Article and photos by Elena del Valle

Braised “prahok” with coconut milk at Cuisine Wat Damnak

It was a rainy night in Siem Reap, Cambodia and I was hungry after spending the better part of the day in tourist endeavors. I was scheduled to have dinner with a friend who called Cambodia’s most popular tourist city home. We had narrowed our choices down to two, Italian for a comfort food meal or as my friend put it, “interesting” food at a newly opened gourmet Khmer restaurant owned by Joannès Riviere, the former chef of the Hotel de la Paix in Siem Reap (see Delicious tasting menus at Meric in Siem Reap, Cambodia) for five years and a native of Rhone, France. Italian we could eat anytime. A gourmet Khmer meal, at least for me, was a limited time option since I was leaving the following day. We called Cuisine Wat Damnak and were fortunate to find a table as a large group had booked most of the restaurant that night. The restaurant was named Wat Damnak for the pagoda next to the restaurant and the area where it is located.

Carol Salmon and Joannès Riviere of Cuisine Wat Damnak

“We decided to call it like this in honor of this neighborhood we’ve been living in since we arrived in Cambodia,” said Carole Salmon, a native of Nantes and one of the owners. “It is also a way to indicate where we are since we are a little bit out of the way. Cuisine because it is a French word (and we are French) that either means kitchen, cooking and gastronomy at the same time. Our vision was to create a place entirely dedicated to Cambodian food.”

Steamed Mekong langoustine with rice wine and Kurata pepper

Pan fried wild snakehead fish and eggplant

There were two set menu options with amouse bouche, a four course ($17) and a five course ($24) selection, presented in a four-page printed menu with beverages in the first and last pages and the set menus in the middle. There were four types of cocktails, a variety of spirits and aperitifs, Cambodian, Asian and European beer options, soft drinks, mineral water, two types of cider and a selection of red, white and rosé wines from Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, and South Africa.

Free range chicken and grilled garlic sour soup

We both chose the five course menus: Siem reap sausage and cucumber salad with dry shrimp and chili; Steamed Mekong langoustine with rice wine and Kurata pepper; Free range chicken and grilled garlic sour soup with purple yam and wild mushrooms; Braised “prahok” with coconut milk; pan fried wild snakehead fish and eggplant, and Chocolate and wild cardamon light ganache, cashew nut praliné and puffed rice. We shared a bottle of red wine to accompany the meal.

Dinner in the air conditioned and colorful restaurant was very good. Staff were friendly and helpful and the set menu was satisfying. There were enough exotic ingredients to make it fun without any seriously challenging flavors. It was one of my favorite meals during my 10 day visit to Cambodia.

Chocolate and wild cardamon light ganache, cashew nut praliné and puffed rice

At the end when all the guests were gone Chef Riviere and Salmon, the owners, joined us briefly for a drink. The chef had learned to cook with his father who was a chef and an organic vegetable farmer and his grandmother who graduated from the Cordon Bleu cooking school in the 1950s. The young couple from France had recently had a baby and opened their new restaurant almost at the same time. Cuisine Wat Damnak restaurant (Siem Reap, Kingdom of Cambodia +855 (0) 63 965 491, www.cuisinewatdamnak.com, info@cuisinewatdamnak.com).

A refined dinner at Raffles Hotel Le Royal

The food I sampled in Cambodia was surprisingly flavorful and, in some cases, refined. In Phnom Penh, the capital city, the restaurants at Raffles Hotel Le Royal, my hotel, were good and quite convenient. I was particularly impressed with Le Royal the hotel’s fine dining restaurant which was managed by Christoph Sclatter, a Swiss executive with exacting expectations and great enthusiasm. My dinner on a quiet night was a blend of recreated traditional Khmer dishes from the royal household and western dishes like tuna tartare and crepes suzette prepared table side.

Crepes for dessert at Raffles Hotel Le Royal

A nice chicken mayonnaise amouse bouche was the first eatable item to arrive at my table. In addition to the tuna, which was served with a full compliment of condiments, I sampled the Duck consomme with Takoe River lobster won tons; Takoe River lobster with coconut milk and red curry (mild at my request); and a delicate and perfectly cooked Black cod with fish eggs and Madagascar vanilla sauce.

Khmer Kitchen, a family owned restaurant in central Siem Reap

My favorite dish at Khmer Kitchen

The owners of Khmer Kitchen

I spent twice as much time in Siem Reap as I did in the capital. The extra time afforded me the opportunity to dine at several places. Khmer Kitchen, a family owned restaurant founded by Perk Sophalon, on Pup Street in the heart of the tourist area of the city, served tasty Khmer dishes including the traditional Amok with fish. Their recipe was savory and flavorful. While I’m no expert in Khmer dishes, it was my favorite Amok dish. I also enjoyed their fruit juice. Started in 2000 with four tables the popular restaurant had grown to two locations 200 meters apart. Khmer Kitchen Restaurant & Khmer Kitchen Restaurant BBQ (#203 Group 6 Khum Svay Dang Kum, Siem Reap Kingdom of Cambodia, +855 63 964154, 855 77688677, info@khmerkitchens.com, www.khmerkitchens.com).

