“Amongst the edge and bustle of Cambodia’s rapidly changing capital, Phnom Penh, sits an oasis of calm, a haven in the hurry-scurry, Topaz Restaurant. Housed in a beautiful high ceilinged space, the glass-walled restaurant looks out onto lush manicured gardens, and the interior is adorned with local pieces of art. A walk-in wine room catches our attention as we enter, and amiable staff soon have us seated at a table by the window.”

“The menu is large, but we manage to narrow our selections to two starters, two mains and two desserts in an attempt to sample across the offerings. Tartare de Filet De Saumon D’Ecosse ($15) is a fresh Scottish salmon fillet tartare topped with salmon roe, caviar, sour cream, button mushrooms and arugula leaves. There’s a wedge of lemon on the side, but the capers and finely chopped onion give the tartare sufficient tang, rendering the wedge a burst of colour in accompaniment, but unnecessary flavour addition. It’s superb but could be even better with a crisp glass of sauvignon blanc or a cool climate chardonnay perhaps.”

Read the full blog post here.