Ever wondered what Cambodian food tastes like but unable to get that experience because there aren’t any Cambodian restaurants around.
Well, actually there’s one - say hello to Tinfeny’s - where its offerings will transport you onto the streets of Siem Reap and beyond.
Cambodian food is unassuming and all about an incredible mix of flavours, characterized by its sweet, sour and spicy elements.
Located between Thailand and Vietnam, which are culinary superpowers in their own right, Cambodia’s cuisine is often overshadowed and is still globally a bit of a secret.
Tinfeny’s sits right in the heart of Ponsonby, and is operated by a mother-and-daughter duo Richny Hy and Felicity Keolay.
The restaurant’s name is actually a combination of Richny and her two children Felicity, Martin and her husband Abbas.
The menu is a celebration of Cambodian cuisine and reflects the country’s rich culinary heritage.
It has always been the family’s dream to take people on a culinary journey into their Khmer cuisine.
“People we meet often ask us what is Cambodian food like, and it has always been quite a challenge to explain because it is not common here,” Richny said.
“I loved cooking at home and graduated from Auckland Chef school in 2009 but didn’t get the chance to do what I love as a career as my kids were young and I wanted to be around for them but would always cook my signature dishes - stuffed chicken wings and beef skewers for friends and family.They would always say ‘you should open your own place, you would do really well in your own restaurant’ So now that the kids are independent, we started this restaurant where people can get to try my signature dishes and also taste our country’s iconic dishes like lok lak and amok trei.”
Amok trei, or fish amok, is a great example of traditional Khmer flavours which would introduce first-time diners to the spices and flavours found in the family’s home country.
With amok trei, the fish is delicately steamed and infused with coconut custard and fragrant spices. It is not a dish that you usually make at home as it is time consuming and complicated so Tinfeny’s is a great place to try it and for Cambodians to get a taste of home.
Beef lok lak is a Cambodian-style pepper beef stir fry featuring tender eye fillet beef and kampot pepper that is sourced from Kampot province in Cambodia.
On the menu, you’ll find a wide selection of small plates for sharing, like the stuffed chicken wings with lemongrass and vermicelli and crispy pork belly bites with Cambodian dipping sauce. Mains include Cambodian staples like ban chow (pork and prawn-filled pancakes) and wok-flashed dishes like the spicy red curry snapper.
The to-die-for dessert to end your dinner is the jackfruit and sticky rice ice cream.
Richny and Felicity drew on traditional recipes passed down for generations from within their family to create their plethora of delectable Cambodian dishes.
“We started this restaurant because we wanted our Cambodian community to have a place to go to to get a taste of home when they miss the dishes they grew up with,” Richny said.
“But more importantly, we want to introduce Cambodian food to Kiwis and make Cambodian cuisine more known in Auckland.”
Tinfeny’s also boasts an impressive array of cocktails, that are crafted in-house, from the Coco Pandan Marg (coconut tequila with pandan, Cointreau and lime) to lychee mule (vodka, lychee, lemongrass, lime and ginger beer).Along with our cocktails, we also stock Cambodian Gin.”
The restaurant’s ambience is designed to reflect the warmth and hospitality of Cambodia.
Adorning the walls is a mural of Angkor Wat which serves as a reminder of Tinfeny’s aim and culinary journey.
Tried and tasted
Somlor Machu Kreung
Nam Ban Chok
Prahok Ktiss
Tinfeny's Shop 15 Ponsonby Central, 4 Brown Street, Ponsonby, Auckland
Phone: 09 360 8080
This article is brought to you in partnership with Tinfeny’s.
