Eating out in Phnom Penh

[KenW]

The good life returns. Back to La Dolce Vita we go.

See posts 2,5,20,38 earlier in this thread, including a Mr B.Bee pic in post #2.

My ally Mr dixon cox introduces me to lasanga with blue cheese, his favourite. My goodness me. What a mind blowing dish. Absolutely scrumptious. The taste sensations are sensual, to say the least.

This is one of the best quality restaurants in the region, without doubt. As other posters above attest, it aint just my subjectivity. A class place with food to die for. The owners - she is now 5 or so months pregnant, but smiling on through her work - happy and pleasant, victuallers of verve and virtue.

It is a lovely place to be. I very enjoy (as the VNese say) losing it on their house white, which washes down pasta in fine fashion.

[SiamSam]

Ah what I wouldn't give to be sitting there enjoying the food, wine, view, and of course, the fine company of yourself and Mr. Cox.

[KenW]

The good life returns. Back to La Dolce Vita we go.

And again last evening.

This time both Mr dixon and myself enjoy spaghetti bolognese. Divine.

OK, so it's first set, one all. Mr dixon to serve. He took the first game with the almost unbelievable blue cheese lasagna. I hit back with my fave the spag. He was impressed.

We'll see who takes the lead next time. (is that a bee I hear buzzing with advice in our ears about other dishes to sample..?)

[KenW]

Sher-e-Punjab. See posts 30,32,34,35, above.

Alone:

chicken tikka marsala.

plain naan, daal soup.

bottle of warm Sicilian white.

Very next evening with Mr dixon cox and Another Customer (who refused to eat).

chicken tikka marsala

mutton curry

keema naan

pelau rice

giving up on the wine, I had 2 chilled house whites ("our house white is cold sir") and then one warm one. I conclude: they keep two glasses of house white on the cold, after that it's all for the lifeboats, as it is with the expensive bottles.

OK, I was a tad grumpy and gave Mr cox an insight into my unpleasantness. But I didn't try to give them my opinion any more. Three strikes you're out. Head shaking yes sirs while thoughts are no doubt "this dickhead should shut up, we know nobody ever buys white wine in our restaurant. It's being his stupid fault then isn't it."

Food excellent. Superbly tender meats, large breads, my daal soup the first night just as I like it.

But what did the Indians ever do for us?

They gave us the wine.

They gave us the viaduct.

They gave us roads...

They gave us the warm bloody white wine.

O shut up Ken.

[Kahuna]

They gave us the warm bloody white wine.

And that's why God invented ice Ken...

Mr. Ken, you ever see a movie titled City of Ghosts with Matt Dillon and James Caan?

Filmed in and about Cambodia...Especially in Phnom Penh...Worth a look see...Especially for a Cambo boy like yourself...

[KenW]

Fish & Co. Sisowath Quay just south of the Night Market. (I forgot to take a card, so don't know street number.)

Sunday lunch fish & chips tingled my synapses after they been tingled in Another Way earlier on the morn.

A franchise of a Singapore chain of the same name.

Brand spanking new, modern though plain decor.

Exudes an aquarium style atmosphere with a watery presence on the walls.

Two pages of the menu are dedicated to various incarnations of fish & chips.

(Other menu items more mainstream seafood dishes etc.)

As another reviewer on 404 pointed out, odd that all have cheese in some way inveigled into the battered fish fillet. Very odd. I as a cheese lover found that off putting.

I don't want anyone messing with my fish & chips.

Give me a good old English chippy or an Ozzie fish `n' chips any day.

Fish fillet was underdone for my tastes.

I don't like my fried fish having that slightly raw texture and flavour.

Trendy perhaps, but not for me.

Batter was OK, but a bit too light for my tastes. I like to have a thickish flavoursome batter.

As opposed to one you barely notice for buttery cheesy piquancies.

Nevertheless, the fish was doable despite all those apparent negativities.

BUT, I must draw the line in the watery sand there.

Fish fried or grilled should in my humble gastronomic opinion, NEVER be served with French fries.

Keep your fries for when you're in the US or when having a hamburger from some corner joint.

