Buoyed by trays of her mother’s egg rolls, industry vet Mona Sang opened Khmai Fine Dining this summer. Filled with ground chicken and taro, the crispy egg rolls are fulfilling and ubiquitous. As a starter, however, Mai’s — Mom’s — egg rolls are only the door Sang opens to Cambodian cooking. A server warns that kapi, a fermented shrimp paste nestled into a basket stuffed with rice and vegetables, is “really spicy and pungent,” claiming the restaurant doesn’t do refunds, Sang must know no one’s sending it back. The dip glows with deliciously complex notes of galangal and sweet shrimp. From there, expertly rendered Khmer dishes like somlor machu kreoung (short ribs in a sour broth); prahok ktiss, the minced-pork spread laced with coconut milk and fish paste; and a parade of shredded salads and noodle dishes thrill the room. Khmai offers a thorough and passionate representation of Cambodian cuisine not just to Chicago, but to the country. Click the link in bio to read more about the Best New Restaurants of 2022. ✏️: Rachel Kreiter, senior copy editor 📸: Melissa Blackmon (@melissa_blackmon)