Touk Opens Soon on Alberni Street: A Contemporary Cambodian Bistro from Chef Chanthy Yen

Touk, the contemporary Cambodian bistro from Chef Chanthy Yen, is nearly ready to open at 1152 Alberni Street. What began as a pandemic pop-up in Montreal has travelled across the country and taken root in Vancouver, with a full team, a defined point of view, and a space that now looks entirely its own.

Yen is joined by partners Terrence Feng and Dave Loeuy (Kin Kao), with a beverage program shaped by Tara Davies, Jayton Paul, and Virginie Semery. Together, the group is building a restaurant that treats Cambodian food and culture with depth and curiosity.

Late last week, I stopped by to take a look around, and although the room was still a work in progress, I’d say Touk is looking 90% there. Compared to what was hinted at in the renderings I saw a few months back, walking the room now there is more personality and texture than the paper version could convey.

The main floor unfolds in a muted, lunar palette, with soft plaster, curved lines, and upholstery that reads as weightless. Textures are matte and finely grained, with light fixtures that glow (while I was poking around, I heard someone call them ‘moon rocks’). A mural along the North wall pulls everything into focus. With its saturated colours and strong sense of movement, the triptych by Cambodian artist FONKi cuts through the softness, becoming the cultural and emotional anchor of the room. A banquette sweeps along the wall in a quiet arc, shaping pockets for conversation without breaking the room’s openness. Amber glass candleholders and warm gold napkins echo the tones in the mural and glow of the lights. The effect is subtle: a blend of serenity and colour, in a room that feels original and rooted in Yen’s Cambodian heritage.

Upstairs, a wood-panelled standing bar called Loolaa will hold 16–20 people. Envisioned as a place to gather pre- or post-meal, it has more dark, sultry and social energy to it. I was also interested to learn that there will be a DJ booth located in the entry area, with a view of the street below.

All that is left at this point is the addition of greenery, some art, finishing touches on the murals, and a good cleansing. (Yen is pretty sure that there is a ghost on the premises, so he is bringing in someone to help ensure balance and peace.)

After years spent directing culinary programmes for some of Vancouver’s largest hospitality groups – plus winning Season 11 of Top Chef Canada – Yen is stepping into his own project with focus. He describes Touk as a place where he can honour the food he grew up with, while also offering Vancouver something it doesn’t yet have: Cambodian cooking presented with range, confidence, and a sense of play. The name, meaning “boat” in Khmer, speaks to that journey: a movement through memory, craft, and exploration.

This doesn’t feel like a packed-up and applied version of Cambodian culture to me. Yen is intent on integrating cuisine and culture into Touk’s concept – not just repackaging Cambodian flavours for a Western diner, but making sure that the details of how Cambodian people eat, drink and celebrate are part of the flow.

The Food

I haven’t tried the food yet, but I have seen the menu, and the dishes read as being full of brightness, spice, and texture. A few of the plates I’m most looking forward to trying are the Twa Koh (beef brisket sausage seasoned with galangal and habanero, with fresh cabbage and Koh Kong sauce) and Prawn Nantua (grilled and coated in a sweet red curry with black olive oil, crispy rice, and lemon). Larger plates sound equally enticing, including Sablefish Collar with burnt mango, pickled mango, and fresh peppercorn; a Fraser Valley Tomahawk finished in black cardamom curry; and H’mok, halibut cheeks baked in kroeung custard.

The Drinks

Yen knows what he wants in a cocktail program: innovative, exciting, zero-waste drinks that express Cambodian flavours. It was a no-brainer to approach Tara Davies (Chupito) to help develop the menu. Davies was on site during my visit last week, to walk me through the menu: “I went down a rabbit hole researching Cambodian culture and history; sourcing ingredients from local markets, learning how spices and fruits behave; and working directly with the kitchen on how we could collaborate to reduce waste by using fruit skins, herb stems, and fermented rice water.” Expect drinks built from mango-skin cordial, tomato water, bananas, condensed milk, sorrel, and spirits that hold cultural resonance – including, yes, the Cambodian favourite: Hennessy. Davies has utilized jackfruit, infused rum with galangal, and even incorporated fish sauce into a drink. Again, I haven’t tasted anything yet, but the list definitely sounds fun – and eyebrow-raising, in a ‘never-imagined-that-combination’ sort of way that makes you want to have at least a sip of everything.

On the wine side, Jayton Paul has built a program around producers he trusts – namely, small operations with a real sense of place. “Soil to table” is his shorthand for bottles chosen for aromatics, texture, and minerality; wines that sit comfortably beside the food rather than crowding it. The list will move between international wines, with a mix of natural and conventional styles as well as small local labels that he digs (think L-ST Projects, Ursa Major, and Bella.). The common thread here: integrity.

Touk will be open five days a week, beginning this Friday, December 19th (dinner only), with plans to expand services to lunch and brunch within the New Year. Limited tables will be available on a first-come-first-serve basis between December 19th and 21st. Reservations can be made for December 26th onwards, including a special 5-course New Year’s Eve dinner. Details here.