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Published: November 27th 2013
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CAMBODIA: Basil chocolate ganache & other delights. "I could not sleep last night" he admitted.
"I was awake at 3 a.m. worrying what I was going to cook for you tonight."
He's Mikael Wenger...the French Executive Chef of the Angkor Village Resort...and he is about to present us with tonight's dessert.
'Basil chocolate ganache, rose apple, salt and espelette chili'...just the name made me drool...my taste buds popping with explosive anticipation.
"I've brought a wine from my home town in France for you to enjoy...it will complement the dessert perfectly."
Another unbelievably delicious meal...impossible to put in words how good it is.
*****
Cambodia is synonymous with hospitality.
The Cambodian way to greet is in accordance with the Sampeah...placing both hands in front of one's chest with both palms together like a lotus flower...offerred and always returned in like manner...thus showing respect to the other person.
When you are so greeted by a sweet Khmer girl...it is nigh on impossible to not feel the essence of peace, welcome and tranquility that pervades this magic land.
As you know...the Khmer Rouge not that long ago...made certain it was not always like
that.
*****
Denise had booked this hotel...a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group...as a bit of luxury to conclude our China/Vietnam/Cambodia sojourn...so might as well splurge a bit...massages every night the only thing planned at this stage...like a menu...planning different styles each time.
Our first night's massage is complimentary...Denise's herbal...mine exotic oils...rather exquisite...discrete Khmer girls...probably selected for their beauty...I'm not complaining.
Could have a spa bath in our room...or a swim in the globe's longest swimming pool outside our bungalow room...but let's see what's for dinner.
Wandering the tropical gardens with it's Khmer traditional style hotel...every corner to please the eye...most dining in the area where we will have breakfast...complementary cocktails before dinner...we could get used to this.
Then we saw it...a table in a covered courtyard...piled with tropical fruits...and opposite it...a menu on a lectern outside a self contained room with a sign..."Le Jardin Restaurant"...peer through the glass door...decor inside of chandeliers and a handful of tables adorned with crystal and silver...$45 per person...4 course meal...couldn't get a meal like that for this price in Oz...so we book a table for 7.30pm...yep...let's give it a try.
Le Jardin Mark I We were the only diners that night...centre table...antiquities in the cabinets...two beautiful Khmer women serving us...other potential patrons looking at the menu and peering in...that look of Europeans who prefer to save a buck...no idea what they are missing...mmm...that entre looks...oooh my goodness...mmmm!
'Amuse bouche du Chef' for starters
followed by 'Mekong Lobster with green curry sauce, Asian flavours'...mmmm!
'Green Lamb Tenderloin, spicy tomato jam, Cambodian herbs' for mains
'Almond Grumble, candied eggplant' for dessert.
We insisted on meeting the chef...food this good...and we the only one's trying it...the chef deserves to know it is appreciated.
Imagine our surprise when we learnt these delicacies were created by the Assistant Chef...the Executive Chef away tonight...back tomorrow...far out...book us in for tomorrow night!
*****
At breakfast we got to chatting to a handsome couple..."Where are you from?"..."Austria"..."How are the kangaroos?".
"Where are you from?"..."Australia"..."How is the skiing?".
And by that we met Robert & Julia...taking a year off to travel the World...booked to see an Angkor Khmer show with them that evening...to meet for cocktails beforehand.
*****
Came in from touring and into the pool.
Some French, Spanish and Russian neighbours...not chatty...preferring their own company.
Gotta get ready for the Khmer show...no time for a massage tonight...gotta zip.
Into a mini van and whisked off for Khmer fare, traditional and peasant dances...fun night.
Robert & Julia keen to join us in Le Jardin tomorrow night...we'll book a table for 4...looking forward to it already.
*****
Another full day touring and into the pool. The cabanas are all taken so nothing like a couple of bombs into the water to create some space!!!
Relaxing in our cabana...Den reading...me dreaming...think I'll see how long this pool is...others in boats...nuh I'm an Aussie...I'll swim it...went forever...then back again.
