Sophon

Sophon is a Greenwood restaurant from the folks behind Oliver’s Twist that serves a menu of Khmer dishes and cocktails. And even though this warm space with family portraits displayed and glowing lanterns that cast shadows is up and running, they’re still in a soft opening phase—which means that the menu is expected to change after the Cambodian New Year in April. In the meantime, the best course of action here is to bring a flashlight (it’s very dark inside) and stick to the small plates. 

You’re in good hands with the kroeung mushroom khmeraage and kroeung chicken khmeraage—their take on karaage. Both could use some pinches of finishing salt, and the oyster mushroom version is a bit heavy on the breading, but these fried snacks are delicious nonetheless. And they taste even better when topped with a spoonful of their Thai chili-packed sauce. Charred cauliflower steaks, soft on the inside and snappy on the outside, should also hit your table. And the cucumber salad, although pretty standard, has some bright pockets of mint, and teeny tiny dried shrimp that add a nice burst of sodium and texture.

On the other hand, the larger plates wither in comparison. Like pork belly glazed in an overly sweet coconut sauce that’s just too rich for the meat’s delicate fatty texture. A beautiful stuffed eggplant looks a lot more exciting than it tastes, as the eggplant itself is bland, and some tasty soy curls on top don’t do much to save it. And the only dessert in the building, is a trio of mochi balls that get doused in an excellent salted coconut cream, but are so chewy you'll need to take a few deep breaths through your nose. But we’ll be back to try more once the soft opening is over.