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Bankea
Chah
Moan Cha
Street food is good for you if you can stomach it
Foreign Correspondents' Club
A View from the Shadow of the Mango Tree |
Cambodians' diet is based on seafood and freshwater fishes and crustaceans. From the founding of the Khmer civilization to present days, the fertile plain of the Tonle Sap (the Great Freshwater Lake) and the sea have provided for proteins. Basically, we are fish-eaters, we love dried fish and rice, fish sauce and rice, and if we have the money we eat crabs and shrimps and rice. Have we mentioned rice? Yes, rice is essential to a good meal. Your average Cambodian wolfs down huge quantities of rice with relatively little meat. Fresh (and often) organic vegetables and fruits complement our meals. We have put up a list of traditional dishes that any visitor ought to try. For breakfast, as true born to the city, we have Phnom Penh noodle soups (Kouy Teav Phnom Penh). To enjoy good food, there are mainly two hang out areas: the Tonle Sap riverside that essentially caters to foreigners and route nationale 6 that caters to anybody. Route 6 is an endless highway of Khmer restaurants that sprang under the UN era. The restaurants on the Mekong side of route 6 tend to be trendier (and more expensive) then the ones on the Boeng (Lake) side.
Appetizers Nataing - Crispy rice with pork and coconut milk Nyoam Lehong - Green papaya salad Sach Ko Ang Kroeung - Beef skewers with lemongrass paste
Main Khdam Cha - Stir fried crab Kouy Teav - Phnom Penh noodle soup (beef, chicken, pork shrimps) Kouyv Teav Cha - Khmer stir fried noodles Ban Chaev - Pancakes (pork and shrimps) Moan Ang - Khmer grilled chicken Moan Cha Khnyei - Stir fried ginger chicken Sach Ko Loc Lac - Beef Loc Lac (marinated with lime sauce) Samlor Machoo Kreugn - Khmer lemongrass soup Samlor Machou Mouan - Khmer chicken soup with tomatoes Saraman - Braised beef curry with peanuts Trey Ang - Grilled fish (more than 40 freshwater and marine varieties of fish)
Chek Ktih - Bananas in sweet coconut milk Nom Norsorm Chek - Glutinous rice and banana wrap Nom Kroap Kanau - Sweet mung bean rolls Vaoye - Golden angel hair
Fruits Chek Namva - Namva banana Chek Pong Moan - Egg banana Svay - Mango Turain - Durion
Vegetables Traop - Eggplant Marech - Bitter melon Mteh - Chili Tralach - Winter melon Samdech bandos - Bean sprout
Drinks Angkor Beer - Local brew (good stuff!) Bayon Beer - Local brew (cheaper stuff) Taei - Tea
With the American dollar at 4000 riels, Cambodia is one of the cheaper countries in this part of the world. However, Phnom Penh has its share of restaurants and hotels priced for international travelers. Of course, with average salaries at US $50 a month, phnom penhers cannot really afford to dine in places for bor roteh (literally for "cart drivers" as we call foreigners). Cart drivers: Above US $10.00 a meal Expensive: Between US $6.00 and US $10.00 a meal Average: Between US $4.00 and US $6.00 a meal Cheap: Below US $4.00 a meal
Blue Marble Cafe 43 Corner St. 57 & 322 (012) 596 766
Price: Cheap Crowd: Locals (Khmer and expats), no tourist Go for: Excellent old school cocktails at very reasonable prices
An elegant and trendy Khmer coffeebar (yes, yes, there is such a thing). Strong on cocktails (more than sixty varieties), virgin mixes (non alcoholic cocktails). Strong on ambient music (usually rhythm 'n blues or jazz). Getting more popular as a local hangout. This is run as a socially responsible and environmentally friendly not for profit organization. So getting drunk there is cool, but they have also lots of coffees and teas. Very relaxed, very polite staff. Excellent place to chill out and to have a daiquiri or a southern ginger, or a glass of wine, after a hard day's working or sightseeing.
Del Gusto 43 Rue 95. Not far from S-21, but far enough to avoid bad vibes. website
Price: Cheap Crowd: NGO workers on weekdays Go for: Spanish and Khmer fusion food in a traditional wooden house
Quite possibly the best Spanish tapas restaurant in Cambodia. A tad overcrowded for lunch on weekdays. Yummy and healthy food at cheap prices, one of the best value for money in town. Take your shoes off to enter the traditional Khmer wooden house or relax outside in the garden. Popular for Sunday brunches as well.
Le Deauville North Side of Wat Phnom (012) 843 204
Price: Average to expensive Crowd: families, lonely guys, expatriates Go for: Real French food from the Protectorate
One of the oldest French restaurants in town. Our colleagues from Paris tasted and tested it. It's a go ahead according to them. As you may well know, Cambodia was for a century under French Protectorate (the original Barang). These days the term Barang applies to pretty much anybody white. The coq au vin is the house specialty, adequately doused in lots of red wine. Always go for the plat du jour, the dish of the day, as it is a better deal. Otherwise, we would recommend the pizza, you can choose a dozen toppings for just $3.50.
FCCC 363 Quai Sisowath (023) 724 014
Price: Cart drivers Crowd: UN staff, international consultants, families, tourists Go for: Buzz without a fuss
This restaurant bar hotel has been around for a while. The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Cambodia is the meeting place for UN staff, international consultants, journalists, diplomats and backpackers alike. It essentially caters to foreigners. Cambodians usually go there to meet their foreign counterparts and to discover the delicacies of exotic western food. Expect to pay US $6.00 to US $8.00 for a one person pizza. The beer is a tad expensive for us. The FCCC is reminiscent of the early UNTAC era and is still buzzing with the tranquility of a frontier country. It gives an advantageous view point on the boat races in November.
