For anyone traveling to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, you will not be in want of great places to eat and drink. Here is a list of my very favorite ones and my menu recommendations.
Bistro Lorenzo: One of the best restaurants in all of Phnom Penh. Filipino and International food, all of which is delicious. They have a huge menu will all sorts of delicious courses. My favorites so far have been the creamy mushroom and wine soup, the tomato and basil gazpacho, a chicken dish covered in a white creamy sauce, and the mango crepes with ice cream. They have a great cozy atmosphere and the prices are very good for the quality of food. Very friendly staff as well. 092 867 901, St.63
Boat Noodle #1: A small restaurant with yummy and cheap Khmer food. I recommend the spicy beef and basil salad, grilled chicken (on a big spit out front), and the green papaya salad. 012 200 426, on the street right past Lucky Market on Sihanouk Blvd.
Boddhi Tree: Western style food that isn't the best in the world, but makes up for it in the atmosphere of the place. Tranquil garden setting, mostly outdoor seating. They have some good pastas and sandwiches as well as lots of vegetarian options. Bring a book to spend a relaxing couple of hours. 016 865 445, opposite Toul Sleng Museum
Café Yejj: A cool café with awesome food and drinks, and they always have the air conditioning on full blast. I like to eat here after shopping at the Russian Market (Psar Toul Tum Pong). They have a very nice art gallery on one side, and a fair trade souvenir and clothing shop on the other. I absolutely love their Baja Burrito, which is grilled fish wrapped in a thin tortilla with tropical mango salsa. When you first walk in, it might not be obvious that there is a second floor with more seating, but upstairs is where the air conditioning is. 012 543 360 near the Russian Market.
Chez Dim: I've never been to the restaurant but always ordered for delivery. Great pizza and recently they've added a small selection of Indian, Tex Mex, Thai, and Panini's. A great choice if you skipped dinner and then regret it around midnight after everything's closed...they're open until 2 am for delivery and they seem to do really well with not getting lost. My favorite on their menu is the Margherita pizza. 012 700 468
Chi Cha Indian Restaurant: This place serves 100% Halal Indian food and is absolutely delicious. It's in an obscure little hole in the wall location and doesn't look like much from the outside. But the food is awesome and the prices are unbelievably low. Everything on their menu is good. 023 366 065, St. 110 near the Riverside.
Comme a la Maison: French food in a really beautiful outdoor garden atmosphere. Prices are a bit more expensive here but doesn't break the bank. I like them for breakfast and lunch, and enjoy the quiche with coffee. They also have nice pizza and a great bakery too. 012 951 869, in the area where all the "foreigner" restaurants are behind Independence monument
Deli Café: Awesome Asian food at some of the lowest prices I've found in Phnom Penh. If you can get past the cigarette smoke, you'll love this place. Nice décor and air conditioning. One of my all time favorites is their fried pork ribs with sweet and sour sauce, only $3. Also, the beef stew with bread is amazing. They have really good noodle soups and a nice chilled noodle dish with basil and crushed peanuts. The coffee and fruit shakes are great, too. You can't go wrong with this place. 012 963 366, St. 202 Sihanouk Blvd.
Dosa Corner: Excellent Indian food in one of the most fun parts of town. A tiny little place with extremely low prices. I love the Rava Masala Dosa, and the vegetable pakora is to die for. They serve all sorts of delicious dips and sauces with each order. 012 673 276, St. 51 near Independence Monument.
Elsewhere: This place is amazing...not only for the food which is excellent, but even more so for the atmosphere. It is in a lush garden setting, with a large and a small pool. There are a few tables set up so that when you sit, your feet dangle in the water. You can choose a normal table or lounge on the oversized cushions. All sorts of great, Western-style fare and a huge list of drinks that you can't find anywhere else in Phnom Penh. Free WiFi too...a modern paradise, one of my favorite places in the city. 023 211 348, corner of St. 51 and 254 (right next to the Boom Boom Room.)
