In the new millennium, Wendy Lucas and Derek Mayes joined a wedding party in Cambodia. Once the festivities were at an end, the pair continued to enjoy the capital city, though they had some criticisms. “At the time, there were only girly bars in Phnom Penh,” says Wendy. Realising an opportunity for business and adventure, they opened their first bar/restaurant – Talking to a Stranger – in 2002.
Like the city, Wendy and Derek have proven themselves adaptable and open to change. As pressure mounted on restaurant owners in BKK1 and Tonle Bassac (where Talking to a Stranger was situated), the pair stumbled upon a house tucked away on Street 21. On the gate hung a ‘For Rent’ sign. They took it, remodelled it and named it The Lost Room.
The Lost Room is right. Though only a stone’s throw away (across Norodom) from the drinking and dining district, BKK1, the restaurant is secluded from the cacophony of booming stereo-systems of Street 278.
The restaurant may be lost, but it’s certainly not abandoned. The vibe is unabrasively trendy: the exposed brick and cement walls are so New York, but the warmth of the owners and staff is felt as soon as you are ushered in by the doorman.
It’s hip without being too cool; the service is paced without being slow. The wine is handled first: an ample selection picked to complement the food. Then the food menu arrives, which is when Wendy steps in. She asks three questions of any customer – ‘How hungry are you? Have you any allergies? Are you a vegetarian?’ – to help them navigate the menu, which is small but rich in choice. “For larger parties, I offer to order for them. That way, the conversation can keep flowing.” Her expertise is trustworthy and her willingness to adapt the dishes to the requirements of her customers gratefully acknowledged.
Small, tapas-like dishes are combined to make a vegetarian platter while the main courses (made up of more tapas-sized dishes) are being decided on. “It’s all about taste sensations,” Wendy explains. The pear and blue-cheese parcels; falafels, and mushroom and cashew nut pate are set on a single dish and hands set upon the beautifully presented food. But this isn’t a matter of style over substance. The lychee and basil puree (accompanying the pear and blue-cheese parcels) and the tahini dressing (with the falafels) have strong, invigorating flavours which render the stuffed green olives necessary for cleansing the palette.
The menu is constantly changing but there are a few perennial favourites, one of which is the pan-fried sea bass with goat-cheese tartar. Chef Derek animatedly recommends the dish, which, though surprising, is never left unfinished. A vegetable trio of butter-bean mash, red-wine lentils and chickpea stew is enjoyed just as vocally (though bear in mind this dish requires a sweet tooth).
The couple’s zest for cooking is shared with customers as they recommend dishes, relate the origin of each ingredient and graciously accept compliments. But it shows elsewhere, too: the communal eating proviso is a reflection of how they like to eat and the dishes a reflection of what they like to eat – and it’s a genuine pleasure for them to share.
The Lost Room, #43 Street 21 (behind the black and red gates).