The owners of The Sugar Palm Restaurant & Bar, an open air restaurant in a two-story building

Crispy rolls at The Sugar Palm

On another rainy night I visited the Sugar Palm Restaurant and Bar, owned by Bruce and Kethana Dunnet who had moved to Siem Reap from New Zealand (Kethana was originally from Cambodia). The open air restaurant was on the upstairs of a two story building with indoor and terrace seating, high ceilings and fans to cool guests. There was artwork for sale on the walls and Cambodian music played in the background. I liked the crispy rolls made with fine noodles and served with julienne of green papaya and sweet sauce; the minced pork eggplant had a smokey sweet delicious flavor.

The only down side was finding a tuk tuk (covered bicycle for hire commonly used in Siem Reap) to take me back to my hotel. After a long wait, about 40 minutes, two showed up but refused to take me because they didn’t know where my hotel was located. In the end, the kind server offered me a ride on his motorbike. By then the rain had become a drizzle and I gladly accepted. Sugar Palm Restaurant & Bar (Taphul Road, Siem Reap, Kingdom of Cambodia, +855 63 964 838).

Article and photos by Laura Scheiber

Lobby of The Ritz-Carlton, Powerscourt

During a springtime trip to Ireland, my travel partners and I stayed at The Ritz-Carlton, Powerscourt. Located on the grounds of the 1,000-acre Powerscourt Estate in County Wicklow, the resort was situated in a lush green countryside setting roughly 40 minutes outside of Dublin.

The lobby had a majestic feel with high ceilings and was tastefully decorated in deep wooden browns and gold, with vibrant fresh flowers. Following the check-in, the front desk receptionist escorted me to my Mountain View Suite (number 352). On the way she chatted with me in a friendly manner, suggesting a number of activities that I might enjoy.

The  bedroom in suite 352

Upon opening the door I was pleased by the elegant décor of the 700 square-foot suite. The entry hallway, which had a powder room on the right hand side, led to a Georgian style sitting room with an ornamental fireplace. Around the corner was a spacious area with a dining table and a large wooden desk. Farthest from the entrance was the bedroom opening out onto a terrace that provided a view of Sugar Loaf Mountain. Next to the bedroom and walk-in closet was a generous-sized bathroom with a separate bathtub, shower and toilet room.

Fresh scones upon arrival

Five minutes after I arrived, one of the staff members delivered freshly baked scones (still warm) with butter and jam. The suite had numerous modern details, including a touch screen system that controlled the lights, curtains and air conditioning, and televisions in the sitting area, bedroom and bathroom. Toiletries included: Gilchrist & Soames Bath Caviar (bath beads), facial spray and lip balm; Ritz-Carlton mouth wash and dental kit; and 1.3 ounce-sized Acqua Di Parma shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, soap, and lotion. Two plush terry robes hung on the bathroom wall next to the shower.

The color scheme of the suite was white, gold and light blue, while the bathroom had predominantly white-marble walls. The suite was immaculately clean. Throughout the evening I enjoyed a number of additional amenities including complimentary 24-hour hi speed wi-fi access, a complimentary box of eight gourmet chocolate truffles, and turn down service that included a bottle of mountain spring still water and relaxing pillow spray.

The John Dory fish in blood orange puree at Gordon Ramsay at Powerscourt

In the evening, I dined at the Gordon Ramsay at Powerscourt restaurant on the third floor of the hotel. Ceiling-to-floor glass windows offered stunning views of Sugar Loaf Mountain and added a spacious feel to the dining area. I enjoyed a six-course meal that began with a green pea puree, compliments of the chef, followed by a goat cheese and red beet salad. My main course was preceded by a delicious spring garlic puree. While I enjoyed a yummy spinach and mushroom gnocchi, my travel mates had rave reviews about their John Dory fish in a blood orange puree, fennel salad and chorizo emulsion, and the Donald Russell beef fillet with wild mushrooms, triple cooked chips, and pepper sauce. The meal was complete with a mouthwatering lemon curd on Brittany shortbread and crystallized raspberries.

We enjoyed complimentary gourmet mini chocolates and pastries at the chef’s table in the kitchen where we met Ludovic Lantier, the executive pastry chef. He explained what was in each of the mini-pastries and answered our questions in a friendly manner.

Ludovic Lantier, executive pastry chef

Throughout the meal, my wine glass was never empty thanks to the attentive wait staff. Both the Cerro Del Masso, a Chianti red wine, and the Las Colinas del Ebro, a Garnacha white wine from Spain, went well with the meal, but I preferred the white wine. The wait staff and manager were friendly and seemed genuinely committed to ensuring that we had an enjoyable dining experience.

