Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1
paella for two ($28). Fine wines and sambuca.
Mon-Sat
6-10.30pm.
burgundy snails $6.50), wine list and the best
crème
brûlée
in town.
Daily 11am-2pm & 6-10pm.
Restaurant 26
Cnr streets 13 & 136; map p.66.
Come
here for a filling
bai sach chrouk
(pork and rice 5000 riel)
breakfast; its early hours make it a good place to fuel up
before catching a morning bus.
Daily 4am-6.30pm.
Sam Doo
56-58 Kampuchea Krom Blvd
T
023 218773;
map p.66.
The a/c scarlet-hued surroundings of this
popular Chinese restaurant are a welcome respite from the
busy market; standouts include the juicy Sichuan pepper
shrimps ($6.50), roast duck ($6) and renowned
dim sum
(from $1.80).
Daily 7am-2am.
AROUND THE NATIONAL MUSEUM AND ROYAL
PALACE
Alley Cat Café
43 Street 19Z
T
012 306845,
W
alleycatcafe.biz; map p.66.
This rocking restaurant-bar
dishes up enormous breakfasts and Mexican dishes, with
nightly specials including Tues and Sat ribs ($6 for a half-
kilo) and burgers on Thurs. A great place to hang out for a
few happy-hour beers.
Daily 10am-10pm.
Chat 'N Chew
54 Street 172
T
012 865191; map p.66.
One of the better restaurants lining Street 172, with
friendly staff, a nice streetside terrace and a menu of home-
cooked Western and Asian dishes that includes a tasty fish
amok
($4) as well as, unusually, a beef Wellington ($10).
Daily 7am-midnight.
★
AROUND WAT PHNOM
Beirut
117 Sisowath Quay, near the night market
T
023 720111; map p.66.
A homely place with a lip-
smacking Lebanese menu of charcoaled meats,
meshwi
(skewered) kebabs, hot/cold meze platters ($4), beef
shawarmas
($3) and tasty baklava ($1). It's close to the
Giant Ibis and Virath Buntham bus o
ces, a convenient
option for takeaway if you're heading off on a long journey.
Daily 10am-11pm.
Van's
5 Place de la Poste, Street 102
T
023 722067,
W
vans-restaurant.com; map p.66.
In a beautiful,
restored colonial property opposite the post o
ce, this is
Phnom Penh's best French cuisine (with a price tag to
match). Service has the kind of flair you'd expect in Paris,
and the food is traditional, rich and extravagant - see the
fois gras and wagyu beef menus, for example. Roasted rack
of lamb is $30; the two-course business lunch is good value
at $10.
Daily 11.30am-2.30pm & 5-10.30pm.
La Volpaia
Place de la Poste, 20-22 Street 13
T
023
992739,
W
lavolpaia.com; map p.66.
Opposite the post
o
ce and
Van's
, this no-frills family Italian keeps it simple
and delicious, and boasts a great French and Italian wine
list to accompany the pasta and pizza dishes (risotto al
funghi $8).
Mon-Fri noon-2.30pm & 5.30-10pm, Sat &
Sun noon-10.30pm.
Friends (Mith Samlanh)
215 Street 13, near the
National Museum
T
012 802072,
W
friends
-restaurant.org; map p.66.
Run by the street children's
NGO Mith Samlanh, training street youths in the restaurant
and catering trade, this restaurant is famous for its tapas,
Western and Asian snacks, shakes, iced coffees and
cocktails. The spicy braised pork
quesadillas
($6.50) are
good, as is the Burmese chicken curry ($5.75).
Fri-Sun &
Wed 11am-9pm, Tues & Thurs 11am-1pm & 5-9pm.
Le Wok
33 Street 178
T
098 821857; map p.66.
Chic
French fusion restaurant connected with the Silk & Pepper
boutique next door. Delicious dishes such as sautéed
chicken with ginger and honey ($7.50), reasonably priced
set-lunch menus (two courses $9) and impeccable service.
Daily 8am-10pm.
AROUND PSAR THMEI
CENTRAL MARKET
AND
TOWARDS THE RIVERFRONT
East India Curry
9 Street 114
T
023 992007,
W
eastindiacurry.com; map p.66.
Extensive range of
moderately priced dishes, all enticingly presented on
banana leaves; try the chicken pepper fry ($8). Excellent
veggie options include a generous
thali
($7).
Daily
11am-2.30pm & 5-10pm.
★
SOUTH OF PSAR THMEI
CENTRAL MARKET
Beef Soup Restaurant
Favour Hotel, 429 Monivong
Blvd
T
023 219336; map p.66.
Locals reckon this is the
best place in town for
sop chhnang day
. The beef version is
the house speciality - you'll pay around $10/person for a
serving of thinly sliced meat, several plates of vegetables,
including mushrooms and tofu, noodles and a bubbling pot
of stock. The waitresses will help you with the protocol, or
just copy the locals.
Daily 4.30-10pm.
Mama's
10 Street 111; map p.66.
Set between
Capitol
and
Narin
guesthouses,
Mama's
has become a bit of an
institution - the expansive Cambodian landlady dishes up
cheap traditional Khmer and French food from a picture
menu. Great place for breakfast before the early bus.
Daily
7am-3pm & 5-9pm.
Mamak's
17 Street 114
T
012 777990; map p.66.
Since opening in 1992, this inexpensive halal Malaysian
restaurant has become a Phnom Penh institution.
Roti
chanai
, a paper-thin bread cooked on a griddle and eaten
with curry sauce ($1), is a popular breakfast dish, washed
down with
teh tarek
, a sweet, milky red tea, or
teh
thomada
, the same but without the sweet milk. Other
dishes include spicy fish steaks, crispy fried chicken,
plenty of vegetable dishes and a tasty
nasi lemak
($3.50).
Daily 7am-9pm.
La Marmite
80 Street 108
T
012 391746; map p.66.
Sweet little corner bistro not far from the night market,
with a fine, mostly French menu (beef bordelaise $8.50,
