In a spectacular first, the Topaz restaurant has joined forces in July with the esteemed Amber Hotel in Kampot to present a truly unforgettable culinary journey. The evening’s menu, crafted with meticulous care by Chef Sopheak Pov and his talented team, was nothing short of spectacular. 

French savoir-faire meets the richness of Cambodia’s coastal treasures 

From the very first bite, it’s clear that Chef Sopheak Pov, sommelier Sokmean Sun and Topaz manager Eden Gnean have poured their hearts and souls into this culinary masterpiece. 

A mouth-watering selection of unique dishes inspired by the tasty products of the Cambodian coast, offering the perfect balance between the freshness of the fish and seafood, the unique flavor of the Plantation’s Kampot pepper and the refined wines of Celliers d’Asie.  

The evening kicked off with an incredible amuse-bouche of seared tuna in a crust, melting to perfection and perfectly enhanced by the unique Kampot pepper. A preamble accompanied by a magnificent Champagne from Reims (Champagne Taittinger Brut Réserve NV Golden Edition, Reims, France). 

The dinner went on with a delicious Kep crab served with avocado and citrus fruit, topped with a Kampot pepper vinaigrette and paired with a Sauvignon Blanc (2022 Clos Henri, Organic Sauvignon Blanc, Wairou Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand). The rich, exceptional taste of the crab meat was enhanced by the extreme finesse of the wine, creating an unforgettable taste sensation. 

Next, our taste buds were treated to something truly special – a scallop that drew rapturous applause from our guests! The flavors of the Kampot black pepper and the lemon beurre blanc were simply divine, and it wasn’t long before many were eager to applaud this simple but perfectly composed dish, which was above all perfect in its cooking. A truly delicious escapade, accompanied by a divine 2021 Chardonnay (2021 Domaine Laroche, Chablis, Cuvée Saint Martin, Burgundy, France, Chardonnay).  

The menu was full of surprises! It even featured a Normandy specialty, a trou normand with a zesty lemon and vodka sorbet.  

And then came the star dish of the evening: a mouth-watering bouillabaisse from Kampot! This incredible dish is simmered with Kampot pepper and served with the famous rouille sauce. For a dish that is typically Mediterranean and “sacred” in some way, the kitchen team did a fantastic job of bringing this emblematic dish from the south of France to the table. 

The quality and freshness of the fish and seafood selected, such as snapper, grouper, red mullet and sea bass, the abundance of seafood, squid, prawns and mussels, all enhanced by notes of galanga, lemongrass and orange, enabled the guests to discover an authentic “Cambodian bouillabaisse” that was a perfect success, bursting with the flavors of the South Seas – it was a truly magnificent dish. And the perfect accompaniment to this incredible meal was a New Zealand Pinot Noir, selected by the talented sommelier Sokmean Sun. 

The filet mignon Rossini, the second main course served with truffle mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach, this time with a Kampot green pepper sauce, was another showstopper. The meat was melt-in-the-mouth tender, cooked to perfection, and the combination of flavors was simply divine. It was a true culinary masterpiece, paired perfectly with a Château Mont Redon Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2020. 

In the middle of the evening, each table was treated to a special appearance by the incredible Chef Sopheak Pov! He took the time to cut up the delicious homemade Khmer cheeses (Topaz), including the Tomme orange, Tomme de Phnom Penh, a unique Gorgonzola-style Khmer bleu and a creamy Cambodian Camembert.  

The evening’s culinary journey reached its magnificent finale with two desserts that were as imaginative as they were tasty. The first was a durian soufflé with a caramel sauce that softened the unique taste of this famous Khmer fruit, while the second was a mango tartlet with a generous coconut ice cream, paired with a sparkling Italian wine: Banfi, Vigne Regali ‘Rosa Regale’ Spumante 2021, Brochetto d’Acqui DOCG, Italy. 

And finally, guests were treated to an amazing selection of mignardises paired with different spirits! Guests could enjoy a wonderful selection of fine spirits. Let’s start with the exquisite Calvados from Normandy. Or perhaps some would like to try the Château du Breuil fine, Bas-Armagnac, Darroze ‘Les Grands Assemblages’, or the Trimbach Poire William, all from the Alsace region of France. And for those with a sweet tooth, they had the Luxardo Amaretto Italiano di Sachira liqueur from Italy.  

Chef Sopheak has done it again. His first experience in Kampot has left the teams and the guests all astonished with his tasty dishes combining seafood, French influences and Kampot specialities. 

“I was absolutely thrilled with all the wonderful comments about the dinner as I went from table to table cutting the cheese. This event was a huge success! We had the amazing opportunity to work with different teams and find the perfect balance between French-style gastronomy and local products. “I was also really proud to be able to offer our delicious, homemade cheese,” he said. 

He was absolutely thrilled to have taken part in such a fantastic dinner and was already looking forward to repeating the experience: “I can’t wait to offer this kind of event again and I know we’ll do even better next time.’ I’m already looking forward to the next event! We’re thrilled to announce that we plan to offer this type of dinner three or four times a year in different towns in Cambodia!” 

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