Fish go with CHIPS.

On the feedback form they asked us to fill out I gave this opinion.

Like the Indian white wine it will be ignored, for Ffs have taken over the world, haven't they.

And to boot, the fries were horrid wooden tasteless overdone things useful maybe for campfire kindling, but not as part of my eagerly mouth watered Sunday lunch.

Americans, unused to real chips, would probably see me as being too picky.

But I loathe Ffs at the best of times, and heap even more wrath on when they are served up in this state.

Main cost 8.90 USD.

A half glass of chilled house white cost 4 USD.

Free glass of water, oddly served after they took my plate away.

Service alright, attentive.

Overall, has potential, but a bit disappointing.

[bumblebee]

You are doing a fine job of bringing some new eateries in PP to our attention Ken, cheers.

[Quietguy]

Like the Indian white wine it will be ignored

KenW, Indian wines used to be pretty dire, but on my last visit to Goa two years ago there were some reasonable Indian produced white wines available in the hotel, and even in some of the beach shacks.

I can't remember the name of the producer ( Ithink it was Indage vineyard) of the wine in the hotel restaurant, but it was quite good. Though it was about £20 a bottle due to the high 'luxury' (ie tourist) tax, it was still cheaper than the imported Australian wines.

The white wine which was available in the beach shacks was called 'Sula' if I remember correctly. I think it was about £10 a bottle, and while not great, it was certainly drinkable.

http://www.indiamark...an-white-wines/

http://www.cngo.com/...an-wines-830228

Edit: Neither of those links seem to work, but if you google 'Indian white wines' you will get some useful information about Indian wines which are being increasingly recognised as quite good.

[KenW]

Indian Delight, on the riverfront. See posts 11, 17 (pic by bumblebee).

I had:

mutton curry, dahl soup, plain naan and some aloo gobi.

Bottle of white (also not cold, but the lad got it cold faster than at the other joint).

Delightful meal, with attentive creative service. Once the owner saw me musing over his wine list he quickly informed me all the wines were on happy hour, 20% discount. That's enterprise.

NIce setting. A very enjoyable experience.

I had some mutton curry gravy and half my bread left over. I asked could I take it home. No problem.

Subsequently eaten in my room next morning for brekkie.

[dixon cox]

Indian Delight, on the riverfront.

Perhaps it was just a dream but I could swear I was there too as it was my aloo gobi, but I don't remember tasting your wine. Maybe it was another night, but it all sounds very familiar.

[KenW]

Ah yes Mr dixon, it's all a bit of a blur, but I see it vaguely now you remind me.

[KenW]

Mr dixon cox and I ate at Viva last evening. See posts 8,9,10,11,12,17 above.

We downed burritos (5 USD), he beef, me chicken. Drank margaritas (he: cherry; me: mango).

Going on about old men in tank tops, cruisin the gift shops; and me with the scratched record of: my own damn fault.

But a nice meal in enjoyable surrounds.

[KenW]

Missing my village and my noodle soups, I have begun breakfasting at this place of unknown name, there being no signage whatsoever save the Khmer script on the sun awning which may or may not refer to the eatery.

It is packed every morning with locals. Thus far I'm the only whitey I've seen there. They do excellent noodle soups for 5,000 R (USD 1.25), and you get a big white pot of hot green tea to boot. They have various rice dishes as well.

The place sits halfway between the front door of Golden House and the front door of Indochine II. In other words, it is in the connecting street, 5 St. In fact these pics were taken standing on the opposite footpath, which is against the sidewall of Indochine II.

[KenW]

I have a new favourite Indian noshery, one that enters the charts with a rocket, rapidly ascending the billboard of my most cherished regional purveyors of comestibles.

Ooo I wuz orl ungry like, and the grub went down a treat.

Name: Chi Cha.

Address: #27 110 St. At the T junction where 5 St meets 110.

They have a la carte offerings, but their super specialty is their set menu lunches & dinners. There are about 10 sets on offer based around various curries of beef, chicken, mutton, fish, egg, vegetable.

