The Cambodian Menu

Siem Reap

Cambodia's national dish — freshwater fish steamed in a coconut curry custard with slok ngor leaves, served in a banana leaf bowl. Creamy, fragrant, and unlike any curry you've had before.

Phnom Penh

Stir-fried beef cubes in a tangy lime-and-pepper sauce, served on a bed of fresh greens with a fried egg on top. The lime-pepper dipping sauce is the secret — every restaurant has their own version.

Phnom Penh

Thinly sliced pork marinated in coconut milk and garlic, grilled over charcoal, and served over broken rice with pickled vegetables. Cambodia's beloved breakfast — found at street carts starting at 6 AM.

Siem Reap

Fresh rice noodles topped with a green fish curry sauce, raw vegetables, and banana blossom. Cambodians call it "Khmer noodles" — it's the quintessential morning meal found at every market.

Phnom Penh

Cambodia's answer to pho — rice noodle soup with pork broth, bean sprouts, and a squeeze of lime. Each shop has a secret recipe. The best bowls are at crowded morning stalls near Central Market.

Battambang

A rich, complex vegetable soup with prahok (fermented fish paste), roasted ground rice, and whatever vegetables are in season. Often called Cambodia's most important traditional dish — every grandmother has her version.

Siem Reap

Beef stir-fried with lemongrass paste (kroeung), holy basil, and green peppercorns. The kroeung — a pounded paste of lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, and garlic — is the heart of Khmer cooking.

Siem Reap

Deep-fried spiders from Skuon market — crispy on the outside, soft inside. Originally a survival food during the Khmer Rouge era, now a famous Cambodian delicacy. The legs are the best part.

Kep

Fresh blue crab stir-fried with green Kampot peppercorns — the region's signature dish. The peppercorns burst with a floral heat that complements the sweet crab meat perfectly. Best eaten at Kep's famous Crab Market.

Kampot

Beef steak crusted with Kampot black pepper and pan-seared — a French-Cambodian fusion that highlights the world-famous pepper. The pepper's complexity sets it apart from any steak you've had.

Koh Rong

Whole squid grilled over charcoal and served with a lime-and-pepper dipping sauce. Koh Rong's beach restaurants grill them fresh off the boats — simple, smoky, perfect.

Sihanoukville

Whole fried fish topped with shredded green mango, chili, peanuts, and a sweet-sour dressing. The crunch of the mango against the crispy fish skin is quintessential Cambodian coast.

Kampot

A crispy baguette filled with pate, pickled vegetables, cilantro, and your choice of meat — Cambodia's French colonial legacy turned into the perfect street snack.

Kratie

Fermented fish paste (prahok) cooked with minced pork, coconut milk, and lemongrass — served as a dip with fresh vegetables. Prahok is the backbone of Cambodian cuisine, and this is its richest expression.

Mondulkiri

Grilled chicken marinated in lemongrass and turmeric, cooked over charcoal by the roadside. Mondulkiri's cooler climate makes it perfect grilling weather — the chicken is smoky, tender, and served with sticky rice.

Mondulkiri

Sticky rice with coconut milk and black beans, steamed inside bamboo tubes over an open fire. A traditional Bunong indigenous specialty found at roadside stalls throughout the northeast highlands.

Kratie

Sour fish soup with tamarind, tomatoes, pineapple, and fresh herbs. A staple of Mekong riverside life — the freshwater fish goes straight from the river to the pot.