Sora Cocktail Party: two Kep West bartenders win over Phnom Penh
On 11 and 12 September, Mao Kanha and Phanha Kann took Kep West to Sora, the sky bar of Rosewood Phnom Penh. Their three cocktails, built on flavours from the Kep coast, drew cocktail lovers to their counter on both nights. The drinks are now on the menu at Kep West.
A cocktail party on the 37th floor of Rosewood Phnom Penh
Sora sits on the 37th floor of the Vattanac Capital tower, home of Rosewood Phnom Penh. It is the highest bar in the capital. This year it ranked No. 100 on the extended list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars.
Last Friday and Saturday, Sora hosted the Phnom Penh Cocktail Party. Seven local bars took part, joined by Elysian, a cocktail bar from Budapest. The first night alone drew more than 200 people.
Kep West came with its own talent. Behind its counter, two members of the team created the recipes and served every glass themselves.
Mao Kanha and Phanha Kann, trained on the job
Mao Kanha is 24. She works as a bartender and in restaurant service at Crab & Co, one of the Kep West restaurants. Phanha Kann is 35. He is bar supervisor at Kep West.
Both joined the group four years ago. Neither went to a bartending school. “We learned everything in the field,” they say.
Sora was a different stage. The windows look out over the lights of the city. The guests know their spirits. And one of the visiting bars had flown in from Hungary.
Three Kep West cocktails built on local flavours
The pair came with three recipes. Each one points back to Kep.
The Kep West Spritz starts with Bacur gin infused with kaffir lime leaf, green pepper and seaweed. Vedrenne coconut and passion fruit syrups go in next, with fresh lime, Bottega Prosecco and Krud Soda. It is served tall, topped with seaweed and a small Kep West flag.
The Kep West Sunset mixes Bottega Alexander Grappa Bianca with Bottega Bocca di Rosa rosolio, green grape, fresh lime, blue curaçao and egg yolk. It comes in a short glass with a foamy top and a blue-green glow.
Kep Salt Fields takes its name from the salt pans near Kep. Bottega Bacur gin meets Bottega Limoncello, fresh lime, local palm sugar and soda. The rim is crusted and the soda is poured in front of the guest.
Upcycled glasses and glowing bases
The glasses were cut from empty mineral water bottles. Each drink glowed on a lit base.
The Kep West bar was set up with the help of Celliers d’Asie, Bottega, Vedrenne and Krud Soda. Clear Cut and The Ice Makers supplied custom clear ice.
A hit with Phnom Penh cocktail fans
On both nights, cocktail fans kept coming back to the Kep West counter. Kanha and Kann explained each recipe before serving it. The three drinks won over the crowd.
Now on the menu at Kep West
The three cocktails have made the trip back to the coast. Kep West Spritz, Kep West Sunset and Kep Salt Fields are now available at Kep West. “We were eager to share these cocktails at Kep West,” say Kanha and Kann.
More information: www.kepwest.com
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