Equinox: A trendy gallery and restaurant that is great fun for people-watching if you sit upstairs near the balcony. Lots of things to do around this street too. They serve a goat cheese salad that is to die for, and if you love crepes with Nutella and bananas then this is the place to be. They have a lot of artwork on display by local artists. Before or after you eat, be sure to visit the Boom Boom Room across the street for cheap music and cool clothes. 092 791 958, St. 278 near independence monument.
Frizz Café: This place is great for traditional Khmer food. Great atmosphere too. I love the traditional Khmer "Amok" dish, and if you want something fun, get the "Volcano." You get thin sliced meats and veggies to cook over a small coal BBQ. They also have an all day cooking class in English. 023 220 953, St. 240.
Hara's Café: A Cambodian run café with lots of French influence, it offers both Khmer food and some great European food. I recommend the sweet and sour stir fry, the omelet breakfast, and all of the crepes...they have both sweet and savory. They also have some great souvenirs for cheap, such as Kampot pepper or raw sugar cane sealed in a cute little box, easy to fit in a suitcase. The staff here is just a few Khmer girls that run the place, and are some of the nicest I've encountered. 092 941 218, St. 450 near Russian Market.
Jars of Clay: For those days when nothing but French toast with lots of syrup will do, Jars of Clay is the answer. They serve a heaping plate of thick French toast, layered with sautéed bananas, and drenched in maple syrup. In addition, they have all sorts of homey cakes, muffins, pies and other bakery delights. They have an excellent breakfast and lunch menu that is small but everything on it is great. A local favorite is the toasted baguette sandwich with Mediterranean veggies. They are only open breakfast and lunch. You can find a large assortment of used books on the second floor. 023 300 281, St. 155 near Russian Market
Java Café and Gallery: I can't say enough about this place. I never get tired of Java, no matter how much I come here. Their California Salad with apples, walnuts and Blue Cheese is my lifeline on bad days. I don't think there is anything on their menu that isn't great. A great place for breakfast, since you can sit outside and look over the park. They serve western food and have great coffee. In addition, you can find one of the best art galleries in all of Phnom Penh here. They are constantly changing their display, and really put an effort into making the gallery the main feature (even their menu has prints of previously displayed works throughout). Many internationally recognized artists have displayed work here, as well as accomplished local artists. Highly recommended! 023 987 420, Sihanouk Blvd. almost all the way down to where it ends near the riverside.
Khmer Thai Restaurant: This place is a nicely decorated, air-conditioned haven with excellent staff and delicious food. Huge, well organized menu and beautiful surroundings. The staff is extremely friendly and the waitresses dress in traditional Khmer outfits, which is a nice touch. You can choose to either sit at a regular table or lounge on cushions on the floor with a low table. My favorites here are all of the curry dishes, the fried kale with tofu (you have to ask for the tofu, the menu only lists meat with it), cashew chicken, and fried green beans with garlic. 011 211 448, near Olympic Stadium.
Le Duo: If you're after Italian food with great ambiance, come here! The owner is from Italy, and the food is unbeatable. Absolutely gorgeous restaurant with a replica of the Sistine chapel ceiling overhead. All of the food is fantastic, but some of my favorites are the pizza bread with herbs, Plate of cold meats and cheese, raviolis stuffed with spinach and pine nuts, the Caesar salad, the pizza, and all of the desserts. There are too many good pasta selections to name. They have a genuine wood fired oven for the breads and pizzas. 023 991 906, St. 322
New York Hotel: One of my absolute favorites. A Chinese restaurant that has great dinner and snacks. My friends and I like to go together, order a bunch of different things and share. We always get the steamed pork and spinach dumplings which are a little bit fried just on the bottom side, fried green beans and garlic, prawns, and the best of all: the spinach flatbreads (like a thin tortilla with chopped spinach, browned a little on both sides). 023 214 116, on Monivong Blvd.
