Cambodia - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 80

Khmer Surin 9 St 57 T 012 887320. Stunning Khmer-
Thai restaurant with walkways leading over little ponds,
fountains, and romantic tables tucked away in corners.
The food lives up to the decor; try the seafood amok ($6).
Daily 10am-10pm.
Restaurant 26 Cnr sts 13 & 136. Busy Khmer corner café
serving filling bai sach chrouk (pork and rice) (5,000 riel)
breakfasts; it opens way before dawn and is one of few
places you can fuel up before catching an early morning
bus. Daily 4am-6.30pm.
Royal India 21 St 111, just south of Capitol Guesthouse
T 023 6922205. The most consistently good north Indian
food in town, all at economical prices, is served with a
smile at this simple restaurant. The halal menu is compre-
hensive and includes chicken and mutton curries ($3),
freshly made veggie samosas and tasty sweet lassis. Daily
10am-10pm.
★

buzzing hostel bar-restaurant. Come for the great tapas and
comfort food like cottage pie ($6.50). Daily 7am-10pm.
Samaky 9E St 51 & 278 T 023 226958. At this friendly
restaurant opposite Wat Langka a Dutch chef serves up a
good mix of Western salads and Asian fusion dishes such
as roast duck and noodles ($6).

DRINKING AND NIGHTLIFE
For most Khmers, nightlife centres around an early
evening meal out, followed by a tuneful burst of karaoke:
the southern end of Monivong Blvd has a particular
concentration of the larger, glitzy joints. However, Western
nightlife tastes are more than catered for, and you'll
always find a crowd in established favourites such as the
Top Banana , Heart of Darkness and Pontoon , many going
strong well into the wee hours. Outlets at the Golden Sorya
Mall , on St 51, serve cheap food and drinks 24hr a day.

2

Sovanna 2C St 21. A Phnom Penh favourite serving
excellent Khmer food to locals and in-the-know expats.
Everything on the menu is worth a try, be it stir-fried
dishes like beef lok-lak (12,000 riel) or grilled river fish
(10,500 riel). Daily 4-11pm.
ST 63 179E, St 62 (near St 294) T 015 647062. Its interiors
might be minimal, but ST 63 's food (Asian/Khmer, with a
few European dishes) is generously portioned, and very
cheap. Most mains, such as stir-fried ginger pork, cost $3
and vegetarians are well catered for (pumpkin curry, $2).
Service is friendly, if a little slow. Beer 75 cents, cocktails
and wine $2.50. Daily 7am-10pm.

BARS
★

Foreign Correspondents' Club (FCC) 363 Sisowath
Quay T 023 724014. Less foreign correspondents' club
than a Southeast Asian version of Bogart's bar in the
film Casablanca . The balmy air, whirring ceiling fans and
spacious armchairs invite one to spend a hot afternoon
getting slowly, purposefully smashed (happy hour 5-7pm).
Beer from $2. Daily 7am-midnight.
Howie's 32 St 51. Located near the Heart of Darkness ,
Howie's is the place to go after the former invariably
disappoints. It's worth arriving early to stake out a table
on the pavement outside and down an Anchor Draught
($2). Nightly from 6pm.
Liquid 3B St 278 T 023 720157. A trendy bar with a pool
table and an extensive drinks list (mojito $3.50), as well as
Western food (mains $5.50). A great place to drink away
another warm evening. Mon-Fri 9am-midnight, Sat-Sun
2pm-midnight.
★

WESTERN RESTAURANTS
Cantina 347 Sisowath Quay T 023 222 502. Operated by
long-time Phnom Penh icon Hurley Scroggins, this iconic
place on the riverfront is as renowned for its Mexican food
as it is for its tequila. Burritos from $4. Sun-Fri 3-11pm.
Capitol 14 St 182. Expect cheap and cheerful travellers'
dishes at this busy street-corner café. BLTs and fried rice
dishes from $2.50. Daily 7am-9pm.
Happy Herb Pizza 345 Sisowath Quay T 097 9943225.
Cheap pizza and pasta. A large “special” pizza ($12) is
perfect for two. Daily 10am-10pm.
Java Café 56 Sihanouk Blvd T 023 987420. Fill up on
soups, salads and home-made mu ns ($2) in a/c cool
or unwind on a balcony overlooking the Independence
Monument, where you can also browse rotating art
exhibitions. Daily 7am-10pm.
The Laughing Fatman 43 St 172 T 012 765591.
A standout along St 172 for its friendly service and
great-value, big-portioned meals, which include Khmer
staples for $2-3 and Western dishes such as burgers (from
$3), grilled fish and pizza. The $2 passion mojitos are
superb. Daily 7am-11pm.
★

Top Banana Bar Top Banana , 9E St 278. If you want to
have a drink, get rowdy and meet fellow backpackers, then
this rooftop guesthouse bar is just the spot. Live music,
beer pong and dancing on the furniture are standard
behaviour until the wee hours. Sound like a regular and
order the house speciality cocktail, wingman (dark rum
and lemonade), for $2.75. Daily 8am-3am.
Touk 1st Floor, cnr Sisowath Quay and St 178. Serves
cheaper drinks than its neighbour, the FCC , yet the river
views from its wraparound balcony are every bit as good;
their daily 2-for-1 happy hour (4.30-7.30pm) is a steal,
given the locale. Daily 8am-midnight.

CLUBS
Heart of Darkness 26 St 51. Overrated, but it's been here
for ages and is one of those places everybody has to visit
once. Buy a T-shirt, but wait until you get home to wear it.
Daily 9pm-5am.

Mad Monkey Restaurant St 302 T 023 987091.
So much more than just backpacker fare is served in this