The Best of Cambodia & Laos

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PHNOM PENH
5
WHERE TO DINE
across from the “must-see” National Museum). The place is a cozy open-air colonial in a
courtyard, done up in primary-color murals of the kids’ drawings. The name of the restaurant
means “good friends,” and you might meet some here as you find yourself giving
English lessons, laughing, and smiling with these young survivors.
No. 215 St. 13 (across from the entrance to the National Museum). & 023/426-748. www.mithsamlanh.
org. Main courses $2.50–$4.75. V. Daily 11am–9pm.
BOEUNG KENG KANG
Expensive
Malis KHMER Malis is Phnom Penh’s premier gourmet Cambodian dining
experience at a price. Contemporary and traditional Khmer cuisine is artfully prepared
in the kitchen of the hugely renowned Cambodian chef, Luu Meng. The surroundings
are stylish and elegant, with Angkorian-inspired pools that mosquitoes love as much as
the ancient god-kings loved the Bayon. The presentation of the dishes is superb. The
Battambang steak in Cambodian spices and the roast chicken are their signature dishes
(the former comes in at a hefty $68, which amounts to about 3 months’ wages for a
qualified schoolteacher in Battambang itself). Try one of the more modest but interesting
dishes such as mak mie, crispy fried noodles topped with stir-fried mince pork and fresh
herbs with chili sauce.
136 Norodom Blvd. (near Independence Monument to the south). & 023/221-022. Fax 023/221-121.
www.malis-restaurant.com. Main courses $6.50–$68. AE, MC, V. Daily 7am–11pm.
Moderate
Comme a la Maison WESTERN Part restaurant, part patisserie, and part cafe,
Comme a la Maison is set on a giant leafy veranda. At the back is the bakery and delicatessen
serving takeout fresh baguettes, quiche, and pastries. The atmosphere is very relaxing
with classical arias wafting across the garden. It is best for light lunches. The chèvre chaud
salad with croutons, walnut, apple, and pesto comes highly recommended, but there are
many other tasty options. Although Comme a la Maison is certainly very Gallic, the light
fare here is in contrast to many of the more traditional French restaurants in town with their
heavy saturated sauces. Follow up with fresh yogurt, fruit, and good desserts. The quiet
courtyard area is at the top of the list for escaping the chaos of busy Phnom Penh.
13 St. & 023/360-801. www.commealamaison-delicatessen.com. Main courses $4–$8. Daily 6am–
10:30pm.
Khmer Surin KHMER/THAI This long-running Khmer and Thai restaurant
simply gets better and better. Set in a large Khmer traditional–style building on leafy 57
Street, the restaurant has beautifully rustic decor featuring dark wood and silk. It has
recently doubled in size since they built a new annex. If you want a more rural style of
dining head upstairs, where floor cushions are arranged around low tables with balcony
views of the street below. It serves a fantastic range of regional dishes, with separate Thai
and Khmer menus (Surin is an Isan province of Thailand bordering Cambodia to the
north that is almost entirely ethnic Khmer). The dishes range from the simple Thai rad
na gai (large flat noodles with chicken in gravy) to Khmer favorites such as dtrey dom rai
(whole fish fried with tamarind sauce). Try the dtrey chhlounh, or deep-fried peacock eel
direct from the Tonle Sap. The crowning glory of the Khmer Surin is the astonishingly
reasonable prices it charges for these wonderful offerings. It remains one of the best places
in central Phnom Penh to sample Khmer cuisine.
No. 9 St. 57. & 023/993-163. Main courses $3.50–$6. No credit cards. Daily 10am–10pm.