Gotta go...I've got a hot stone massage booked tonight...and I think I need it.
All massages are different.
This one kicked off with some iced tea...meet our Khmer masseurs...strip down...then I was blind-folded...that's different!
I could tell by the caressing hands and the clinking of stones that there were two girls in there with me.
Hot pebbles were placed between my fingers & toes...on various parts of my body...exotic oils...wrapped like an Egyptian mummy...caressing hands.
Yep...all massages are different...and this possibly the best...Denise definitely booking a hot stone massage for tomorrow night!
*****
Le Jardin Mark II Only us four in Le Jardin tonight...so the chef has created something special...just for us...the other guests in the Resort are not having what we are having...no sirree...just us!
And so it was for the remainder of our stay.
Red carpet treatment...nuh...this was gold...and the four of us were suitably appreciative.
Why eat anywhere else?
Mikael made a special menu each night...doesn't normally happen...but for us it did.
Consulted us as to what we fancied...pretty chuffed when we left it to him to surprise us each night...nothing a chef likes more than free reign.
But after I tried the Basil Chocolate Ganache on night 4...gotta have that again!
A whirlwind sojourn in Siem Reap...one we will never forget.
Tonight 'Crispy lobster with mash pumpkin and tomato salsa'
followed by 'Chang Mai noodle soup, roasted foie gras'.
'Sea bass, stir fried banana and xeres chocolate sauce' for mains...a combination I would not have dreamed of...delicate and delicious.
'Almond Grumble, candied
MEKONG LOBSTER
with green curry sauce eggplant' for dessert...different chef...different experience.
Le Jardin Mark III Tonight...'Crispy Goat cheese salad, Mango vinaigrette'...one of Den's favourites
followed by 'Roasted Sea bass, mashed carrots and pomegranate watermelon salad'.
'Grilled beef coriander polenta with Cambodian herbs salad' for mains.
'Basil chocolate ganache, rose apple, salt and espelette chili' for dessert...makes me squirm how good it was...with Mikael's special stash of Alsace Louis Sipp Gewurztraminer to complement this amazing delight.
With food this good it's hard not to get on with your companions...and it's an added delight to be joined by such like-minded people as the well travelled Robert and Julia...enjoying local beers, good wines...unbelievably good food...scintillating company.
Le Jardin Mark IV Mikael could sleep better last night.
Denise had requested the 'Crispy Goat cheese salad, Mango vinaigrette' again...can't complain
I'd requested the 'Basil chocolate ganache, rose apple, salt and espelette chili' for dessert again...still makes me drool.
'Scallop Tar Tar on apple jelly' for seconds
'Rack of Lamb with balsamic reductions, milk gelee and jackfruit salad' for mains.
Our Khmer hosts goodbye with tears in their eyes...kindest hearts...don't know who was sadder...we to
leave...or them to see appreciative, complimentary diners no longer grace Le Jardin.
Robert and Julia to South Africa...we back to work in Oz.
Mikael there to say goodbye as our taxi arrived to whisk us to the Airport...offerring the recipes...hugs all round.
Cambodia...our land of smiles...extra special memories...captured in our minds...our taste buds...and our waist lines!
*****
We have eaten well around the world...in the remote...the desolate...the opulent...the exotic...banquets where others have travelled from other provences to drink with me...with folks of every colour and creed...but never before have we had a French executive chef...cooking up a storm exclusively for us...day after day.
No wonder our neighbours at home talk of bringing Mikael to Oz...to cook for us...to share some hospitality...massage...and cuisine.
Kinda like the idea.
Yeh...why not?
Someone's gotta do it.
Relax & Enjoy,
Dancing Dave
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taracloud
Tara Cloud
Food as Art!
Sitting here salivating as I read your menus and gorge on your food photos. How fabulous that you went all out and were rewarded with your own private chef! Massages, giant pool and amiable company sound pretty good, too. A fine end to your Asian travels--good show!