I’m on vacation in Cambodia and thought it would be fun to try a fine dining place while I’m visiting. I just thought I’d share some quick thoughts about the experience.
Ambiance: The place had an interesting vibe. It felt a little confused about what it wanted to be aesthetically. The main artwork was a painting of a woman in a baklava which felt aggressively modern, but then they scattered these little glass beads that were popular in the 1990s on the table. I enjoyed the open feeling of restaurant; it was quite spacious. The lighting was a little dim for my personal preference.
Food: It was really fun trying elevated Cambodian food throughout the evening. Most of the courses were incredibly successful. I especially loved the “duck nam ngov” soup, which was a little sour and had great aromatic flavors. My main gripe would that the scallops weren’t cooked well. I had an herbal tea pairing with the meal, which was something fun and different.
Service: The staff were all amazing. Language barrier issues did pop up twice but a senior staffer would jump in for clarification when needed. Service wasn’t as flawless as other places (e.g., waitstaff timidly asked for permission to clear each plate even if there was nothing left). They were incredibly kind though.
Overall, I’d definitely come back if I return to Siem Reap. It was a fun meal that was far tastier than some of the one star Michelin I’ve been to in the US.
by CalMaple
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Reddit won’t let me caption each photo so I’m adding the descriptions here. I’ve also included the menu in the pictures as well.
Picture 1: Grilled river fish and bacon mixed with galangal dressing. (Served in the kitchen by the chef.)
Picture 2: “Khmer Street Finger Food” – Yellow corn soup, deep-fried pork Hoi Keung, chicken satay, prahok ktis, and jujube with sea salt. (Served in a bar-style lounge.)
Picture 3: Sliced pan-seared scallops with fresh vegetables, black seaweed, crispy krill, and sour garlic sauce.
Picture 4: Duck Nam Ngov” – Clear duck soup with shallot, kaffir line leaf, lemongrass, pickled lime, and saw leaves.
Picture 5: Steamed seafood dumplings served with sweet chili sauce and puréed purple potatoes.
Picture 6: Watermelon, basil leaves, and sun-dried fish.
Picture 7: “Traditional Beef Cheek Saraman” – slow-cooked beef cheek with red curry paste, fresh coconut milk, and roasted peanut.
Picture 8: Kampong Cham pineapple mousse served with caramelized jasmine ice cream.
Picture 9: Mignardise – glutinous rice filled with Wat chocolate, steamed banana, and tamarind jelly.
Picture 10: Cashew-flour macarons as a parting gift.
Picture 11: Menu.
Picture 12: Presentation of local produce used in each of the dishes that they do after the first two courses.
Picture 13: Angkor Wat at sunrise…just because.