The Shop: Some of the best health-conscious food on one of the most pleasant streets in Phnom Penh. I love the carrot pumpkin soup, the grilled beef and parmesan sandwich on chapatti bread, and the huge display case of yummy desserts. 023 986 964, St. 240
Tamarind: Another of my absolute favorites. This is a Mediterranean style restaurant with rooftop seating. Absolutely beautiful, romantic setting. I love the tomato and feta salad, the tapas sampler, the steak, the pasta, and the couscous served in a clay pot. The desserts are wonderful too. One of the best places in Phnom Penh for a date. 012 830 139, St. 240
Showing posts with label restaurant phnom penh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label restaurant phnom penh. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
The Bachelorette’s Guide to Eating in Phnom Penh
For those who try to avoid street food and don’t like noodles (and if for you, like me, cooking means standing over a hot gas range on the third story with no a/c while being eaten alive by mosquitos) you might not be very motivated to cook for yourself after a long day at work. Eating cheap in Phnom Penh becomes a challenge for those who avoid street food, don’t like noodles or fried rice, and are trying to watch their girlish figure.
Well, you have a reason to rejoice, thanks to the Door to Door restaurant guide of places that now deliver, with full menus! Delivery service is a relatively new concept here in Phnom Penh, but is catching on like wildfire thanks to people like me. Even though most places say they have a $5 minimum order, they don’t all mean it. Java Express bakery and Café is one of them, and I order from them all the time. The Shop, another of my faves, only has a $3 minimum. Be sure to keep a copy of D2D at your desk. It’s a lifesaver.
For breakfast, I either skip it and have big mug of black coffee just like I shouldn’t do, or on better days I have a yogurt (the little square ones from Vietnam at Lucky are my favorite, they are around 30 cents each), cereal with canned milk (buy a whole case of canned milk for around $5 and keep them in the fridge. Yes, it’s pretty gross but if it’s ice cold and over cereal it’s at least tolerable. Good for cooking, too.) Regular milk goes bad before I can drink it all, which equals tons of wasted money. I also love toast and peanut butter or bagels and cream cheese (bagels from TT bakery are best - 012 374 128 for delivery), cream cheese you can find at Bayon Market on Monivong Blvd. near Psa Thmei). I tried the all natural, healthy peanut butter made here in Cambodia and sold at most supermarkets, but it was gross so I just buy the unhealthy and expensive Skippy instead. Fried eggs and bacon are good on Saturday morning, you can get real bacon at Dan Meats (51a St. 204, 012 906 072) you can also get it at lucky but make sure you are getting the kind that is imported and actually tastes like bacon, not a thinly sliced pork chop. Eggs are actually cheaper at Lucky than the local market, believe it or not…at least last time I checked.
If you are wanting to go out, I love the breakfasts at Jars of Clay (Cinnamon rolls, French toast, muffins….mmmmmm), Sisters Café (Omelet), Java Café (bacon and eggs, pancakes, good coffee), and there are tons more good ones out there but because I’m not much of a breakfast person I couldn’t tell ya. Also, if worse comes to worst just take an extra 30 seconds to grab a mini French baguette on your way in the morning (every street side noodle shop sells them) and keep some butter and jam on hand at your office.
Lunch: More and more these days, I end up ordering something to be delivered and end up working at my desk, but if I do chance to go out, it is usually to Hagar Chegnan on St. 163, just after Wat Sampeou Meas, where there is a small buffet that only costs $1.25 for a ton of food. They also have fruit shakes for only 75 cents. I also sometimes go to the Sovanna Mall food court and order stir fried chicken with Thai basil and white rice (Mo-un gee cha) for about $1.50. I also love the Taro shake, only 75 cents. If it’s salad you’re wanting, hit up Java Café (my fave is the California salad with chicken), Equinox has an excellent goat cheese salad, and the Shop has all sorts of healthy salads.
For Dinner, I will either go home and have quick and easy bachelorette solutions such as scrambled eggs, cereal, leftover rice made into rice soup with chopped veggies, or a quick stir fry if I remembered to pull the meat out of the freezer the night before…or, more often than not I just go out to eat with friends since that is just about the only form of a social life I manage these days. You can find a list of my favorite restaurants here.
