted one dish that sounded great..Pork Stew with Quail Eggs, especially after my lunch that day of the whole grilled quail with the egg inside! The stew came with bamboo shoots, Five Spice(well, it was NOT spicy) and palm sugar which actually made it a tad sweet and thus not our favorite dish at all. We left a tad disappointed after the two amazing meals we had had on previous nights and prayed our meal the next night (our last in Cambodia) would be better. It was not that this was a bad meal, it was just really geared for the tourists that filled the place.

Cuisine Wat Damnak in Siem Reap will have you raving (2/22/25)

 After our only meal in Phnom Penh we thought that dining in Cambodia couldn't get any better. We arrived at Cuisine Wat Damnak which is an artisan boutique space with well-spaced tables(inside and out) and a very quiet feel. (Have you noticed how many places we dined were so quiet? The US could learn a lesson). There seemed to be a good number of locals celebrating special occasions as well as tourists from all over the world. I loved the huge lamps hanging above us which I thought were bells but was told they were inverted local cooking pots for large food events. The tables were made of teak and the floors again were cool tile. We had walked over again in the heat, so really needed those cocktails: Will had a Turmeric Margarita and I chose the Tamarind Vodka Collins with lemongrass(there was a stalk in the drink to stir) with Tamarind-infused vodka and soda which was totally refreshing. The menu was presented and we had two options of meat or pant-based tasting menus both eight courses ($45 for meat/ $38 for veggie); Will went for veggie and I chose meat/fish. They were both amazing meals and journeys through local cuisine.

I thought a glass of rose to start would be nice as I knew a bottle of wine would not last us through this journey and The Beach house Pinotage Rose from Stellenbosch was ideal. My first course was Shell Oil Prawn Confit with sweet corn cake, red onion pickles, charred corn, cosmos sprouts(coriander variation) and both ripe and green mango puree. This dish set the scene for an amazing set of dishes to follow all with spectacular local artisanal ingredients that would costs hundreds of dollars anywhere in the USA. Will had Braised Peanuts and Grilled Capsicum Salad with bean sprouts, spicy charred tomato sauce in Lao Style and long parsley.

Second course was the main reason I chose meat and the Seared Slow Cooked Beef Tongue with Shiny Cresson, Fermented Tomato paste, tomatoes and homemade Oyster Sauce was the only dish that I was not bowled over by. It was charred beautifully but the meat was slightly chewy. Will's Yellow Bean Fritter with sesame seeds and holy basil, pickled mushrooms salad and cucumber looked like the better choice!

We moved on to red wine at this point and splurged since the food was priced so low. A 20202 Valpolicella Ripasso from Tommasi in Veneto was a mere $78 and we could not resist. There were many $30 and up wines on the menu and some of the expensive ones were hundreds and more, but this was just right for us.

Toasted Rice Coated Frogs Legs, Coconut Tree Herat Dumpling, Moringa Leaves Salad with Curry Oil dressing and green coconut gel was next. This dish was superb and apparently a common local treat (I had fried frogs the next day for lunch). These were just the legs on a teeny bone with a knob of meat--really looking like miniature drumsticks and let's face it, frog tasted like chicken! Moringa is a small spinach leaf and the dumpling was like a potato crunchy cake. The whole combination was fun and ideal.

Will had Cambodian Green Giant (not the brand) Eggplant with Elephant Ear Taro Stem, charred garlic and sandan emulsion, mushrooms floss, chambok seeds. (Look it all up!)

My fourth course was a puzzle as it was called steamed MAAM with egg, minced pork, chili and holy basil, herbs, flowers (most of the dishes had edible flowers), and local crudites (served on a betel leaf with fermented vinegar). It arrived and looked like custard in a cup with a bowl of sticky rice and a very elegant flowery salad. Maam, it turns out, is fermented snakehead fish which is fermented for 2-3 weeks!! This in turn is mixed with everything and turned into a custard layered with super-hot chilis then minced pork on top with crazy fried chilies. The dish rocked and was so umami insane that should it ever make it on any menu stateside, it could become a cult dish! Will has the Sour tofu, cashew nut and roasted cauliflower teuk kroeung, green chili, puffed rice, herbs and flowers. I won with my course easily this time around.

Sanday Fish Spicy Soup in Farmer Style, rice paddy herb, pounded eggplant and smoked fish rolled in grilled eggplant was my next course. I am not a fan of eggplant, but the grilled roulade with fish was divine and the added Lotus Leaves gave the entire presentation a great crunch. Will had a Fresh Rice Flake Pancake with beetroot glazed lotus roots, rice paddy herb beetroot and smoked garlic broth with tamarind reduction. While these were soups, they really were not, more like a dish with a broth poured on top for fun.

