Dish: Simpler times

Alongside swollen hippocampi, the polymorphic 7R variation in the Homo sapiens D4 dopamine receptor is associated with an increased propensity for novelty seeking, often credited with our evolutionary march out of Africa (until, presumably, its more prudent 4R cousin convinced us to settle in Sumer). Still, compared to our conservative Australopithecus ancestors, modern humans are natural-born neophiles. That is, before we all naturally morph into my father and begin favouring nostalgia and routine. ‘Oh, for simpler times,’ we’ll say. Again and again.

So while microcosmic Kampot has mirrored to an extent Phnom Penh’s recent advance over the global plains of gastronomy, a newly slated eatery here can still cause quite the expectant stir among the chattering masses. Open for six months so far, Ellie’s Café has managed to sustain the merry hoo-ha by servicing our conflicting human instincts for both the fantastic and the familiar, weaving itself into the lazy workaday routines of a devoted roster of regulars while providing plenty of scope for ongoing epicurean explorations across a broad but measured menu.

Spread over two shop-houses and complemented with natural light and an easy aesthetic, Ellie’s is like an enticing slice of open savannah, evoking a warm sense of sanctuary and that comfortable hint of ‘home’. The laidback, welcoming vibe is backed by the affable and accommodating administrations of its charming young proprietors, the eponymous Ellen and business partner Bob, along with the café’s catalogue of homemade goods – from spot-on cookies and cakes to in-house spreads and breads. And although ‘homemade’ has always seemed a somewhat suspect claim of quality to me, especially when I’m familiar enough with the lax sanitary conditions of my own domicile, here it adds a touch of class to the array of fresh items on offer, including that peculiar icon of British nostalgia that is the Scotch Egg (served with potato salad and home-made chutney for $4.50).

But I’m rarely out of bed in time to squeeze three square meals into a day, so ‘lunch’ gets the flick in a Foucauldian middle finger to the socio-normative dictation of specific food groups for specific o’clocks (Ellie’s brazenly serves all-day breakfast to abet my rebellion). My personal go-to is the emerging people’s choice, the vegetarian breakfast ($5), a bona fide king-slayer of seriously good value: one massive plate of straight-up fried eggs on sweet-corn fritters jam-packed with grilled tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, home-made hummus, wholemeal toast and a heap of wildly more-ish hash spilling from its rim.

Dopamine-flushed hyperbole aside, this dish is no less than a coming of age for flesh-free fare: a hint of a future world where vegetarian cuisine has evolved beyond its primitive opposition to beast-based chow (think quinoa-encrusted seaweed cakes as a reasonable alternative to meat before midday). The veggie brekky is simple, unpretentious and symbolic of the restaurant as a whole. Or, to stretch an already tenuous Sumerian thread, Ellie’s Café doesn’t set out to reinvent the wheel, just to ensure it’s perfectly rounded without unnecessary over-inflation. Do your D4s a favour and make the migration now.

Ellie’s Cafe, #42–44 Street 726, Kampot; 088 4884953.