Some of my favorite random things to eat are: boiled pumpkin cut into wedges, sprinkled with sugar and just a little butter; steamed corn from the street vendors; BBQ chicken at Orrussy market; frozen yogurt from Snow Yogurt across from Sovanna Mall; kettle corn from street vendors; dried jackfruit chips; tamarind fruit; sticky rice with mango; fried string beans with garlic. When dieting, I pretty much stick to tofu/chicken and veggies. Boring, I know, but does the trick. Well, that about sums it up…I hope you found this list useful. Please post your own favorite things to eat in Phnom Penh, and if you know of a good restaurant, spread the word!
Well, you have a reason to rejoice, thanks to the Door to Door restaurant guide of places that now deliver, with full menus! Delivery service is a relatively new concept here in Phnom Penh, but is catching on like wildfire thanks to people like me. Even though most places say they have a $5 minimum order, they don’t all mean it. Java Express bakery and Café is one of them, and I order from them all the time. The Shop, another of my faves, only has a $3 minimum. Be sure to keep a copy of D2D at your desk. It’s a lifesaver.
For breakfast, I either skip it and have big mug of black coffee just like I shouldn’t do, or on better days I have a yogurt (the little square ones from Vietnam at Lucky are my favorite, they are around 30 cents each), cereal with canned milk (buy a whole case of canned milk for around $5 and keep them in the fridge. Yes, it’s pretty gross but if it’s ice cold and over cereal it’s at least tolerable. Good for cooking, too.) Regular milk goes bad before I can drink it all, which equals tons of wasted money. I also love toast and peanut butter or bagels and cream cheese (bagels from TT bakery are best - 012 374 128 for delivery), cream cheese you can find at Bayon Market on Monivong Blvd. near Psa Thmei). I tried the all natural, healthy peanut butter made here in Cambodia and sold at most supermarkets, but it was gross so I just buy the unhealthy and expensive Skippy instead. Fried eggs and bacon are good on Saturday morning, you can get real bacon at Dan Meats (51a St. 204, 012 906 072) you can also get it at lucky but make sure you are getting the kind that is imported and actually tastes like bacon, not a thinly sliced pork chop. Eggs are actually cheaper at Lucky than the local market, believe it or not…at least last time I checked.
If you are wanting to go out, I love the breakfasts at Jars of Clay (Cinnamon rolls, French toast, muffins….mmmmmm), Sisters Café (Omelet), Java Café (bacon and eggs, pancakes, good coffee), and there are tons more good ones out there but because I’m not much of a breakfast person I couldn’t tell ya. Also, if worse comes to worst just take an extra 30 seconds to grab a mini French baguette on your way in the morning (every street side noodle shop sells them) and keep some butter and jam on hand at your office.
Lunch: More and more these days, I end up ordering something to be delivered and end up working at my desk, but if I do chance to go out, it is usually to Hagar Chegnan on St. 163, just after Wat Sampeou Meas, where there is a small buffet that only costs $1.25 for a ton of food. They also have fruit shakes for only 75 cents. I also sometimes go to the Sovanna Mall food court and order stir fried chicken with Thai basil and white rice (Mo-un gee cha) for about $1.50. I also love the Taro shake, only 75 cents. If it’s salad you’re wanting, hit up Java Café (my fave is the California salad with chicken), Equinox has an excellent goat cheese salad, and the Shop has all sorts of healthy salads.
For Dinner, I will either go home and have quick and easy bachelorette solutions such as scrambled eggs, cereal, leftover rice made into rice soup with chopped veggies, or a quick stir fry if I remembered to pull the meat out of the freezer the night before…or, more often than not I just go out to eat with friends since that is just about the only form of a social life I manage these days. You can find a list of my favorite restaurants here.
Some of my favorite random things to eat are: boiled pumpkin cut into wedges, sprinkled with sugar and just a little butter; steamed corn from the street vendors; BBQ chicken at Orrussy market; frozen yogurt from Snow Yogurt across from Sovanna Mall; kettle corn from street vendors; dried jackfruit chips; tamarind fruit; sticky rice with mango; fried string beans with garlic. When dieting, I pretty much stick to tofu/chicken and veggies. Boring, I know, but does the trick. Well, that about sums it up…I hope you found this list useful. Please post your own favorite things to eat in Phnom Penh, and if you know of a good restaurant, spread the word!
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