Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
GOING LOCAL
Khmer Barbecues & Soup Restaurants
After dark, Khmer eateries scattered across town illuminate their Cambodia Beer signs, hailing locals
in for fine fare and generous jugs of draught beer. Don't be shy, and heed the call - the food is great
and the atmosphere lively.
The speciality at most of these places is grilled strips of meat or seafood, but they also serve fried
noodles and rice, curries and other pan-fried faves along with some veggie options.
Many of these places also offer
phnom pleung
(hill of fire), which amounts to cook-your-own meat
over a personal barbecue. Another speciality is
soup chhnang dei
(cook-your-own soup in a clay pot),
which are great fun if you go in a group. Other diners will often help with protocol, as it is important
to cook things in the right order so as not to overcook half the ingredients and eat the rest raw.
Khmer barbecues are literally all over town, so it won't be hard to find one.
Koh Pich
(Diamond Is-
land), beyond (east of) hulking Naga World casino, has a cluster of well-reputed barbecues. Other re-
commended local eateries:
10.30am-1.30pm & 4pm-midnight) Here you can cook your own meat
phnom pleung
and wash it
down with US$5 towers of draught beer.
up everything imaginable - eel, eggplant, frog, pig intestine, quail - along with curries and other tradi-
tional Khmer dishes.
jumping with locals and even a smattering of expats who have made this their barbecue of choice. It's
as good a place as any to sample the national breakfast,
bei sach chrouk
(pork and rice).
fried crab, squid, fish and shellfish are the specialities at this wildly popular corner eatery. It's not a
barbecue, it just looks like one.
9am-10pm) It may be a Japanese concept, but it has a very Khmer touch and is a great way to try soup
chhnang dei,
with photos to help choose the ingredients. Great views as well. Additional outlets all
over the city.
Street Fare & Markets
Street fare is not quite as familiar or user-friendly as in, say, Bangkok. But if you're a little adventur-
ous and want to save boatloads of money, look no further. Breakfast is when the street-side eateries
really get hopping, as most Cambodian men eat out for breakfast. Look for bums on seats and you
can't go wrong.
Phnom Penh's many markets all have large central eating areas where stalls serve up local faves
like noodle soup and fried noodles. Most dishes cost a reasonable 4000r to 6000r. The best market for
eating is Russian Market (
Click here
) with an interior food zone that's easy to find and with a nice
