Culinario

This is a blog about my multidisciplinary interests and a portfolio of what I’ve done.   In a sense, it’s a blog about perspective.  I hope you enjoy it.

A distinction is often drawn between Cambodia’s pre-war and post-war cuisine, according to Kanika Linden and Sorey Long, authors of Au Pays de la Pomme Cythère (2009) a book about Cambodian food published in France.

Many consider that knowledge of Cambodian cuisine tragically died when the Khmer Rouge took over.  Kanika explains, “Anything symbolizing the old regime had to be eradicated — culture, religion, arts. As such, family recipes, cookbooks and food publications were destroyed.”

Luckily for us, some of this rich knowledge has been retained, and reinvigorated in the tasty cuisine that is available in Southern California’s Cambodia Town.  We dined at Phnom Penh Noodle Shack; a family-owned restaurant whose signature dish (Phnomh Penh Noodle) reflects the unequivocal heart and soul of Khmer cooking, in the distinctive interior of Long Beach.  Prahok, is salt-fermented mudfish, mashed and squished into a kind of paste; it is considered one of the cornerstones of Khmer cooking.  I tasted prahok in Phnomh Penh Noodle Shack’s dish and in the broth. Every other Asian noodle dish has paled in comparison. The broth. Lucky indeed.

1644 Cherry Ave, Long Beach; (562) 433-0032; thenoodleshack.com

Walking up to Irenia restaurant – named after the chef’s grandmother – in downtown Santa Ana, I was struck by the hand-written chalkboard signage just outside the door “modern filipino cuisine” a curious concept given this sunny but chilly Southern California afternoon.  What I was looking for was heat to counteract the outdoor chill, and that’s exactly what I received in the form of the hot mani (peanut) appetizers – spicy and sweet – unlike I’d ever tasted, and the Baguio cocktail ripe with the subtle taste of lemon and the lingering heat from the Tanduay rum.  Yum Yum.

The Philippines is not the first place one would think of, when they think of rum, but the origins of Tanduay Rum, can be traced back to a 19th century Philippine distillery in the province of Bulacan (Tanduay Distillers).  I clearly tasted that centuries-old process refinement in the cocktail. Smooth and balanced with just enough grittiness for a punch.  Yum rum.

Their lunch menu did speak to the notion that yes these were typical Philippine dishes, but with crazy bold flavors that were, at least to me, unexpected and pleasantly surprising.  Take for instance the pork adobo bowl, which I received with a semi-runny fried egg on top.  Gratifying. This was delicious pork adobo, fatty and crunchy in just the right places; but the unexpected surprise came in the form of the collard greens which were so vinegary, they challenged my taste buds of what typically goes with pork adobo.

That in-your-face type of taste profile has been indicative of the newer chefs coming out of So Cal, and so for this reason, Irenia lives up to every word:  “modern Filipino cuisine” with a bit of soul.

400 N. Broadway, Santa Ana; (657) 245-3466;  ireniarestaurant.com

Tucked away in an unassuming part of Cerritos lies Kape Republik, home of the baked turon and other Filipino-Euro fusion delicacies.  I had a brief, though endearing, conversation with one of the owner’s parents on a sunny Sunday afternoon.  Clearly, a love for their daughter and appreciation of her talents lay beneath the dialogue about food; but the approach to clean, quality ingredients and an eye toward elegantly simple aesthetics make Kape Republik an experience all its own. A number of delicious-looking pastries caught my eye at first glance but the intention of my visit today was to taste one thing and one thing alone – the baked turon.  Turon, typically made of bananas, jackfruit, and brown sugar in a spring roll wrap, is as delicious as it is a popular snack food.

But it is quite atypical of Turon to be baked into a pastry.  The move toward baking Turon inside a pastry shell reminds me that remnants of Philippine colonial heritage are still found in Philippine cuisine; yet there’s no denying that this is novel, which makes Kape Republik one of our first stops on this social history tour of food you love.

17206 Norwalk Blvd, Cerritos; (562) 865-5000; kaperepublik.com/