The Best of Cambodia & Laos

Koh Rong Beach. & 016/214-211. www.lazybeachcambodia.com. $30 bungalow (sleeps up to 4). Amenities:
Restaurant; bar.
WHERE TO DINE
Dining in Sihanoukville means mostly good seafood for little cash, and there are lots of
ocean-side budget stops. They mainly serve the same seafood barbecue with barracuda,
shrimp, and baked potato or rice for a standard $3. It may be uniform, but it is also
delicious. Other eateries of all sorts are spread around town and near all the beaches.
Bamboo Light Café SRI LANKAN Like their popular restaurant in Kampot, the
people at Bamboo Light serve great Sri Lankan fare including hot curries (or tempered
to your taste) with chapatti or nan bread, as well as Sri Lankan Kottu roti, a dish of roti
pancake mashed up with potato, curry, and vegetable. Everything is delicious, and they
can even put together a good packed lunch for any day trips.
78 Ekareach St., in the downtown area. & 012/925-707. Main courses $2.50–$4. No credit cards. Daily
7am–10pm.
Cantina Del Mar MEXICAN Sister to the riverfront Cantina in Phnom
Penh, Cantina del Mar offers delicious fish tacos and tostadas in a beachfront house on
glorious Otres beach. The road to Otres is a rough one from nearby Ochheuteal, but is
worth the trek. The central recipe at Cantina de Mar consists of beautiful white sand,
gleaming blue sea, a glorious sunset, and one of the best margaritas you will find in Asia.
This is a total winner. That is before you have even ordered your food, when it all gets
even better. Expect delicious seafood using the freshest of ingredients. Cantina Del Mar
is the perfect complement to the most exquisite of tropical sunsets.
Otres Beach. & 023/222-502. www.cantinacambodia.com. Main courses $4.25–$6.50. Fri–Sun 3–11pm.
Happa Restaurant and Wine Bar JAPANESE Serving teppanyaki-style cuisine
(the Japanese art of cooking on the iron skillet), Happa’s iron skillet sits centrally in the
restaurant where you can see your food being prepared. You can order full meals or order
a la carte small, very reasonably priced portions of meats, veggies, and tofu prepared in a
selection of mouthwatering special sauces: miso-sesame, garlic-ginger, teriyaki, appleonion,
and a Cambodian sauce called kroeng. The lamb kabobs in rosemary are absolutely
delicious and best accompanied by an icy Asahi beer. There is also a good wine
selection by the glass and bottle.
Road to Serendipity. & 034/934-380. Main courses $4–$7. MC, V. Daily 5:30pm–midnight.
Holy Cow WESTERN/KHMER Situated in an old Khmer house on the busy road
from Ochheuteal to town, Holy Cow is a laid-back restaurant/cafe serving a mixture of
European and Khmer dishes. This restaurant houses a bar on the first floor with a relaxed
and friendly feel. The upstairs dining area features balconies overlooking the garden
bordering the busy road beyond. The dishes are thoughtfully presented, though portions
are not huge. The chicken in Kampot pepper with mashed potatoes is good, as are the
sandwiches. The music played is eclectic—when we were there it went from traditional
Khmer sounds to the Mississippi blues of Robert Johnson (oddly enough, they have quite
a lot in common).
Ekareach St. btw. Ochheuteal and town. & 012/478-510. www.holycowcambodia.com. Main courses
$4–$6. Daily 9:30am–11pm.
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SOUTHERN CAMBODIA 8
SIHANOUKVILLE