Overall, my stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Powerscourt, (Powerscourt Estate, Enniskerry, Ireland, + 353 1 274 8888, http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Powerscourt/Default.htm, powerscourtreservations@ritzcarlton.com) was a pleasure. My spacious and luxurious suite with mountain views combined with the hotel’s elegant ambiance, friendly service, and gourmet dining lived up to my expectations of an evening at The Ritz-Carlton.

Article and photos by Elena del Valle

A temple in Tokyo

Earlier this year, before the earthquake hit, I spent a few days in Japan. Although my calendar was overfull it had been years since my last visit to Japan and I couldn’t resist a last minute invitation to the Land of the Rising Sun. Finding a desirable seat on the flights nearly caused the trip to fall apart before it even started. In the end I persevered and with the help of a friendly airline agent everything worked out.

A beautiful garden and bridge in Tokyo

On my arrival at Narita International Airport, I cleared the airport formalities with ease and was thrilled the transfer service driver was waiting for me. He spoke English very well, allowing us to chat during the drive to the Hotel Okura Tokyo (2-10-4 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0001, + 81 03 3582-0111, http://www.hotelokura.co.jp/tokyo/en/), where I spent the first three nights in the city. The eleven story contemporary hotel located across the street from the United States Embassy, had 801 rooms, modern facilities, nine restaurants, a fitness center with a swimming pool ($70 per day for hotel guests), spa, ATMs friendly to foreign credit cards, WiFi router for rent (a router compatible with my iPad cost 4,725 yen or about $18 a day at the time) and service oriented English speaking staff. My room was contemporary in style and new looking with a glass enclosed shower, a separate bathtub and a Japanese toilet.

An old versus new contrast with a temple column in the foreground and the Sky Tree in the background

The first day I had breakfast at the Terrace Restaurant, a ground level restaurant facing a snow covered inner courtyard at the hotel. I liked the buffet’s Eastern and Western selection and a delicious tea made from fresh herbs. Later during my stay I sampled some of the items sold at the restaurant’s shop and was quite pleased with the quality.

Breakfast at Yamazato restaurant at the Hotel Okura

By far my favorite breakfast in Tokyo was at Yamazato, the hotel’s Japanese restaurant. As I descended the stairs to the restaurant a young man at the entrance welcomed me in English and led me to a table. Even though the two times I was there I was the only Westerner I felt welcome. The wait staff spoke a few words of English making it possible for us to communicate basics. The servers brought me a glass of water when they spotted my vitamin pack. One of them offered to serve me beef or pork in case I didn’t want fish but what is a Japanese breakfast without fish?

A waitress at Yamazato restaurant at the Hotel Okura

The Japanese breakfast came in a bento box with rice, fish dish (sauteed yellowtail, octopus), hearty and especially flavorful miso soup, pickled vegetables, steamed vegetables, bamboo shoots, mushroom, eggs, and a couple of unidentified dishes. Everything was delicious.

The Tokyo skyline from the Mori Building

In the same way that New York is associated with the Big Apple, Sumiyo, our tour guide, explained, visiting the city of Tokyo can be thought of as exploring an egg. Architecture Guide in Tokyo, a color brochure in English, explained the ways in which Tokyo is like an egg; a handy map on the back pointed to the salient architectural areas of the city. The 284-acre imperial palace appeared in the lower right side of the egg. The inside of the brochure contained a series of descriptions of architectural areas of note within the city based on the egg simile: Omelet-rice for semi-European before 1945, Bacon egg for Western styles before 1945, Atsuyaki tamago Japanese style before 1945, Egg sand for modern style between 1945 and 1975, Boiled egg for plain style between 1976 and 1985, Scrambled egg for post modern style between 1986 and 1995, and Pudding after 1996.

The National Art Center in Tokyo

During the next two days, we would be seeing several neighborhoods within the “egg” of Tokyo, a metropolis of 13 million souls established in 1868 following the collapse of the shogun government. We began across town from our hotel with a visit to Edo Kiriko in Hanashyo (http://www.hanashyo.com), a 60 year old family owned fine cut glass store and workshop. The traditional Japanese home where it was located had such narrow spaces only four or five people could enter at one time. During our visit we watched the owner and his young apprentices engrave and hand polish each colorful piece without using hydrochloric acid at a ground floor workroom, and we saw the finished cut glass pieces on display in a small upper floor showroom. Hanashyo sold Kome-tsunagi, Itokiku-tsunagi and Tama-ichimatsu, three registered proprietary designs. We also visited a second showroom where glass cutting classed were offered. We were invited to experience cutting glass for ourselves for a couple of minutes each. It was fun.

