Take a Break 歇息片刻: 亚洲五十最佳餐厅 Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2016

Asia's 50 Best Restaurants - Cuisine Wat Damnak, Cambodia

Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant: Cuisine Wat Damnak, Cambodia

Cuisine Wat Damnak是唯一一家获得「亚洲五十最佳餐厅」的柬埔寨菜餐厅，料不到远离亚洲大都会的暹粒餐厅也能被英国著名饮食杂志《餐厅》发现（Restaurant Magzine），并借此机会登上国际的美食舞台。此行能在Cuisine Wat Damnak用餐，算是额外惊喜，除了对柬埔寨菜有基本认识之外，也达到了味蕾的高潮，圆满了这趟旅程。

Cuisine Wat Damnak is the only restaurant in Cambodia that made it into Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2016. Cuisine Wat Damnak had been discovered by the famous magazine and now it is well known internationally. Having the opportunity to dine in Cuisine Wat Damnak is one of the highlight of our Cambodia trip. We not only learn some basic of Cambodia cuisine, we also had the opportunity to enjoy the elevated version of the Cambodia cuisine.

Cuisine Wat Damnak, Siem Reap

Cuisine Wat Damnak离闹市有一段距离，乘坐嘟嘟车抵达后，看到外观种满绿物的传统柬埔寨木屋，迎接我们的是面有笑容的女主人。餐厅的环境清幽，分三个用餐区：楼下的室内冷气座位舒适，运用当地的手工藤织艺术品装潢、二楼打开窗户让空气自由流通，可以体验柬埔寨乡村的朴素、而户外用餐充满热带气息，四周环绕着芳香温和的香料花园。

为了确保上桌的食物味甜鲜美，Cuisine Wat Damnak的用心和创意体现在每两个星期调整的菜单。厨师Joannès Rivière善用当地栽种的季节性香料蔬果，还有湄公（Mekong）和洞里萨湖（Tonle Sap）的野生河鲜，设计出两份截然不同的餐牌。每一道料理是厨师对当地食材的想象力和热情，加入复杂的香料，融合法式烹饪的心思，摆盘看起来精致，味道也非常美味。

Cuisine Wat Damnak is somewhere away from town area but you can easily reach by taking tuktuk. It is a traditional wooden house with tropical garden surrounding. Once we reach there, we are welcome by the lovely Carole.

Cuisine Wat Damnak is divided into 3 different areas which give you 3 different dining experiences. Downstairs is the modern dining room with air-conditioned space. It is decorated with local artwork and handicrafts which add some local vibes into the dining area. The upstairs is the traditional Cambodian wooden house which has the country charm and ambiance that complements the menu. Outside is surrounded by tropical greenery and local herbs where you can enjoy the balmy Cambodian evening.

In order to make sure everything served is fresh and in season, Cuisine Wat Damnak changes their menu every 2 week. Chef Joannès Rivière insists on the use of local seasonal fruits, vegetables and herbs and also fish and seafood from the Mekong and Tonle Sap. Every dish is the innovative creation of Chef Joannès Rivière where he brings together authentic Cambodian flavors and French culinary technique. Everything is plate nicely and the taste is simply on point which is the perfect blend of two different cultures.

Cuisine Wat Damnak, Siem Reap

Cuisine Wat Damnak, Siem Reao

Tasting Menu 1

Amuse-bouche
Cambodian wedding platter
Braised minced pork with fermented soy bean, cabbage, crispy rice crepe and Chinese celery
Quail in game style with Cambodian green giant eggplant, spicy pounded wild eggplant, water celery and holy basil
Tonle Sap croacker fish porridge with calamari, bean sprouts, glazed and salted turnip
Green and ripe mango tart, Phnom Kulen vanilla yogurt

开胃菜是巴掌般大的小鱼，煎香后配上自制的蘸酱，我们吃得津津有味，也期待接下来的惊喜。茄子鹌鹑肉「Quail in game style」偏重口味，鹌鹑肉软嫩，选用了当地大茄子和辣味野茄，加入水芹和罗勒炒煮，味道虽然芬芳，但多吃几口便感觉过咸。

