In a remote part of Asia, one can find Greek culture. I reflected upon this as I sat on the top floor of the Hotel Caravelle Saigon, listening to Cuban music and eating an expensive burger.
Caravelle had been home to Australian and Kiwi embassies during the Vietnam War and was a place for journalists to write and politicians to find the truth (or hide it) of the disgraceful war, yet another colonial war that we as humans learn nothing from. What I did learn here was that it’s cheaper to eat Greek food in the Phenomenal Phnom Penh and Saigon, also known as Ho Chi Minh City.
And while it’s cheaper here, the trail to find Greek food and people is no easy task.
I spoke with the Honorary Consul Napoleon who pointed me to the trail of Greek food at E2 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, run by a Mr Nikos Zortos. The only problem was that after circling the block millions of times vertigo style and riding through the market, it appeared it no longer existed. As Google had advised!
Not to be deterred I managed to co-opt a local to take me to the second and final Greek eatery on my list, Greek Souvlaki.
The small street style eatery specialises in gyros and Aussie beef. Sampling almost all the items on the menu, the young owner explained that he had worked for a Greek chef in Hanoi. Ben loved Greek food and decided to continue his attraction to Greek food by opening his business with his wife. I particularly enjoyed seeing them make pita bread on the spot. The eatery is adorned by Greek flags, though no one seemed to understand what they are or represent. In fact very few people had heard of Greece, the Acropolis, Mykonos or Lesvos, though George Michael is a known quantity.
There are no more “authentic” Greek restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City, save for a few menu add-ons here and there or Oya Gyros which has gyros and pizza on the menu. There is however a trail of several Greek eateries in Hanoi, north Vietnam.
Next my trail took me to Phnom Penh. A Greek friend of mine had just concluded a filming stint there, helping swell the Greek population to six!
As Nikolaos Koursaris explained to me, “we are just five people here. The owner, myself and several others. We all know each other.” Nikolaos has been in this part of the world since 2016. The restaurant he manages is also named Greek Souvlaki.
Once again I found it both a delight and amusing to bring guests with me who had never heard of Greece to sample the food. After some initial hesitation, my guests enjoyed the various mezedes that were brought out, a Thursday night Greek Plate night, with a big thumbs up for a gyros we added on. The neighbouring French table similarly enjoyed their gyros cuisine.
To my delight the Larissa born Nikolaos is a typical Greek. Relaxed, he made the point that he was enjoying a stress-free life residing in Phnom Penh. It was ironic that a health problem was what initially kept him from returning to Greece permanently.
The London born owner of Greek Souvlaki, Peter Yallouros and his wife Sokra met by chance while they were catching a bus in 2010. A beautiful love story, a year later they had married and by 2016 they were running a Greek restaurant. They have two children together, with Peter also having two adult sons in Europe. Sokra explains they have owned up to six restaurants, though at the moment it’s two, with Greek Souvlaki located in the lively Russian Market.
On the other side of Russian Market is Elia Greek Kitchen. I missed the Turkish owner; however, I met his partner Anu, from Finland, and his sister Pinar.
Sipping my Greek or Turkish coffee (you decide which it was), I was impressed and proud to hear that Turkish people were promoting Greek culture. I listened to the Greek music (wonderful playlist Pinar) and spoke to the team who have a passion for Greek food. There are three Elia restaurants, I managed to visit another one at Bassac Lane, nestled amongst the clubs and bars. The restaurants are designed around olive trees, the evil eye and the blue and white of the Aegean.
The owner took a chance opening Elia during Covid. Yigit Altug had started up north in Siem Reap before deciding to make the capital his home due to the reduction of revenues in Temple City, where he had two Elia eateries. Yigit also has an Italian restaurant just to mix things up. He has always loved Mediterranean food, with Cambodia being the place to showcase his passion.
My Greek friend who had finished his filming project earlier in the month had also mentioned Elia as a place to visit. Just like Greek Souvlaki, it draws in Greeks who visit from all over the world especially Greek-Australians.
As I ate my expensive burger on the rooftop of the vibrant Caravelle, a waiter approached me. “Sir, are you from Greece? I love Santorini and swimming.
*Billy Cotsis is the director of Magna Graecia: Greko of Calabria which is showing at the Greek Film Festival Australia.