One of my favorite experiences in Japan was a special abbreviated daytime performance of four geishas at Hisago-an restaurant (in Japanese only, http://kaiseki-hisagoan.com/course_hisagoan.html/). The geishas we saw that day normally only perform at the restaurant at night. Three of them danced, one sang briefly and the most senior one played a banjo like instrument. Following the dance they demonstrated one of the games they play while entertaining guests and, with the help of an interpreter, answered questions. In their company we took a rickshaw ride from the restaurant to Senso-ji (http://www.senso-ji.jp/about/index_e.html ), a nearby Buddhist temple, and strolled around the Asakusa area and its well known outdoor shopping arcade next to the temple. It seemed everyone was staring at us until someone explained it was the geishas rare daytime stroll that drew public attention.

One of the geishas who walked with us

From there we drove to Omotesando Ukai-tei (http://www.ukai.co.jp/english/omotesando/index.html), a French influenced restaurant in a shopping mall where we had a Tenderloin Lunch Course, a refined and delicious four-course lunch. During the meal we noticed fine Ercuis French silverware and wood chopsticks, Reidel glassware, and embroidered napkins. We were served Dermotte non vintage Champagne followed by Assorted Appetizers, Roasted Bamboo Shoots, Shellfish Cream Soup, Ukai Beef Tenderloin Pan Fried and Dessert. Although we didn’t have a view from our seats the bar area had pretty city views. The restaurant, part of a chain of restaurants and museums, housed an exhibition space with a perfume bottle collection and a dessert lounge with Art Nouveau ceilings and lacquered pillars.

The main location of Mitsukoshi Nihonbahi, one of Tokyo’s most exclusive department stores

Following lunch we walked around the Omotesando and Aoyama areas. We visited the Espace Louis Vuitton Tokyo (Louis Vuitton Omotesando Building 7F 5-7-5 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001, +81 03 5766 1088, www.espacelouisvuittontokyo.com) which was hosting French artist Xavier Veilhan; and the Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial Museum of Art (http://ukiyoe-ota-muse.jp/index-E.html), housing a collection of Ukiyo-e Japanese woodblock art.

Strawberries for sale in the food hall of the Mitsukoshi Nihonbahi store

The next day after my delightful Japanese breakfast I was ready to face the cold again. This time we visited the main location of Mitsukoshi Nihonbahi store (Nihombashi Muro-machi 1-4-1, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-8001, +81 03 3241 3311, http://www.mitsukoshi.co.jp/store/fcs/english/1010/index.html), one of the most exclusive department stores in Tokyo. We arrived just in time to watch the opening ceremony at 10 a.m. during which the store staff welcomed arriving guests with deep bows. My favorite area of the beautiful and well stock multi-story store was the lower level where the food shops were located. It was filled with all types of hard to find eatable items including pastries, seafood, meat, chocolate, vegetable and fruit delicacies. I could have spent at least another hour exploring the food halls and tasting samples.

Another view of the city from the Mori Tower

From there we went to the Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills for an outstanding skyscraper view of Tokyo (http://www.roppongihills.com/tcv/en/ ). That morning we visited Tokyo Midtown, walked by the Mori Art Museum (http://mori.art.museum/eng/index.html) dedicated to promoting “art and life in the 21st century,” and the Suntory Museum of Art (http://www.suntory.com/culture-sports/sma/) dedicated to challenging conventional attitudes to the classification of art to reveal its beauty.

A display at the food hall of the Mitsukoshi Nihonbahi store

Lunch was at Rakutei (+81 3585 3743), a tiny family owned restaurant in Akasaka. Although there was no sign on the building to indicate the existence of a restaurant once inside we were welcomed in Japanese and invited to enter. We sat at a small counter facing an open cooking area. At first it looked like a sushi bar but we soon discovered it was not. An elderly man and his assistant were busy preparing the meal while the man’s wife placed dinnerware in front of us and offered us beverages. We had warm sake and a delicious tempura lunch served two bites at a time until we surrendered.

The interior of the National Art Center in Tokyo

After a lightning fast visit to the National Art Center (http://www.nact.jp/english/index.html ), a 14,000 square meter large venue for temporary art exhibitions, we ended the day with a stroll in a Ginza district shopping street. Ginza, meaning place where money is made in Japanese, is one of the most popular and most expensive tourist shopping areas of Tokyo, our tour guide explained.

A dragon water fountain in Shuzenji Village

After breakfast the next morning we drove to Shuzenji, a two and a half hour drive from Tokyo, for an overnight stay at Yagyu-no-sho, a traditional Japanese ryokan. By the time we had a tour of the traditional style ryokan, found our rooms and explored the area by the ryokan it was time for dinner and we retreated indoors.

A stone head at the entrance to the Shuzenji Temple

The next day our visit to a local pottery artist’s shop was canceled providing an unexpected opportunity to stroll through Shuzenji Village, exploring the shops and visiting the interior of the Shuzenji Temple, a rare treat before our return home.

