Phood in Phnom Penh

Posted Tuesday, March 27, 2007, 12:02 AM by Lonely Planet

For many, the words 'cuisine' and 'Phnom Penh' suggest little more than marijuana-topped 'happy' pizza and deep-fried tarantulas. However in recent years, Cambodia's capital has undergone a quiet culinary revolution that is making dodgy street food and drug-laced entrées go the way of the Khmer Rouge.

The Phnom Penh of today is home to some 870 restaurants that range in cuisine from regional Cambodian to upscale French, as well as more obscure cooking styles such as Russian and North Korean. There's a restaurant to fit every budget, and as many places are run by expats and talented locals alike, the flavours are spot-on authentic.


Scallops sautéed with Cambodian peppercorns, Malis Restaurant, Phnom Penh.

To experience the local cuisine, a good place to start is Malis (136 Street 41, 023 221 022), a chic open-air Cambodian restaurant that wouldn't be out of place in L.A. or London. Try one of the restaurant's numerous sour soups, a staple of Khmer cooking, and you'll see that Cambodian food is much more than 'Thai without the spice', and boasts an impressive repertoire of subtle flavours based on indigenous herbs.

For something a bit homier, try Sweet Café (21B Street 294, 012 999 119), where Khmer staples mingle with Chinese-influenced dishes, and everything is full-flavoured. Boat Noodle (8B Street 294, 012 774 287) boasts an eclectic Thai-Cambodian menu, and the Psar O Russei's dark but delicious food court is probably the largest conglomeration of Khmer food in the world.

And the revolution doesn't stop at Khmer food; Phnom Penh's colonial past is evident in the numerous French and other European restaurants that dot the city. A good food day in Phnom Penh could involve a hearty 'full English' at The Rising Sun (20 Street 178, 012 710 131), a light petit dejeuner at Comme a la Maison (13 Street 57, 023 360 801), and a raucous tapas dinner (complete with Spanish wines) at Pacharan (389E1 Sisowath Quay, 023 224 394).

For pre-trip dining reconnaissance there's no better source of info than Phnomenon, the only blog dedicated to food and drink in Cambodia, where thankfully, there's hardly an arachnid nor a 'happy entrée in sight.

- Austin Bush

Labels: Asia and Pacific, Culinary culture

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