The owners of eatery Django claim they’re bringing a “pure” North American brunch to the burgeoning scene of Western-style daytime restaurants in Phnom Penh.

“We wanted to make something new: real North American brunches, typical Canadian or US style,” said French co-owner Sébastien Mezailles, who opened the restaurant in late April with a group of Canadian and US businessmen and lawyers. A formal launch is due in September.

The menu’s centrepiece is the American-invented eggs Benedict ($6.75), which is offered in its classic form as well as several variations like Florentine and Provencale, all accompanied by home fries. “Eggs Benedict is a dish that comes in great variation. It can be a fast-food, but we are on the refined side,” Mezailles said.

The ambiance at the locale, named for famed jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, is simple but pleasant. Posters of the musician and other pop art adorn the walls, but the décor is a long-term project, according to Mezailles, who aims to next transform the outdoor patio. “We will modify the front gate to be bigger and put grass to make it more comfortable,” he said.

Soft jazz and lounge music play in the lofty interior. “It goes with the food actually . . . classic, with bacon,” Mezailles chuckled.

But a variation on the New York classic is the secret to the eggs Benedict’s hollandaise sauce. “We put a little bit of lime in the sauce, we have to put our own touch,” Mezailles said. “Taste it; you’ll see.”

And while a North American brunch might sound like a heavy meal for Cambodia’s tropical climate, the hint of lime does lighten the taste.

Django Eatery is located at #25B Street 294. Open Monday to Saturday from 6:30am to 3pm and on Sunday from 8am to 4:30pm. Tel: 012 570 130.