Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
EATING
Don't leave town without savouring the local
seafood
, priced by the kilogram and cheaper than anywhere else in the
country. If you prefer something informal, flop in a deck chair on the beach and order what you fancy from passing
hawkers, and the fabulous (and fabulously cheap) evening seafood
barbecues
on Ochheuteal Beach ($3.50). For cheap
eats in the centre, the
night market
opens up south of Ekareach St near the Golden Lions roundabout in late afternoon,
and there are dozens of street vendors around Psar Leu. You'll find a good range of
Western-oriented
places on the
streets behind Ochheuteal and Serendipity, serving everything from fish and chips to wood-fired pizza and falafel. Most of
the restaurants on Otres double up as bars.
5
The menu, largely fish with some European dishes, ranges
from a tequila-and-lime-marinated swordfish carpaccio
starter ($2.50) to a perfectly grilled surf-and-turf ($7). Two-
course early-bird dinner specials for two cost just $10
(5-7pm). Also runs a decent guesthouse.
Daily 7am-9pm.
THE BEACHES
SERENDIPITY BEACH ROAD AND AROUND
Café Mango
T
013 440075.
Small, easy-to-miss Italian
café that serves home-made linguini, spaghetti, lasagne,
gnocchi and ravioli, as well as pizza. Breakfast is good, too
(muesli and yoghurt $2.50).
Daily 9am-3pm & 5-10pm.
Chamka Chek
Near the public hospital
T
012 660477.
You'd hardly know this popular local restaurant, tucked
down a side street, existed. Carved wooden screens
separate tables and the menu includes a tasty bistro-style
garlic-stuffed beef fillet (20,000 riel) and a zesty papaya
and mango salad (20,000 riel). Beer costs $1. Staff barely
speak English, but are helpful.
Daily noon-2am.
Delicious
North Plaza
T
012 574603.
This tiny café, just
off Serendipity Beach Rd, feels like an extension of the
charming owner's house with just one long table down the
middle. The food is great, and cheap - try the
roti canai
($1.50). Other offerings include pizzas (from $3),
amok
($2)
and a breakfast eggburger ($1).
Daily 6.30am-midnight.
Happa
T
034 934380.
Cosy place where you grill your
own food on a teppanyaki hot-plate, to eat with a choice of
tasty and tangy sauces. Tapas-size portions of fresh fish,
meat and tofu at $4-6/plate.
Daily 5-10pm.
Marco Polo
Sokha Beach Rd, just west of the Golden
Lions roundabout
T
092 920866.
The town's best stone-
baked pizza (from $4) and big portions of typical Italian
food (
penne siciliana
$6) at this friendly restaurant. There's
a secluded garden at the back.
Daily 5-10pm.
Mick and Craig's
T
034 934845,
W
mickandcraigs
.com.
Look out for the special themed nights at this
popular restaurant next to
Monkey Republic
(see p.253),
including slap-up Sunday roasts and BBQs (Thurs & Fri, $6),
which are as popular as the rooms in their excellent
guesthouse.
Daily 7am-11pm.
Sandan
Sokha Beach Rd, 100m west of the Golden
Lions roundabout
T
032 452 4000.
Allied with
Friends
Restaurant
in Phnom Penh (see p.84), this restaurant is
staffed by youths enrolled in M'Lop Tapang's vocational
training programmes, which help get kids off the streets.
Creative Cambodian food (crispy crickets $3) is served to
tables on a leafy pillared terrace, and there's a play area for
the kids.
Mon-Sat 5-9pm.
★
OCHHEUTEAL BEACH
Beach Club Resort
23 Tola St
T
034 933634.
A favourite
with expats who come here for the daily all-you-can-eat
buffet breakfast ($5.50; 6.45-10am). For lunch and dinner,
refuel on burgers, sandwiches, steak, seafood and pasta. They
also have decent rooms and a pool.
Daily 6.45am-10pm.
Happy Herb Pizza
23 Tola St
T
088 440333.
Reliable
pizzas, pasta dishes and salads from $4.50 in a branch of
the popular Phnom Penh pizzeria, as well as all-day
breakfasts and barbecues. Daily happy hour 4-8pm.
Sun-
Thurs 7am-11pm, Fri & Sat 7am-midnight.
OTRES BEACH
Carpe Diem
Otres Village, 400m back from Otres 2
T
097
701 1262.
The Italian couple who run this charming
guesthouse with three bungalows ($25) also have a teeny
restaurant and do their own cooking; try the
penne puttanesca
($7). Worth the trek from the beach.
Daily 7am-9.30pm.
Papa Pippo
Eastern end of Otres 1
T
010 359725.
Tasty
home-made pasta, gnocchi and pizza and home-baked
cakes, pastries and yummy tiramisu. Service is friendly and
pretty e
cient, and they also have some decent
bungalows.
Daily 7am-10pm.
Sunshine Café
Otres 1
T
012 828432.
Unassuming
place that serves up good Khmer food, plus a few Polish
specialities; try
banh chhaev
(Cambodian pancake) with
seafood in Khmer spices ($3).
Daily 9am-11pm.
Tamu
Otres 2
T
088 901 7451.
Currently Otres' most
upscale dining option, where you can eat Asian and
European dishes including salads and grilled fish, while still
feeling the sand beneath your toes. Also offers uber-stylish
rooms in a new building behind.
Daily 7.30am-9.30pm.
BETWEEN WEATHER STATION HILL/
VICTORY HILL AND HAWAII BEACH
Snake House
Off Soviet St
T
012 673805.
International
and Russian food (beef stroganoff $7) is served at this
unique location, where you'll find rare and exotic snakes in
glass cases around the shady garden and occasionally
So
New Sea View Villa
T
017 918966,
W
sihanouk
ville-hotel.com.
Set in a beautiful, candlelit courtyard, this is
the perfect place to treat yourself without breaking the bank.
