Southeast Asia Part 2–Laos and Cambodia

Thanks, but no thanks

I am the albatross around the neck, the black cat crossing the path, the red sky in the morning, the howling dog at night.  Once I review a restaurant, it is game over, a permanent vacation via the bullet train to Insolvencyville.  First, I find a gem of an artisanal pizzeria in the culinary wasteland of the San Fernando Valley, Flame Pizzeria, write a review, and find that it has gone under before I can even publish.  Next, I try to do a good turn for my close friend Morrie Grossman by praising the talents of his daughter, Sarah, in her work as a pastry chef at Bar Chelou and it bites the dust.  And finally, after I write a somewhat critical appraisal of Cole’s, which arguably invented the French Dip sandwich and served every president of the United States since the 340 pound William Howard Taft, the doors are shuttered after 117 years in business.  Kaput.  Kabloooie.  Kicked the bucket.  Shuffled off this mortal coil.  Run down the curtain and joined the choir invisible. 

So maybe it is most advantageous for my readers that I only review restaurants in distant lands so as not to limit their gustatory options in the L.A. basin.  Therefore and forthwith, on with my trek through Indochina.

What is Laos known for?  Not much, according the Encyclopedia Brittanica, The Library of Congress and ChatGPT.  A small, landlocked country of only 7 million inhabitants, it is blessed with unspoiled landscapes of rolling hills covered with lush jungle and small quaint towns filled with hundreds of centuries-old Buddhist temples.  I discovered, however, that the inhabitants know a thing or two or three about the culinary sciences melding local traditions with a French colonial influence.  On our first morning, I breakfasted on a Mekong River weed croissant and local mango, papaya and banana.  Mekong River weed is a fresh water algae that grows on rocks in fast-flowing portions of the river.  It is collected by hand, washed, pressed into thin sheets then ground into flour.  The croissant has an earthy, herbal and savory flavor without the oiliness that can taint a typical buttery flour croissant.

I found further French influence on the local cuisine in fine dining in Luang Prabang, the lovely UNESCO world heritage city best known for the sunrise alms-giving ceremony with saffron-robed Buddhist monks.  The décor at Manda de Laos reflects the natural beauty of the country.

An appetizer medley was presented with homemade pork sausage with Lao herbs, spices and eggplant dip, a salad of banana blossom mixed with shredded chicken and Lao herbs and a shredded fish salad mixed with shallots, crispy garlic, lemongrass, chili, mint leaves, coriander and ground rice.  These starters are as delicious as their appearance.  The Laotian spice palette is mild, clean and sharp as opposed to the Thai which is hotter, brighter and sweeter.  The herbs contain more mint and dill than in Thailand but similarly used cilantro leaves with coriander seeds.

For the first main course steamed river fish marinated with Lao herbs and spices cooked in banana leaves was served.  The banana leaves add a subtle leafy, green aroma with a faint, natural sweetness which gives the fish a clean, fresh flavor.  The leaves trap the steam so the fish cooks in its own juices yielding a tender, delicate and succulent dish.

For the more adventurous, water buffalo is on the menu, prepared wok-fried with spring onions and flambéed with Lao Lao, a traditional Laotian rice whisky.  Water buffalo is leaner than traditional beef with less fat content.  It has an earthy, mineral flavor that has a gentler gaminess than bison or venison.  Because of the lower fat content, it is firmer and denser than beef and should be cooked medium rather than the preferred rare to medium rare for a fine steak.

From Laos we hopped on the big old jet airliner to Siem Reap, Cambodia, gateway to Angkor Wat and other spectacular ancient temples.  These Khmer temples were built in the 11^th and 12^th centuries as religious centers and mausoleums for the kings.  Although Angkor Wat is the most majestic, other unrestored temples such as Angkor Thom are more visually compelling, harkening one back to a lost civilization of the past.

We stayed at the Raffles Hotel, a chain of hotels in Southeast Asia that was founded in the late 19^th century.  One can just imagine the expat Somerset Maugham composing his Tales of the South Seas or The Razor’s Edge while reclining on the veranda sipping Boodles gin underneath slowly turning fans.

The Long Bar of the Raffles Hotel in Singapore is where the Singapore Sling was first created in 1915.  A light, refreshing drink which is perfect for the oppressive humid heat, the current version is a blend of gin, cherry brandy, Cointreau, benedictine, Sarawak pineapple juice, lime juice and grenadine shaken and served tall garnished with a pineapple wedge and a cherry.

Amok is the national dish of Cambodia.  It is a fragrant, curry-like dish made with fish cooked in coconut milk and kroeung, a paste of lemongrass, turmeric, garlic, kaffir lime leaves and galangal, a Southeast Asian version of ginger.  The dish is steamed in banana leaves giving it a soft, mousse-like texture.  It is mild, creamy and aromatic rather than spicy.

Cambodia also has its street food scene, but the focus is more insectile than Thailand.

The markets in Cambodia feature a fascinating variety of exotic fruits as well as unique butcher displays not often seen here in the West.

Fine dining is also on the menu in Cambodia.  The M’kak Fruit Salad with Sheatfish features ambarella, a sweet, tangy citrus-like fruit with sheatfish, a fresh-water catfish.  The main ingredients are chopped with shrimp, red tomato, cucumber, shallot, garlic, saw leaf, mint, peanuts and dried shrimp and served with a Khmer dressing of fish sauce, tamarind juice, palm sugar, garlic, chili and cilantro.  The mixture is light, refreshing, slightly sweet, creamy and tangy.

Another classic Khmer delicacy is the Prahok Ktish.  Fermented fish, minced pork and river fish are braised in coconut and accompanied by wild eggplant and sautéed mixed vegetables.  The fermented fish is strong and pungent which is balanced by the creaminess and sweetness of the coconut.  The gently bitter vegetables add harmony to the stew-like dish.

It was a fascinating, educational and gastronomically satisfying journey to two countries little known to us Angelenos.  Last stop, to be chronicled in Part 3 of the series, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.