By Elena del Valle
Photos by Gary Cox

The common areas in Hotel de Crillon

Location, location, location. There is much truth to the saying in a city like Paris, France. Being in a good neighborhood means easy access to many of the attractions that make Paris one of the most alluring cities in the world.

From a tourist perspective the Place de la Concorde is a great location. While the Place itself is attractive it offers the added advantage that within walking distance or a short taxi ride from the Place there are many tourist points of interest like Tuilleries Gardens, Rue de Rivoli, Louvre Museum, Place Vendome, Place de la Madeleine and Champs Elysees Avenue as well as shopping venues and gourmet restaurants.

The Baccarat crystal elephant in the salon outside Les Ambassadeurs

On the Place, the Hotel de Crillon, part of a project commissioned in 1758 by Louis XV, became a private residence and was converted to a hotel in 1909. Over time the hotel has been the temporary home of United States Presidents Herbert Hoover, Theodore Roosevelt and Richard Nixon, Emperor Hirohito of Japan, Reza Shah Pahlavi of Iran, King George V of England, King Juan Carlos and the queen of Spain, Madonna, and Elizabeth Taylor among others. The historic building is to this day a luxury hotel. We stayed there during a holiday trip to the City of Lights.

For those who need to combine business with pleasure the hotel, located across the street from the United States Embassy, is in central Paris. Although the facade was under renovation and there was scaffolding covering the front of the building, inside there were many features that made the hotel worth a stay for business and leisure travelers. Our suite had a living area with a desk that was convenient for personal and business meetings and there was excellent internet connectivity for both of our computers.

The dining room at Les Ambassadeurs

Over the years the marble filled historic building has been well maintained. Our spacious and handsome Presidential Suite looked onto Rue de l’Arcade and a building that may have been part of the embassy complex. We liked the well known entrance from the Place de la Concorde and another more discreet entrance on Rue de l’Arcade leading to Rue Saint Honore, a popular shopping street. As guests we had access to a fitness center, two restaurants and a bar within the hotel; we could also walk for exercise and dine at one of the myriad restaurants within a short distance of the hotel.

A place setting at Les Ambassadeurs

For years Les Ambassadeurs, the hotel’s gourmet restaurant, has stood out among the thousands of dining venues of the city. Its beautiful dining room and prized location on the Place de la Concorde have been among its attractions along with talented chefs and capable restaurant staff. During our stay at the hotel we dined at Les Ambassadeurs, which had undergone a change in management and chef, to rediscover the restaurant.

Pierre Jung, the restaurant manager at Les Ambassadeurs

We were pleasantly surprised to see Pierre Jung, the new manager and a familiar face. We knew him from his time at the well known Senderens restaurant in the nearby Place de la Madeleine. Christopher Hache, the promising new young chef, who we met briefly that day, also had experience at Senderens (and as it was formerly known Lucas Carton). Our delicious and well served tasting menu was a success. We plan to return to the restaurant when next we are in Paris.

Dessert at Les Ambassadeurs

We thoroughly enjoyed our most recent stay at the Hotel de Crillon, especially our Presidential Suite and indulgent meal at Les Ambassadeurs. Visit the Simon & Baker Travel Review for information about the restaurant Les Ambassadeurs and  Hotel de Crillon in Paris, France.

By Elena del Valle
Photos by Gary Cox

The entrance to Hélène Darroze

For years we had been fans of Chef Hélène Darroze, an up and coming chef with an adventurous touch. It had been nearly four years since our last visit and we wondered what was new at her Latin Quarter restaurant in Paris, France. When we visited Paris most recently we made time to sample the restaurant’s Lunch and Tasting menus.

A pre-appetizer sliced at our table was a favorite

We discovered a very different restaurant from the one we used to visit. Where there used to be an a la carte and special menus now there were only two basic dining options. There was a Lunch Menu for 52 euros or 65 euros with two glasses of wine, and a Degustation Menu priced at 125 euros or 175 euros with four glasses of wine.

French caviar with cauliflower mousse from Britanny

The first day we dined there we had the Lunch Menu: Le caviar de France mousseline de chou-fleur de Bretagne en gelée iodée, tartare de noix de coquilles Saint-Jacques de Port en Bessin au corail d’oursin; Le homard bleu cuit à la nacre,royale de potimarron, miettes de châtaigne, cappuccino de Parmesan Reggiano; Le chipiron de ligne de Saint-Jean de Luz fine raviole aux verts de blette et olives Taggiasche, chorizo, réduction à l’encre perlée d’huile d’olive, émulsion d’ail rose; Le foie gras de canard des Landes de chez Dupérier grillé au feu de bois, betteraves glacées, jus de riquette à l’estragon; La sole de petit bateau filet tartiné de limequat confit, sudachi, salsifis et coquillages, émulsion à la citronnelle; Le cochon d’Ibérico Bellota Carré et pluma, chou de Bruxelles, pomme Rubinette et chasselas de Moissac caramélisés, jus de déglaçage; L’ananas, la vanille et la noix de coco dans une version sucrée de la pina collada; and Le chocolat Manjari de Madagascar ganache, crème brûlée au calamansi confit, crumble au cacao.

