AsiaLIFE

AsiaLIFE’s Lou Hayward spends an afternoon talking with Julie Thai about thing she loves best – Food!

“If everyone ate as much as me, the world would run out of food!” confesses the enviably svelte proprietress of Le Wok, Julie Thai. The daughter of a Chinese-Cambodian father and a French mother, Julie was born and raised in the gourmand’s paradise of Paris. Exposed to a broad variety of dishes from an early age, Julie credits her family, particularly her father, as the driving force behind her passion for food.  “I lived in the country of the croissant,” she reflects, “but I was just as likely to have rice soup for breakfast.”

Given her upbringing, it’s surprising to learn that Julie’s first foray into hospitality was as a waitress in a fast food restaurant. Nevertheless, what began as a way to earn cash in her spare time whilst studying marked the start of a diverse career. Following a stint in PR for the Paris Barrio Latino – an offshoot of the renowned Buddha Bar group – Julie went on to open a shop dedicated to speciality Chinese teas. Then, already drawn to Asia and desiring a change of scene, eight years ago she came to Phnom Penh. “My father was always telling us stories about Cambodia”, Julie recalls, “I was raised with a sense of nostalgia.”

Despite the reservations of some family members who fled the Khmer Rouge in the seventies Julie decided to stay, and what began as an extended holiday became a permanent relocation. Quickly immersing herself, Julie helped to set up the Amanjaya Hotel’s K West bar, which to this day occupies an expansive corner of the riverside. Her first independent enterprise was Silk and Pepper, a shop on Street 178 specialising in the sale of Cambodian handicrafts.

It was the acquisition of the bright and airy space next door in 2007, however, that heralded Julie’s return to the restaurant industry. Here, she established Le Wok, an elegantly understated East-meets-West eatery that provides a welcome escape from the nearby Sisowath Quay tourist trail.
While soaking up the view of the National Museum from the restaurant’s terrace, patrons can choose from a varied assortment of European and Asian dishes. Within the reasonably priced menu, Cambodian staples like fresh spring rolls (US$4.50) and fish amok (US$7.50) sit comfortably next to traditional French dishes including blue cheese egg cocotte (US$4.50) and beef tartare, served with salad and sautéed potatoes (US$9.50). For those with a sweet tooth, a tantalising array of desserts awaits, such as crème brulée and frozen honey ice-cream with red fruit coulis (both $4).  Grape aficionados will appreciate Le Wok’s respectable wine list, which includes helpful recommendations as to which food will be complemented by each wine. Bottles start at US$18 and the house white and red are served by both the glass (US$3.50) and carafe (US$8.50). As if the collection of cocktails on offer (US$4) weren’t already temptation enough, come during happy hour (every day, 5pm – 7pm) and most drinks on the menu are buy-one-get-free.

For Julie Thai, key to good cooking is the use of fresh, high quality ingredients – a lesson learned from shopping excursions to Parisien markets during her formative years. “Anyone can cook,” she explains, “but what a great chef understands is how to take a good product and enhance its flavour”. This philosophy is exemplified by her latest project, the newly opened T-Bone Steak House, where meatlovers can take their pick of prime cuts from Australia, Argentina and the US. Prices start at US$8 for a steak, which customers may then tailor to their own tastes with a choice of sauces and side dishes.

So, can Phnom Penh ever compare to Paris? Julie is upbeat about the rapidly developing restaurant industry in a city she describes as “a capital of food in its own right”. Mindful of the fantastic range of options for tourists and expats alike, Julie finds herself consistently impressed by the new ideas and concepts she sees. “Japanese, French, Chinese, you can get whatever you want- and it’s getting better and better”.

And what do her family think now? “We don’t have the same Cambodia,” she says. “Initially, they didn’t even want to hear about my life here- actually it was painful for them- but now they can see how happy I am, and they all want to come and visit!”  

Le Wok, 33 Street 178, Tel. 092 821 857. Open 9am – 11pm.
T-Bone, 392B, Monivong, Tel. 012 900 138. Open 11am – 11pm.