Until 1975, when the Khmer Rouge overthrew the Cambodian government, Longteine de Monteiro was the wife of a career Cambodian diplomat. She enjoyed cooking, which she learned primarily from her mother and from a French cookbook, and often entertained diplomatic corps from around the world. When the Khmer Rouge came to power, however, the family was living in Taiwan, and her husband was immediately out of a job.
With Cambodia in violent upheaval, the family traveled to France, where the de Monteiros opened a Cambodian restaurant. Ten years later, when their daughter Nadsa married an American, they relocated to the United States, settling in the Boston area. The de Monteiros, with Longteine as chef, opened the Elephant Walk in Somerville in August 1991, serving both French and Cambodian cuisine. Almost immediately, the restaurant attracted raves-from The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Esquire, Travel and Leisure, and Food and Wine. A second location was added in Boston in 1994, with Nadsa as chef.
The Elephant Walk Selection: Crevettes Emeraude
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