La’Baab Restaurant

Located above Pharmacie de la Gare near Vattanac Tower, after climbing a few flights of stairs, guests find themselves in a wooden interior evocative of mid-1800s Battambang. The menu, however, seems more influenced by the food of the Lower Mekong, where Cambodia’s east meets Vietnam’s south: lots of fish soups and curries, crunchy vegetables, and tart and fermented flavors. La’Baab’s fish amok is perfectly balanced, the curry’s palm sugar sweetness offset by the slight bitterness of the noni leaves, a defining ingredient that is regularly omitted in the Kingdom’s more tourist-oriented restaurants. Another standout is the mam, a dish more popular in Cambodian homes than restaurants. Milder than prahok, here braised mam was served with fatty pork belly, adding an extra rich layer to the sweet, fermented fish.

Open daily, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

81 E2 Preah Monivong Blvd (above Pharmacie de la Gare), Daun Penh, Phnom Penh

Tel: +855(0)99 335 666

facebook.com/LabaabResto

Sovanna Restaurant

Sovanna Restaurant has something to offer just about everyone. They have a newer, more upscale restaurant a few doors down, and have recently renovated the original. Even though Sovanna has lost the dirty-beer-garden feel it once had, the food is still excellent. The grilled beef and pork, tender, smoky and slightly sweet, are the standouts, but the sngor chrouk trey, fish soup with a lemongrass broth, lime juice, and fresh herbs, is not to be missed. Their menu has photographs and English translations, making this a good first Khmer BBQ experience for out-of-town visitors.

Open daily, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.

2C St 21

Tel: +855(0)11 840 055

Phnom Penh restaurant review Romdeng

Romdeng specializes in traditional and modern Khmer dishes, like this plate of beef and red ants.

Romdeng – closed during COVID-19 until further notice

If you’re only in town for a few days and want to try the best of Cambodian cuisine, head to Romdeng. Located in a beautifully restored French colonial building, the restaurant serves traditional Khmer dishes, modern Cambodian cuisine, and even a few “creepy-crawly” dishes, such as deep-fried tarantulas and stir-fried red ants. Be warned that if you order the tarantula dish they’ll bring a live tarantula to your table to freak you out. The menu also features several vegetarian options and salads, so there’s something for everyone. The cocktails are not to be missed; they’re creative and addictive.

Romdeng is part of the Mith Samlanh “Friends” organization that helps train street kids and at-risk youth to work in the hospitality industry. So pat yourself on the back for eating there, and don’t be afraid to tip.

Open daily, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. (last order at 9:30 p.m.)

74 Street 174, Phnom Penh

Tel: +855(0)92 219 565

tree-alliance.org/romdeng