A favorite Bellota pork dish

On the last day of the year we had the Tasting Menu: Le caviar de France mousseline de chou-fleur de Bretagne en gelée iodée, tartare de noix de coquilles Saint Jacques de Port en Bessin aux coraux d’oursin (Caviar from France iodized Brittany cauliflower mousseline, tartar of Saint-Jacques scallops from Port en Bessin with sea urchin); Le homard bleu cuit à la nacre, royale de potiron, miettes de chataîgne, capuccino de parmesan Reggiano (Blue lobster slightly seared, winter squash royale, chestnut crusts, Parmigiano Reggiano cappuccino); Le chipiron de Saint-Jean-de-Luz fines ravioles aux verts de blette et olives Taggiasche, chorizo, réduction à l’encre perlé d’huile d’olive, crème d’ail rose (Line caught calamari from Saint-Jean de Luz ravioli with chard and Taggiasche olives, chorizo, ink reduction with olive oil, pink garlic emulsion); Le foie gras de canard des Landes de chez Dupérier grillé au feu de bois, betteraves glacées, jus de roquette à l’estragon (Dupérier’s duck foie gras grilled on wood fire, glazed beets, riquette jus with tarragon); La sole de petit bâteau filet tartiné de limequat confit, sudashi, salsifis et coquillages, émulsion à la citronnelle (Sole fillet, spread with confit limquat, sudachi, salsify and shellfish, lemon grass foam); Le chevreuil filet rôti au poivre long, côtelette juste saisie, chou de Bruxelles, pomme Rubinette et chasselas de Moissac caramélisés; La poire Comice pochée, panacotta parfumée au gingembre confit, biscuit clafoutis, granité à la poire (Pina colada coconut crisps, lemon jelly, Bombay curry, Tahitian vanilla ice-cream); and Le chocolat Manjari de Madagascar ganache, crème brûlée au kalamansi confit, crumble au cacao (Manjari chocolate from Madagascar ganache, confit Calamansi crème brûlée, cocoa crumble).

The sommelier pouring our champagne

Céline Strenta, the sommelier, selected three young wines to accompany our meal Pacherenc du Vic Bihl 2009, Vouvray sec 2007 “Le Mont” Domaine Huet and Bergerac 2008 “Clos des Verdot” David Fourtour. We liked the red best.

The armagnac cart

Both times the upstairs gourmet dining room (the restaurant offered two additional dining venues on the ground floor) at the restaurant Helene Darroze where we had lunch was near full. The meals were satisfying, well prepared and well served. The English speaking staff that looked after us were helpful and pleasant and and the overall dining experience was worth repeating. Restaurant Hélène Darroze, 4 rue d’Assas, 75006, Paris, France, Telephone + 33 42 22 00 11, www.helenedarroze.com, Email reservation@helenedarroze.com.

Doorman at the hotel wearing traditional Khmer costume

One of our team members was recently in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Among the places she visited was Le Grand restaurant, the gourmet restaurant of the Raffles Hotel in that city. The quiet restaurant in the lobby of the historic hotel was known locally for its wine collection, Royal Khmer cuisine, and romantic setting.  Visit Simonandbaker.com for more about Siem Reap and Restaurant Le Grand.

Article and photos by Elena del Valle

On a recent visit to Siem Reap, Cambodia I had the pleasure of dining at Meric, the gourmet restaurant of my stylish and centrally located hotel. Named after the highly sought-after Cambodian pepper grown in the Kampot region Meric served a seasonally-inspired Khmer menu using the produce of local farmers. Established in 2005, the 217 square meter restaurant was in the capable hands of American Chef Bryan Gardner, who had just become executive chef, and Restaurant Manager Sokthea Mao. They and their enthusiastic team of 18 produced some memorable meals.

Chef Bryan Gardner and his staff

Chef Gardner grew up in Eastport, Maine known for its seafood. After attending the University of Southern Maine, he pursued a Culinary Arts degree at the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont. In 2005, he went to the Martini House in Saint Helena, Napa Valley before working with Joseph Humphrey, chef at the Meadowood Resort (a Relais and Chateaux property). He later worked under Japanese Chef Hiro Sone at Terra, where he observed the fusion of Asian and Western cuisines. In 2007, his passion for Asian cooking drew him to South East Asia where he fell in love with Cambodia. In July 2010, after working for two years at Hotel de la Paix as sous chef he became executive chef of the hotel’s restaurant. One of his goals is to raise the profile of Khmer cuisine within Asian and international circles alongside a la carte dishes with French, American and Asian influences.

