Cuts’ ritzy ambience was the ideal backdrop for chef Moko’s refined menu (All photos: Rosewood Phnom Penh)
All frequent travellers will know that dining well is integral to holistic jet-setting. Food tourism has never been bigger than now, so what better way is there for tourists to immerse themselves in another country’s culture? In line with this global trend, Rosewood Phnom Penh staged its maiden Taste of Cambodia event.
This instalment of an annual celebration of the city’s diverse food and drink scene took place from Sept 12 to 15 at the shining Vattanac Capital Tower. Chefs and bartenders from across Asia flew in to partake in a series of bar and kitchen takeovers, and mouth-watering culinary collaborations that further cemented Phnom Penh’s position on the region’s culinary map.
As guests from around the world trickled into the country on the opening day, the hotel’s cocktail bar, Sora, came to life for the final round of the local Campari Red Hand’s competition. The moody jazz bar, widely known as one of Cambodia’s best watering holes, had been transformed into a sort of shrine for the bitter Italian apéritif. Vintage posters decorated the walls, scarlet bottles lined the glass-front cabinets and contestants dressed in red anxiously awaited their turn.
One by one, the crème de la crème of Cambodia’s mixology scene went behind the bar to craft original drinks inspired by the classic Negroni. They were scored based on not just presentation, technique and taste, but also how each libation honoured the inspiration drink while highlighting local ingredients. After tension-filled presentations and lengthy deliberation, Lyheang Heng of Five.19 Whisky and Cigar Lounge was crowned the winner and selected as Cambodian representative for the global finals, which will take place this November in Milan, Italy.
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Later that evening, Taste of Cambodia officially kicked off with the first night of Nikka Whisky’s year-long takeover at the Whisky Library. The swanky lounge was decked out with authentic memorabilia by the brand, from antique bottles to original notes by Nikka founder Masataka Taketsuru. A first for the nation, the event coincided with the spirit maker’s 90th anniversary. So, naturally and to the immense pleasure of guests, the rare Nikka Nine Decades blend — a limited edition marrying over 50 distillations from between the 1940s and 2020s — made an appearance. In a nosing glass, the amber courage reveals a gourmet sugariness of apple pie and raisins accompanied by toasted smoky nuances from years spent ageing in oak barrels. On the palate, it presents elements of cinnamon, roasted nuts and dark chocolate against a well-balanced woody background.
For the prestigious partnership between whisky maker and hotel, an experimental cocktail menu featuring a lineup of classic whisky creations was created, paired with laidback izakaya-style fare courtesy of Iza, the bar’s neighbouring Japanese restaurant. Some of the favourite tipples were the Penicillin, served with a cube of sticky honeycomb to enhance the drink’s bright citrus and ginger nature; the New York Sour, which impressed with its frothy egg white head and a delectable sprinkling of yuzu powder; and the Boulevardier, which combined Nikka Days whisky with Sora vermouth and Campari.
The following day, the event picked up again with dinner at the award-winning steakhouse Cuts, where chef Alexis Moko of one Michelin-starred Kyoto establishment Moko took over the kitchen for two nights to whip up a sensational seasonal menu merging the worlds of Japanese and French cuisine. The first course, a scallop carpaccio topped with paper-thin semi-circles of radish and a nori dressing, opened up appetites with its zingy, marine elements. In contrast, the subsequent plate of marbled foie gras served alongside a sweet fig compote and toasted brioche steered the meal into richer territories. These two appetisers were respectively matched with a Camille de Labrie chardonnay from France and a sweet Italian moscato d’Asti.
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Moving into the main courses, a flaky piece of sea bass arrived on a bed of greens and champagne sauce. A bump of caviar garnished the fish, offering a mineral, salty touch to stand against a glass of fruity yet acidic gamay. A cut of beef striploin swiftly followed, with earthy baked beetroot, fermented black garlic miso and red wine jus. The grounded flavours were complimented by a full-bodied
Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon. For the finale, an Okinawa brown sugar tart delighted diners with its silken custard texture, improved only by a quenelle of ginger ice cream and a sip or two of saccharine grenache.
The evening did not end there, as guests ventured back to Sora for a special one-night-only guest shift by Hisatsugu Saito, star bartender of the renowned Bar Owl&Rooster. The Sapporo-based saloon’s signature cocktails (all containing Nikka Whisky), which earned it a place on the Asia’s 50 Best Bars Discovery List, were nightcaps to remember. Among the options savoured, two in particular stood out — the Asia Explorer, a base of coffee malt whisky, kina (sea urchin), mango curaçao and lemon, as well as the Guava Bloody Mary, which swapped the traditional version’s savoury tomato flavours for the sweetness of its namesake tropical stone fruit. For something different, Luc Belaire bubbles and oysters by the dozen were also available.
On the last night, chef Teng Kam Seng of the hotel’s contemporary Chinese haunt, Zhan Liang, joined forces with chef Matthew Geng from Rosewood Bangkok’s Nan Bei for a “four-hands dinner” unlike any other. Taking turns to produce each course on the menu, the dynamic duo put forth a lineup of elevated yet familiar delicacies, including steamed Australian abalone with ginger and M9 Mayura wagyu striploin with asparagus and local black pepper. Other standout dishes were the ultra-comforting Cantonese-style fish maw and chicken soup, tender steamed cod with black truffle and double-boiled hasma with ginseng and red dates.
Before departing Phnom Penh, guests absolutely had to partake in the free-flow Sunday Brunch at the hotel’s go-to spot for French-inspired dishes and traditional Khmer favourites, Brasserie Louis. Presented buffet style, along with a made-to-order menu, the spread encompassed all the necessities — fresh seafood, European cheeses, handmade pastries and even a live carving station. Of course, no late-morning feast is complete without a little bevvy or two. After all, it is five o’clock somewhere in the world. Thankfully, the unlimited sparkling wine and cocktails list rounded out the experience. However, it was the restaurant’s view of the geographical X formed by the intersection of the Mekong and Bassac rivers as well as the Tonle Sap lake that enchanted the soul and urged guests to return sooner rather than later.
For updates on future events, see here.
This article first appeared on Sept 30, 2024 in The Edge Malaysia.