洞里萨湖的淡水河鲜产量多，是柬埔寨北部人民的重要食物和经济来源，餐厅的洞里萨湖黄花鱼粥「Tonle Sap croacker fish porridge」的处理恰好，黄鱼没有土味也不腥，摆盘以豆芽和盐腌芜菁作底，吃起来口感不腻。青芒果馅饼「Green and ripe mango tart」的香草酸奶食材采自于吴哥城的荔枝山「Phnom Kulen」，是道道地地的热带甜品风味。

Our dinner start with Amuse-bouche, a chef choice pan fry fish with homemade sauce. The homemade sauce is very appetizing as it is sour and peppery in taste. Then follow by Quail in Game Style which is quail with Cambodian green giant eggplant, spicy pounded wild eggplant, water celery and holy basil. This dish has a unique taste that we had never try before. This dish is a little bit salty for our liking.

Tonle Sap produce massive amount of freshwater fish which is one of the important food source and income for Cambodian. Tonle Sap Croaker Fish Porridge is perfectly cook without having the fishy taste of freshwater fish which is sometime very unpleasant to eat it. Fish porridge is garnish with bean sprout and pickle which infused some freshness into this dish. Green and Ripe Mango Tart comes with vanilla yogurt which is originated from Phnom Kulen.

Amuse-bouche

Cambodia wedding platter

Braised minced pork with fermented soy bean,
cabbage, crispy rice crepe and Chinese celery

Quail in game style with Cambodian green giant eggplant,
spicy pounded wild eggplant, water celery and holy basil

Tonle Sap croacker fish porridge with calamari,
bean sprouts, glazed and salted turnip

Green and ripe mango tart, Phnom Kulen vanilla yogurt

Cuisine Wat Damnak, Siem Reap

Tasting Menu 2

Amuse-Bouche
Pan fried Sanday fish on a dry Vietnamese soup
Egg, mushrooms and pickled banana roll, Passion fruit dressing and spicy crushed peanuts
Mekong langoustine curry, coconut tree heart and tamarind shoots
Roasted pork shank and vegetables stew, toasted rice, green jackfruit purée and crispy breast
Black sesame parfait with caramelized baguette, Chinese pear and star anise compote, fresh coriander

当晚最令人回味的味道是——湄公海螯虾咖喱「Mekong langoustine curry」，剥壳的虾只看起来与一般大虾无异，但其实是龙虾与海虾的混合体，有弹性，口感好。咖喱不是一般的浓郁印象，口味较淡，香料层次丰富，配着饭吃，还可以尝到鲜甜的龙虾汤味。摆盘的罗望子绿叶像含羞草，合着青木瓜入口，咬起来脆口香甜。

烘猪蹄膀「Roasted pork shank」的食材相当有趣，意想不到的是在焖菜和烤饭粒中加入菠萝蜜果泥，复杂多样的味道，吃起来却很和谐。品尝完餐牌上的料理后，女主人还端出一盘本地水果让我们品尝。这些水果都能在大马吃到，但还是得提当地特产——葵伊果「Willughbeia edulis」，黄色球型果实，肉厚味酸，吃起来带丝，中间一颗颇大的黑色种子。

Mekong Langoustine Curry is one of the most memorable dish we had in Cuisine Wat Damnak. Langoustine is closely related to the lobster, though is more the size of a large prawn. The curry is very mild in taste and not over powering yet it is very rich is flavor. This dish is garnish with coconut tree heart and tamarind shoots which look like Mimosa when we first saw it.

Roasted Pork Shank is quite interesting and surprise dish for us. All the ingredient mix together and bring a harmony taste which is out of our expectation. After we had done with our 6 course menu, Carol brings out a fruit platter for us to try on. Most of the fruits on the platter are available in Malaysia but Kuy fruit is the only one we didn’t try before. Kuy fruit is a kind of wild fruits having yellow, sour, but edible fruit which can be easily find in Cambodia.