Outside swing seating facing the courtyard

I particularly liked the restaurant’s dining swings set along a tranquil internal courtyard with a water feature. This was my favorite area of the hotel. The restaurant, said to have one of the largest collections of international wines in Siem Reap, could accommodate up to 108 guests, 64 indoors and 44 outdoors. I liked the outdoors best, especially at a table with a view of the courtyard.

A Cambodian breakfast dish with fresh herbs and vegetables

Although the menu changed daily depending on the produce available from the local farmers and growers, while I was at the Hotel de la Paix where the restaurant is housed, I sampled the seven-course Khmer Tasting Menu.  It was outstanding and, at $31 per person, an excellent value for money.

One of the courses from the Meric Khmer Tasting Menu

Twice I had the tasting menu. The first time on a Monday I had Pomelo Salad with Prawn served at the same time as Chicken and Banana Bud Salad. Next there was Grilled Beef with Cucumber and Prahok Sauce served with Khmer organic white rice next to Pork Rib Sour Soup “Jungle Style.” Next there was Stir Fried Frog with Fresh Ginger served at the same time as Cat Fish and Green Curry. The final dish was a small tray of Assorted Khmer Sweets for each of us.

Dishes were served in pairs for contrast

On Wednesday, I had Pomelo Salad with Crispy Pork Fritter served at the same time as Green Mango Salad with Dried Snake (both favorites). Then there was Grilled Prahok with Khmer Crudites served with Khmer organic white rice at the same time as Prawn with Water Lily Sour Soup. The final savory courses served at the same time were Stir Fried Frog with Ginger (had a definite bite) and Beef Shank Curry with Morning Glory (a favorite). For dessert there were assorted Khmer Sweets. Of the two tasting menus the first was my favorite although both were outstanding and worth a detour.

Dessert was a stylized interpretation of Khmer classics

Congratulations to the team at the Meric restaurant for its noteworthy gourmet dining.  Visit the Simon & Baker Travel Review for additional information about Siem Reap and the Hotel de la Paix.

Article and photos by Elena del Valle

The Hansar Samui

After a difficult flight to the island of Koh Samui in Thailand, I exited the airport to discover it was necessary to follow what felt like a long, partly on an incline, path to the passenger pick up area. It was hot and humid and by the time I made it there I was sweating and desperate to leave the airport.

My room at the hotel

As I pushed my luggage cart up the last part of the incline I spotted a friendly looking man with a turquoise polo short at the head of the line of people waiting for passengers. Later I learned his name, Sin Samney “Sam,” the Hansar Samui front desk manager and concierge. Sam held a sign with my name on it and a radiant smile that melted my sour mood instantly. “Pop,” the hotel driver was with him and while Sam greeted me Pop went to fetch the car from the parking lot in front of us. A moment later I was comfortably seated inside the air conditioned hotel car holding a refresher towel and drinking chilled water.

The beach view from the lounge

That set the tone for my stay at the Hansar Samui. I thoroughly enjoyed my beach front handsome room with a covered balcony as well as the hotel spa, fitness center, restaurant, and saltwater infinity edge swimming pool. I will remember the hotel for the staff’s friendliness and thoughtful touches like the constant supply of mangoosteens in my room fruit bowl when they found out it was a favorite (I bought some at the village market), and amenities like the nightly home baked sweets and chocolates.

Sweets from H-Bistro

While I was there I had an opportunity to sample the new H-Bistro Tasting Menu. The first course was perfectly cooked Seared Hokaido scallops with celeriac, cherry tomato compote and Riesling foam. Then there was a delightful Pan fried foie gras liver with rapberry yogurt and rapberry essence followed by a delicious Linguini pasta with, garlic, red chili, tiger prawn, Dutch Mussels and fresh dill. For the next course we could select one from the following three: Pan seared Arctic Char with ratatouille, eggplant and lobster foam or Slow cooked Bresse baby chicken with white asparagus, crispy guanciale and Black summer truffle sauce or Grilled Canadian Lobster with garlic butter and rocket salad. I was able to sample the chicken (a favorite) and the lobster. Although dessert was not part of the set menu we had saved room to sample Warm melted chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and Pineapple ravioli both of which provided a satisfying completion the lovingly prepared and artfully presented meal.

Foie gras at H-Bistro

The chicken was a favorite

From Indra Budiman the affable general manager, to Stephen Jean Dion, Hansar’s executive chef, the restaurant staff who I met the day I sampled the H-Bistro Tasting Menu; to the front desk staff, the room service staff, the ladies at the spa, the young men in the pool area and nearly every staff member I had a chance to meet I felt welcome, even when our communication was limited by language.

Hansar Chef Stephen Jean Dion

You can read more about my stay at the Hansar Samui and the Luxsa Spa in Koh Samui, Thailand at the Simon & Baker Travel Review.

