Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Dining Out
Whatever your tastes, some eatery in Cambodia is sure to help out, be it the humble ped-
dler, a market stall, a local diner or a slick restaurant.
It's easy to sample inexpensive Khmer cuisine throughout the country, mostly at local
markets and cheap restaurants. For more refined Khmer dining, the best restaurants are in
Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, where there is also the choice of excellent Thai, Vietnamese,
Chinese, Indian, French and Mediterranean cooking. Chinese and Vietnamese food is avail-
able in towns across the country due to the large urban populations of both of these ethnic
groups.
There are few Western fast-food chains in Phnom Penh as yet, with the exception of
KFC and Burger King, but there are a few local copycats. The most successful have been
Lucky Burger and BB World, with lots of branches in the capital.
There are often no set hours for places to eat but, as a general rule of thumb, street stalls
are open from very early in the morning until early evening, although some stalls specialise
in the night shift. Most restaurants are open all day, while some of the fancier places are
only open for lunch (usually 11am to 2.30pm) and dinner (usually 5pm to 10pm).
Dining Out with Kids
Both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap have child-friendly eateries. Check out Le Jardin (
Click
here
)
in Phnom Penh, or Kanell (
Click here
)
or Tangram Garden (
Click here
)
in Siem Reap,
and sit back and relax. Some of the fast-food places in the capital also have children's play-
grounds.
Street Snacks
Street food is an important part of everyday Cambodian life. Like many Southeast Asians,
Cambodians are inveterate snackers. They can be found at impromptu stalls at any time of
the day or night, delving into a range of unidentified frying objects. Drop into the markets
for an even greater range of dishes and the chance of a comfortable seat. It's a cheap,
cheerful and cool way to get up close and personal with Khmer cuisine.
One of the most popular street snacks in Cambodia is the unborn duck foetus. The white duck
eggs contain a little duckling, feathers and all. Don't order
kaun pong tier
if you want to avoid this.
