Oct 173 min read

Food & wine: Savour authentic autumn delights at Topaz

After the very successful first act of the Topaz seasonal menus, I had no hesitation in deciding to try the autumn menu offered by this Mecca of French cuisine in Phnom Penh.

Challan duck breast served with poultry jus, a bouquet of wild mushrooms and roasted onions

One obvious question however, despite the tempting titles of the dishes on offer, will it be possible to do as well, or perhaps better than the first time? It's true that our previous experience was just about perfect.

As always, the restaurant's ambience is perfectly suited to an evening of fine dining dedicated to the rich colours and flavours of autumn days. It's true that autumn doesn't really exist in this country, but the last few weeks of the monsoon with its still cool days and alternating rain and sunshine can give the impression of a French season. Autumn is often synonymous with rich, hearty dishes, so we're expecting a few hearty compositions.

To make sure we didn't miss anything, my son and husband and I decided to take three menus so that we could try all the dishes. The salmon simmered in a light olive oil sauce and the Hokkaido scallop dish with an Iberic Bellota ham sauce, a velvety salsify sauce and a fine American-style emulsion were both very good. It's no surprise, then, that the chef, Sopheak, consistently proves that he is a virtuoso when it comes to preparing fish and seafood dishes.

More unusual, however, was the beetroot carpaccio with blue cheese, which aroused my curiosity. In fact, it's a first for me. And it's a pleasant surprise, the blend of textures is sumptuous and the strong taste of the blue cheese goes perfectly with the sweeter flavour of the beetroot.

As a good Asian, I love the Kampot crab consommé with ravioli and autumn vegetables, and I'll even steal the duck consommé with a bouquet of mushrooms and black truffle oil from my husband. As for my son, he was a little too quick to indulge in the cream of pumpkin soup, one of his favourite vegetables and, this time, prepared with great art and delicacy. The soup is garnished with pan-fried foie gras, fragrant truffle oil and garlic croutons. I tasted a spoonful, absolutely sublime. Once again, I was amazed at what the chef was able to do with a simple vegetable soup.

Then came the main courses. Although I'm a fish lover, I'll be choosing the rib-eye steak with gratin dauphinois, because I know that Topaz is still one of the restaurants that serves the best meat in the country.

Pinnacle grass-fed beef sirloin with gratin dauphinois

I'm not surprised, it's a real treat, with impeccably tender meat, a discreet sauce and a made-to-measure accompaniment. The same goes for the duck breast ordered by my son, from which I took a few mouthfuls, delicious and without reproach.

My husband opted for the homemade andouillette with mustard served with Lyonnaise apples and confided that it was an excellent, hearty dish, in keeping with the calorie requirements of autumn. Let's face it, we're all beginning to feel particularly full and are a little hesitant about dessert. However, my son won't be able to resist the chocolate fondant, while my husband will end the dinner with a lovely, succulent tarte tatin, ‘because it reminds him of the desserts his grandmother used to make when he came to France during the school holidays’. A dish that she of course served him on autumn evenings.

Caramel-coated Tarte Tatin with vanilla ice cream

Every evening at Topaz is a discovery, especially when the restaurant team makes the effort to offer seasonal suggestions off the menu. This autumn menu lives up to its name and does justice to the restaurant's reputation. Have I eaten better than in the first edition? It was different, but just as tasty and even a little more hearty. Obviously, I'd recommend it, for the excellent food, the location and also for the welcome from the staff, who are always very professional.