By Elena del Valle, photos by Gary Cox

The dining room in Canova restaurant

It was our last night in Venice and it was raining. Again. For three days, in between showers and intermittent sunshine, we had walked mercilessly through the city. As much as we loved the pedestrian benefits we longed to enjoy a quiet dinner that didn’t require an outing or getting wet. Fortunately, our hotel had a ground level restaurant. Ristorante Canova, named for Venetian sculptor Antonio Canova, was just what we wanted. It had contemporary decor, wood floors and wood and gold colored walls, Italian porcelain dinnerware, silver cutlery and helpful staff.

Shrimp with olive oil and artichokes

We began with a prosecco aperitif and a pre-appetizer morsel. While we pondered dinner options we observed the L shaped dining room. A simple orchid in a square vase adorned our table set against the wall in the back of the room. It was a perfect location to savor our quiet meal, see the rain fall through the nearby window and watch guests at the handful of nearby tables that shared the restaurant with us that night. From the Baglioni Caffe across the other side of the entrance we could hear the pleasant sounds of live music by Stefano. Three types of warm bread and break sticks and two types of French butter (lightly salted and unsalted) kept us entertained.

Spaghetti with clams in a light tomato sauce

We shared local shrimp over artichokes, olive oil and lemon. My dinner partner tried the Ravioli with spinach and ricotta and I had Spaghetti with clams in a light tomato sauce. For mains I had Mixed grilled seafood of scampi, monkfish, sea bass and scallops and he ordered Sea bass with potatoes. Both mains were satisfying. To wrap up our meal we had strawberry and green apple sorbet. Click here to read about our stay at the Luna Baglioni where Ristorante Canova is located.

Sorbet dessert at Canova

By Elena del Valle and photos by Gary Cox

The Fairlawns pool

One of the first things we noticed on arriving at the Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa in an upscale residential neighborhood of Johannesburg, South Africa was the scented saringa flowering tree at the entrance. Once cleared through the obligatory guarded gate we were surprised to find a quiet property dotted with manicured gardens. In addition to spacious and luxuriously appointed one-bedroom suites, the growing hotel (a new building was under construction) had meeting rooms, a work out area, a swimming pool, a restaurant and spa on site.

Reception and the restaurant were in a single story main building. Within a two-minute walk several separate two-story buildings housed the spa and fitness area and guest suites. After checking in we were led past the restaurant and central gardens to our respective suites within one of the two-story new looking buildings. Our ground floor one bedroom suites, suites 13 and 15 named for Emily Hobhouse and Nelson Mandela respectively, were spacious and handsomely decorated, each one with a different interior design style (during a second visit we stayed upstairs in the Oppenheimer Suite).

Living area of the Emily Hobhouse Suite

Living area of the Mandela Suite

The suites were well appointed including complimentary WiFi Internet access and spotlessly clean. My favorite, suite 15, was divided into three distinct areas, a living area, a sleeping area and a bathroom. Decorated in an Africa theme it had animal print accents and a comfy sofa facing a fireplace (underfloor heating kept my suite toasty too). For the media minded there were two television sets, including a large flat screen television and DVD player across from the king bed in the bedroom.

The Jacuzzi bathtub in the Mandela Suite

The bathroom too was spacious with marble counters and floors, twin sinks, shower, water closet with bidet, and Jacuzzi bathtub. Tall built-in closets with an ironing board and electronic safe took up one entire wall opposite the sinks.

Additional amenities included fresh flowers, complimentary fruit bowl, complimentary in room sherry, Irish Duke and Forsyth travel size toiletries (conditioning shampoo, shower gel, body lotion, nail kit, shower cap and soap) and, at turn down, a small bottle of water and a nougat. The ambiance was serene although there were meeting guests at elegant hotel, owned by John and Anna Thacker.

Inside the Fairlawns Spa

The spa building, across the lawn from our building, had a work out room accessible at guest convenience with the electronic room key. I was pleased to be the first to arrive, at 6 a.m., for an early work out although I was soon joined by others. The spa itself was mostly in an adjacent walled garden area next to, and separate from, the swimming pool. The shady spa garden was filled with private corners and treatment rooms. In spite of our arrival in the late afternoon (spa treatments were available until 5 p.m.) we were in time to enjoy side by side massages in one of the loveliest and largest treatment rooms in the far corner of the spa garden.

The breakfast buffet at the Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa

While were were there we sampled a couple of items from the room service menu and dined in the outdoor area of the restaurant. Mornings were my favorite meal time at the Fairlawns. There was an ample breakfast buffet with cereals, fruits (fresh and dried), cheeses, deli meats, cold fish, and varied delicious homemade pastries to compete with the made to order breakfast menu. Sitting in the restaurant patio under the shade of large umbrellas we enjoyed the placid view of the nearby pool and flower filled gardens. We look forward to revisiting the Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa, Alma Road, Morningside Manor, Ext. 6, Sandton, Johannesburg, fairlawn@fairlawns.co.za, +27 11 804 2540/1/2/3, http://www.fairlawns.co.za/