Caramelized Palm Sugar Braised Pork Shank came with Cauliflower stem, fresh green peppercorns, deep fried garlic and Cambodian herb butter. Besides frogs and Amok, palm sugar is main ingredient in the local diet. The next day we drank the very sweet milk, had the fabulous steamed cakes filled with coconut milk, and saw them processing the product. Here it was a compote-like puree relieved of its intense sweetness with great spice. The Cambodian Kampot peppercorn is another famous staple and was cooked here in its teeny whole version giving a great blast of spice when you bit the crunchy peppercorn open. Will had Sweet Potato and Peanut stuffed Pumpkin Moshi (paste) with grilled onion, red curry sauce, deep fried shallots and winged beans.

Our two dessert courses were the same and we started with Cured watermelon with Passionfruit skin jam, passion fruit espuma and for Will (i cannot east the sesame seeds) Sesame nougatine. This was an amazingly refreshing, yet quite sweet, dish that truly served the purpose of palate cleanser. The following dish was a novelty for us all as while we have jad jackfruit, it has never been prepared liked this: Young Jackfruit Sweet "Lo Bak Go" (Turnip cake), with puffed rice, caramelized coconut milk sauce and Jackfruit sorbet. The turnip cake was a tad gummy for me, but everything else was superb and the "sorbet" was more of a gelato texture. 

We were very full and Will declared the "Mignardises" his favorite dessert of the three as it was a plate of fruit to share that included things we have never had before.

There was the Rose Apple which was the sweetest ones we have had on the trip, Mango Plum (another novel treat that was also quite sweet), the Ambarella which was sweet and sour and hard and weird and finally the Bilim Bi, a sour fruit that was more fun when you used the accompanying condiments of salt, sugar, lime zest and green chili as ways to bring out the different fruits' flavors! A fun treat and a great way to go home.

Phnom Penh's KRAVANH kicks Cambodian cuisine into the heavens (2/21/25)

 We arrived in Phnom Penh too late the first night for a proper dinner and we were fed well on Thai airlines anyway, so our one night dining out in this city had to be a special choice!

We arrived at the large colonial house and yard (with outdoor dining as well) and were thrilled to be escorted inside to a cool comfortable table in the 90 degree heat!

The place was decorated with many colonial French photos and memorabilia on the walls and there were cool floral tile floors. We were hot from the 25 minute walk over and a tad disappointed with the very limited cocktail menu as they did not have a full bar. KALA was a drink with local herbal gin with tonic and kaffir lime & lime leaves which we both loved. It came with a giant cardamom seed in it as well.

I had read a small book in our (Jacqueline Kennedy) suite at the Raffles Le Royal about local food and was well prepared. We were thrilled that they had a mixed appetizer plate containing many of the dishes we wanted try: Snail Amok was a huge snail in the local Amok sauce made with coconut milk and Amok paste. Amok technically means steaming in banana leaves in kroeung paste (lemongrass and spices). Also on the platter was Kwa-Koh or sour beef sausage which tasted like a spicy pickled sausage! Meang Lao was ground pork, tamarind, toasted nuts and ginger in a tapioca leaf. This method is used n other SE Asian counties and is a really fun appetizer. There were spring rolls with vegetables in a coconut dipping sauce and Meang Kham-toasted coconut, lime peel, dried shrimp, chilies, toasted peanuts, ginger, crispy shallot, garlic, all in a betel leaf with tamarind-shrimp sauce!! It was quite chewy but had tons of flavor and great spice! 

We looked at the wine list and went into shock after paying such high prices in Thailand. The M. Chapoutier Viognier from Domaine de Granges de Mirabel was spectacular and cost about $40!

We decided to order one dish at a time and again this was a brilliant move. Next came Snakefish Ceviche with Banana Blossoms that was made with lime, prahok (fermented fish paste), herbs, galangal, banana blossom leaves, bean sprouts and crispy shallots for fun crunch. It was one of the best ceviche/salad dishes ever and we gobbled it up so fast as it was so refreshing with spices, and the fish was tender and yummy.

As Amok is the famous local dish we decided to have the Fish Amok next and again it was an ideal choice. The dish was not huge, but enough for two people to easily share and came wrapped in banana leaves with a beautiful tin-like container of brown rice. The dish was like a fish cake but had an intense coconut curry custard spicy flavor as well. I can only describe it as a custardy-fish cake curry! We fell in love, and I am so sorry I did not get another chance to have Amok as the places we went to in Siem Reap seemed to gear away from it!

Even though we decided against dessert, we were presented with two bowls of very refreshing corn with coconut cream that was basically a creamed corn with coconut dessert! we were ready for more Cambodian cuisine after this fabulous start.

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