Sushi Status

Friday night, after an incredibly long week of work, Jeff and I pondered dinner. We could stay in, which was the easier and more convenient choice, or we could make the trek into town. Once we realized that we were wasting time lamenting the lack of take-out options in Cambodia, and acknowledged that there was not much to eat in the house, we headed into town. By making the extra effort, we ended up eating the best meal we have had here so far.

I love sushi. Jeff loves sushi. I still have Fins on my speed dial, and we probably ate sushi at least once a week back home. We were craving sushi (pretty much a constant for me) and had not yet tried Phnom Penh's Japanese offerings, so we drove in to Kanji, a gorgeous restaurant with sushi included on their extensive menu. We were not sure what the experience would be like, but if the food was even half as well done as the ambiance and decor, we figured we would end up happy. We each ordered a drink and some edamame, which thankfully tasted just like all the other edamame we had ever eaten. Next came an avocado seafood salad that was absolutely stunning in presentation and even better in flavor. It was shaped into a sort of raised dome, and included fresh tuna, salmon and squid, as well as a tangy dressing, lettuce, avocado and other veggies. After a few bites, Jeff had already declared that this was the best meal that we had had so far in Phnom Penh. I could not argue.

Finally we ordered two rolls, including the "volcano roll," complete with "cheesy baked scallops" on top (below); at this point, we knew that we had found our new favorite place. They even brought out a delicious complimentary ginger-raspberry ice cream at the end. It was the perfect meal and exactly what we needed. I promise not to make a habit of detailing our food, as I know that its not all that interesting to read about, but I think its important to make the point that while Phnom Penh is certainly a developing city, it has a spectrum of dining options that are sometimes surprising. If you are lucky, when you come to visit, we will take you to Kanji. I may even name my firstborn Kanji...

Saturday morning, Jeff dropped me off at Java Cafe on his way to soccer practice with the kids. Java is also an art gallery and has been around for ten years, so it has a solid reputation in the ex-pat community and caters to a certain Cambodian clientele. When I arrived, the outside balcony was already full up, so I was forced to sit inside for the first time. I took my seat at a table for two in the corner of the high-ceilinged main dining room and ordered an iced coffee.

Across the room from me in the opposite corner sat two Cambodian women in their early thirties, sharing a meal and chatting loudly. At first, I didn't pay them any attention, but soon the volume of their voices forced me to look in their direction. It became clear that they placed no value on the privacy of their conversation or other peoples' right to a nice, quiet meal in a public place. Furthermore, these two women were incredibly catty and self-centered, apparently thinking themselves Cambodia's version of Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie - socialites with nothing better to talk about than events and their friends. Over the next hour, as I ate/read and before I sought refuge in my headphones, I heard detailed discussion of the many upcoming galas they were invited to -- Operation Smile, Cambodian Kid's Foundation, Cambodian Fashion Week. I learned that one of them was having a birthday party on October 27th, at which a band would play who were flying in especially for the party -- one night only. I heard the birthday girl mention her current boyfriend, perhaps even her fiancee, indicating that when they walk into a room together, "everyone looks at us and wonders: what is she with him for -- money or status? I mean he's not attractive. I am the pretty one." I also witnessed a twenty-minute long phone call in which the birthday girl harangued her friend Peter about what gift to buy a newly engaged couple whose engagement party she had been invited to but did not know very well. I mean, "what do you get for the man who has everything?!"These are truly the questions that keep her up at night.

These two were so obnoxious that I began bonding with other patrons, communally rolling our eyes in their direction and laughing at their inanity. I could continue, but you get the point. I wanted to include this experience because it speaks to the rarely seen (at least in my life), but always present upper class of Cambodia. There are people who live in this city who make millions of dollars, who live in huge mansions with security guards and who send their children away to school. These people drive luxury vehicles (or rather, their drivers do) and they wear designer clothes. I am not using this incident to declare any blanket judgement about said upper class, but just to note that they exist. It is not something that I am exposed to very often, and it was striking.

I will leave you with a gem from today. Below is a photo of a page from a student's number book. They were asked to create a word problem for the number seven as part of a larger assignment. I think it gives a little peek into the cultural differences that we are immersed in here...