Cambodian food is barely understood in this country, but our Food Guy says a restaurant in Rogers Park is hoping to change that. NBC Chicago’s Steve Dolinsky has more.
Cambodian food is barely understood in this country, but our Food Guy says a restaurant in Rogers Park is hoping to change that.
Khmai started during the pandemic in a tiny River North kitchen. Fast forward to an enormous Sheridan Road address on Loyola’s campus, where anyone with an adventurous palate is welcome.
NBC Chicago's Steve Dolinsky first met Mona Sang four years ago, when she was just taking over her mom’s catering business, learning how to replicate the Khmer dishes she grew up with, most featuring prahok, the fermented fish paste that’s one of the hallmarks of the cuisine.
These days at Khmai, in Rogers Park, the menu is full of those mom-approved traditional dishes but Sang wanted to add her own spin next door.
“My mom, she doesn’t let me put micro greens or change anything traditional, and I came out with the Kaun Khmai, which I can play around with the recipes,” said Sang, the Chef-Owner of both restaurants.
Khmai features a seven-course tasting menu on Fridays and Saturdays only.
“So here we tell them that if you are an adventurous person and you want something that’s funky, that’s gonna open up your palate, Khmai is for you,” she said.
Savory half-moon pancakes are stuffed with shallots, onions and garlic, filled with grilled shrimp in between both halves. Prahok Ktiss is another classic.
“Prahok Ktiss is one of my favorites, it’s one of the first dishes I learned how to make; that has a lot of funk, and it has ground pork in there, red chili paste, fish sauce, peanuts,” she said.
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Skewers are marinated for two days in kroeung, Cambodia’s secret weapon.
Cambodians are the only ones that really uses the kreoung – that has lemongrass, galangal, garlic, shallots, turmeric…”
She pounds and pulverizes them in a mortar and pestle, to make a flavorful paste.
“And you use that paste to make a lot of stews that we have,” she said.
Sang folds it into a deceptively good butter, as well as a sea bass dish, steamed and grilled in banana leaves. Sirloin, meanwhile, gets rubbed generously in a special ground pepper.
“That is the Kampot pepper. It has a little bit of spiciness, just a very earthy note to it,” said Sang.
Seared hard then sliced thin, it’s crowned with finely chopped vegetables and fried garlic.
“I love the fact that a lot of the Loyola kids they come here, some of them work here, they’ve never heard of Cambodia before or even had the cuisine. And it expands their palates,” said Sang.
Reservations are required for the Khmai tasting menu on Fridays and Saturdays, but the Kaun Khmai side will take walk-ins.
From excellent noodle dishes to creative cocktails and desserts, there's plenty to explore at Khmai.
6580 N. Sheridan Rd.
312-626-7710