The mutton apart, which is 5 USD, the remainder all USD 4.50 a set.

You get:

main of your choice as above;

dahl;

vegetable curry (my first visit this was green bean, potato & onion; my second visit aloo gobi, ah my aloo gobi);

a salad plate of cucumber & tomato slices;

bottomless rice (hot in a big plastic insulating lidded bowl);

bottomless chapatis (2 for starters but you are free to call for more);

cold water (also bottomless).

First visit I ate chicken as the main; Two medium sized lumps on the bone, as I like it. There's something about hunks of chicken on the bone that appeals to me, sweet meat, tender, tasty.

Second visit, lunch yesterday, I chose fish curry as the main. Much to my surprise this was a cutlet, somehow cooked a bit crispy covered, almost like a batter, with the expected spices and onion. I have to admit to pleasant delight, for I had predicted either chunks of fish in a broth or more likely, a tiny typical Asian bag of bones offered head guts all. But no, delicious and good to look at as well as eat.

Being the value the sets are, the place is popular with budget travellers. But the main thing that impressed me was the presence of subcontinental custom, always a good sign. A reviewer of Indian descent on tripadvisor likened it to Indian home cooking.

Chi Cha is Halal and offers Bangladeshi dishes and Pakistani dishes as well.

Service is attentive, constantly topping up water, asking after anything needed. There is a sink in the corner with soap and hand towel for pre- or post-meal cleansing. A nice touch of subcontinental authenticity.

To add further to my interest it is also a guest house, offering fan rooms from 7 USD and aircon rooms for 15 USD.

I have fallen in love with the joint. Top of the pops.

[KenW]

I have been enjoying pasta and pizzas back in Australia recently. I also have to say, with modesty, that I cook a bolognese sauce which suits my tastes to a tee (lots of garlic, ginger, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, as well as the usuals of onion and tomato paste). I ate that two days ago, a kind of welcome home to myself now that I'm back in Saigon.

 

Not that you can't get good Italian here. You can. There are good pizza outlets, and one or two very classy VNese Italian places downtown. As well as some ordinary ones in tourist areas.

 

But I have to say, at risk of bringing on a slanging match debate, I still think La Dolce Vita in Phnom Penh is the best pasta joint I have sampled in the southeast Asia/Australasia region.

[KenW]

Thanks again bb for moving post #65 above to here where it belongs.

[bumblebee]

Thanks again bb for moving post #65 above to here where it belongs.

You can thank the technicians Ken.  

[KenW]

Thank you technicians.

[Soc999]

I have been enjoying pasta and pizzas back in Australia recently. I also have to say, with modesty, that I cook a bolognese sauce which suits my tastes to a tee (lots of garlic, ginger, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, as well as the usuals of onion and tomato paste). I ate that two days ago, a kind of welcome home to myself now that I'm back in Saigon.

Not that you can't get good Italian here. You can. There are good pizza outlets, and one or two very classy VNese Italian places downtown. As well as some ordinary ones in tourist areas.

But I have to say, at risk of bringing on a slanging match debate, I still think La Dolce Vita in Phnom Penh is the best pasta joint I have sampled in the southeast Asia/Australasia region.

Is that the one sort of near Rainbow Cabaret, on Street?.?

[pdogg]

Is that the one sort of near Rainbow Cabaret, on Street?.?

It's on Street 172 between Street 13 and Street 19 where the OLD Rainbow waslocated.

 

Rainbow Bar moved about six months ago to Street 136 between Street 19 and Norodom.

[lbbeginner]

According to traditional Khmer food, I find Beef lok-lak and Chicken Amok tasty. However, as many of u know the places at riverside are mostly overpriced and mediocre food wise. Most western places makes not so good asian food, and vice versa. Avoid FCC, the only good thing about that place is the view, the kitchen sucks.

[pdogg]

Avoid FCC, the only good thing about that place is the view, the kitchen sucks.

Agreed, if you must go for a drink, make it during happy hour!

 

Ya know, the name conjours up images of the Jakarta bars in The Year Of Living Dangerously but it's just a touristy place with Tshirts and a good view.