"She developed the recipe for the cha kapiek, a bracing dip in which a symphonic, funky fermented-shrimp paste is pounded with fresh shrimp and peanuts; it's served with a mound of satisfyingly crinkle-cut crudités and seed-studded shrimp chips. Mama Kim's namesake lobster (listed with the minimal description "IYKYK") is a magnificent mountain of crustacean legs and claws, the pieces stir-fried with oodles of slivered ginger and a sweet-spicy herbaceous paste, made by Mama Kim, that clings, slurpably, to the meat and drips juicily onto a pile of rice below."
"Almost everything on the menu is thrilling. Even what fails to be thrilling, such as a fairly floppy green salad that I tried on one visit, manages to be at least interesting. (The dressing on that salad was afire with Kampot peppercorns, a hard-to-find Cambodian variety that has a tealike flowery astringence.) Another salad of chewy-crisp pork jowl and sliced melon is zingy with garlic and pickle-tart. The round sweetness of squid, fried in a light-as-air batter, is magnified by intensely floral curry leaves and a salty snowfall"
Bong is run by Cambodian chef Chakriya Un and partner Alexander Chaparro. Chakriya Un previously operated Kreung, a pop-up that developed many menu dishes. The menu offers a concise survey of Khmer cuisine with strong flavors and sour ferments. The restaurant highlights family recipes from Un's mother, Kim Eng Mann (Mama Kim), including cha kapiek, a fermented-shrimp paste dip with fresh shrimp and peanuts, and a namesake lobster stir-fried with ginger and a sweet-spicy herbaceous paste. A hanger steak features tuk kreung made with eggplant, chiles, and fish paste. Salads and fried squid include Kampot peppercorns, garlic, pickles, curry leaves, and bright, floral seasonings.
Read at The New Yorker
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