Food & Drink - Cambodia - page 667

Wine & Spirits
Local wine in Cambodia generally means rice wine; it is popular with the minority
peoples of the northeast. Some rice wines are fermented for months and are superstrong,
while other brews are fresher and taste more like a demented cocktail. Either way, if you
are invited to join a session in a minority village, it's rude to decline. Other local wines in-
clude light sugar-palm wine and ginger wine.
In Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, foreign wines and spirits are sold in supermarkets at
bargain prices, given how far they have to travel. Wines from Europe and Australia start at
about US$5, while the famous names of the spirit world cost between US$5 and US$15.
Tea & Coffee
Chinese-style tai (tea) is a bit of a national institution, and in most Khmer and Chinese
restaurants a pot will automatically appear for no extra charge as soon as you sit down.
Kaa fey (coffee) is sold in most restaurants. It is either black or café au lait, served with
dollops of condensed milk.
Water & Soft Drinks
Drinking tap water must be avoided, especially in the provinces, as it is rarely purified and
may lead to stomach complications. Locally produced mineral water starts at 1000r per
bottle at shops and stalls.
Although tap water should be avoided, it is generally OK to have ice in your drinks.
Throughout Cambodia, teuk koh (ice) is produced with treated water at local ice factories,
a legacy of the French.
All the well-known soft drinks are available in Cambodia. Bottled drinks are about
1000r, while canned drinks cost about 2000r, more again in restaurants or bars.
Teuk kalohk are popular throughout Cambodia. They are a little like fruit smoothies and
are a great way to wash down a meal.
Before it become a member of the World Trade Organization, copyright protection was almost
unknown in Cambodia. During that period there was a host of copycat fast-food restaurants,
including Khmer Fried Chicken, Pizza Hot and Burger Queen, all now sadly defunct.