Irina 15 Rue 352. Walkable from Monument of Independence, close to UNDP
Price: Average to Cart drivers Crowd: Russian Spetnazt Commandos Go for: Borsch and soviet era memorabilia
Irina has been around for a while, she came with the UNTAC peacekeepers and decided to stay on. Her soups are excellent. This is Russian and Uzbek food at their best, and affordable prices. A quiet place that reminds some of us of our university days in the old soviet block (yep, a whole generation of Cambodians were trained in the USSR after the war). Courteous staff dressed in Russian Navy outfit (just joking).
Khmer Surin 9 Rue 57. Walkable from Monument of Independence. (023) 363 050
Price: Average Crowd: Locals, families, tourists Go for: Mats and pillows seating
We like to take our visitors from out of town to this large three-floor Khmer restaurant. Avoid the ground floor, and go for the mats and cushions if you don't mind crossing your legs for a couple of hours. The top terrace usually enjoys a nice breeze. The service is a bit slow when it gets crowded, but the Khmer Fried Chicken (KFC!) is the best in town! You must order the fish Amok, which comes served as little nipples of coconut mounds.
Mith Samlanh Friends 125 Rue 13. Not very far from the National Museum (012) 802 072
Price: Average Crowd: Families, friends Go for: Street kids and convenient central location
This restaurant is part of a program for street children, so it's all for a good cause. It teaches kids the basics of cooking and waiting tables for essentially a crowd of cart driving patrons. The portions are small but quite yummy, so the concept is more akin to that of a tapas bar with a mix of Cambodian and western dishes, and often fusion recipes. As far as we could see, the kids were doing fine and trying their best to please your average barang. A bit more expensive than it used to be, and crowded with UN staff for lunches.
Le Rit's Nyemo NGO 14 Rue 310. Near Boulevard Preah Norodom, close to Monument of Independance (023) 213 160
Price: Cheap Crowd: Families, friends Go for: Pots, plants and fountains
This is another café, restaurant, shop and sewing workshop run by a non-governmental organization which aims to help women's socio-economic reintegration into society. There is just one menu priced at $5.00 that includes appetizer, main dish, desert, and coffee. The portions, in particular the desert, are sizable. The French Mediterranean food is usually good, but this is tricky as you do not really have much of a choice. The waiting staff stand at attention and seldom leave patrons more than a nano-second unattended. The decor is an exquisite mix of greeneries and fountains.
102 1A Rue 102 (Ang Non) (012) 940 855
Price: Cart drivers Crowd: Business dealers and wheelers, big guys, high maintenance chicks Go for: French haute cuisine for a fraction of what it would cost in Paris
A bit of a strange name for a refine and elegant establishment. Excellent French food is served without the pomposity that would usually prevail. Elegant 1960s and 1970s building. Affordable if you don't order wine, and worth a trip if you ain't gonna make it to Paris. Great for dates at lunch and dinner on weekdays.
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Across the Japanese Bridge on Route 6 | |||||||||||||
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Boeng Meas Golden Lake Route Nationale 6. 2km from Chroy Changwa bridge. Boeng side. (011) 822 223 (023) 982 223
Price: Average Crowd: Families, friends Go for: Laid back good food
This popular restaurant offers good food at reasonable prices. It is particularly suited for large simple dinners. Beer girls can be very annoying, whether you are trying to enjoy romance or negotiate business deals. Yet, it is nice to have a good selection of alcohol and drinks. The staff and the beer girls of Boeng Meas remain at a respectable distance giving patrons the necessary privacy. Away from the main hall, a couple of huts on stilts are also available for quiet meals.
Hang Neak The Dragon Route Nationale 6. 3km from Chroy Changwa bridge. Mekong side. (012) 888 061 (012) 888 107
Price: Average to expensive Crowd: Families, friends, parties, weddings, tourists Go for: Fish pond
A hugely glitzy restaurant with a big fish pond complete with bridges and fountain sculptures. Fish food is on sale so you or your children can feed carps that will then be fed to you. The Dragon's dining hall is so long and wide that you can jog around it while waiting for your dishes. It is a big restaurant, with a multitude of small private rooms and an armada of staff to tend to your wishes. Famous and beautiful singers entertain patrons nightly.
Molop Svay Thom Shadow of the Tall Mango Tree Route Nationale 6. 4km from Chroy Changwa bridge. Mekong side. (023) 982 504
Price: Average to expensive Crowd: Families, friends, dates Go for: Quiet riverside tables under mango trees
A few years back the mango tree was recognized as the best fare on route 6. Its hearty ban chaev (pancakes) still attracts aficionados particularly on week-ends. The restaurant is divided in two parts: one section is located by the side of the highway and the other one overlooking the Mekong. Needless to say that the few tables by the river are usually booked. The mango trees, the vines, the river breeze and the sunset on the islands are very conducive to romance. Ah, yes, in case you wondered, Cambodians may enjoy the occasional flirt too.
Rumchan Route Nationale 6. 4km from Chroy Changwa bridge. Mekong side. (023) 982 504
Price: Average to expensive Crowd: Families, friends, dates Go for: Succulent Khmer traditional cuisine
This restaurant offers excellent fare in a sunny setting. Fresh khdam thmor or Mud crabs (unfortunate translation, since we actually call them stone crabs) may be stir fried with a sweet sauce or beer. We give this dish simply the title of "best ever" in Phnom Penh. You are better off picking your own crab (just ask the waiter for the bigger ones!). Crab is not a pauper's meal. It takes fishermen hours to hunt down the critters in the mud and sand. Depending on availability, expect to pay at least US $15.00 per kilogram. For US $20.00 per person you can order the following delicious selection: chay yor (fried rolls), sach koh chakak (beef skewers), ban chay (pancakes) and crabs. The cuisine is excellent and is reasonably priced.
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