AsiaLIFE

Cheese Cheese Cheese – milk's leap toward immortality. Nora Lindstrom heads out to find it in its purest form.

As the once fantastic cheese counter at Lucky Supermarket is down to stocking only a handful basic cheese varieties, lovers of the smelly stuff have started to wonder where to get their next fix from. Fear not, as a little delving proves the Penh’s world of cheese is alive and well, though perhaps not as handily located as a quick pop into Lucky’s. 

InterContinental Hotel
296 Mao Tse Tung Boulevard
A piece of heaven for cheese lovers becomes reality once a month at InterContinental’s Wine & Cheese nights (US$22+). Serving a seemingly never-ending array of imported cheese, with a dozen or so wines to match, the evening represents absolutely fantastic value for money. Start with glass of sparkling wine and a bit of Swiss gruyere, move onto a slice of provolone with chardonnay, graduate to sipping a full-bodied red with possibly the most luscious gorgonzola in Cambodia, and you’ve still tried less than half of the cheese varieties available. With several condiments to every cheese, as well as a good selection of canapés and desserts, the last Wednesday of every month is worth blocking out in your diary. And if you can’t wait that long, the classy hotel’s Sunday brunch also offers a very impressive selection of cheeses.

Veggy’s
23 Street 240
If your approach to cheese is more DIY, Veggy’s on Street 240 is where to go. Stocking anything between twenty to thirty different varieties in its cold room at the back, a visit there won’t disappoint. Don’t miss out on the hand-made, fresh goat cheese by award-winning Australian dairy Meredith (US$6.99). With a light consistency, the mild cheese is easily spreadable and great on a bit of fresh baguette. Other highlights include the wonderfully nutty French comté jural (US$2.80/100g) and the creamy and flavourful morbier meaux (US$2.61 for 90g), which come ready-cut and vacuum packed. For those in search of Italian staples, Veggy’s also stocks buffalo mozzarella (US$4.75), mascarpone (US$7) and ricotta (US$6).

The Food Pantry
125 Street 105 & 42 Street 178
These two little delis run by importers AusKhmer also serve up a decent selection of the smelly stuff. Ready-packed, everyday cheeses such as edam, gouda, emmental, mozzarella, and cream cheese cost between US$1.40 to US$2.30/100g, with more upmarket choices also available. The Sainte Nectaire is a creamy, semi-soft cow’s milk cheese with a washed rind. Smooth, with a flavour reminiscent of mushrooms, it’s been around since the 17th century. The cheese labelled as “tomme grancoeur” is a touch surprising. Its grey-white rind gives way to white cheese and a strong, round flavour reminiscent of blue cheese and gorgonzola. When shopping for cheese at The Food Pantry, don’t miss out on getting some Wasa knäckebröd (US$3.81), a Nordic crispbread perfect with any cheese.  

Tell Restaurant
13 Street 90
Cheese fondue may not be the most obvious dish to go for in the heat of Cambodia, but should you get the cravings for the utterly delicious dish, the place to go is Tell Restaurant. In a mock-alpine setting, this Phnom Penh mainstay has been serving traditional Swiss cheese fondue with bread (US$15.50), as well as with air-dried beef and cappa ham (US$21.50), for over decade. Another special on the menu is the raclette (from US$14.50). Served with potatoes, pickles and cold cuts, the pungent Swiss cheese comes ready sliced. Diners then melt the cheese in small pans using the tabletop oven, after which the melt is poured over the condiments. It’s heavy stuff, but a right treat especially when combined with an Erdinger weissbier or a glass of white wine.

Metro
Cnr. Sisowath Quay & Street 148
For upscale wine and cheesing on the riverside, head to Metro for a post work nibble. Perfect for sharing, the US$7 five cheese platter is likely to make your mouth water just by looking at it. The selection of creamy blue cheese, ripe brie, mature cheddar, mild emmental, and nutty edam, is just what you need with a big glass of red wine. Generous servings of cashew nuts, raisins, and glaciated pineapple come as accompaniments, but the four pieces of toasted bread are not quite enough for all the cheesy goodness. Thankfully, you can always order more for a small fee. Should you be going solo, the three cheese platter is good value at US$4.50, while the cheese and pate platter (US$9) or the plain brie (US$9) are ideal for bigger groups.

Comme a la Maison
13 Street 57
Light yet hitting all the spots, the cheese plate (US$5/US$8.50) at Comme a la Maison makes for an ideal after dinner treat. Arranged on a bed of lettuce, apple, grape and walnut, are slices of brie, emmental, goats’ cheese and fourme, a semi-hard blue cheese that is counted as one of France’s oldest cheeses. The traditional combination of flavours comes together very well, with the fresh fruit balancing the heaviness of the cheese. An unlimited supply of fresh baguette is an added bonus. Another recommended option is the filling Chèvre Chaud grilled goats cheese salad (US$5/US$7.50). The big slice of chèvre simply melts in the mouth, while the salad adds a feel-healthy factor.