The
best fish amok in town!
Cambodia
is truly a kingdom of wonder. Not only are the views magnificent, but also the
food.
Prior
to my visit in Cambodia, I’ve read a lot of reviews saying that Cambodian or Khmer
cuisine is not interesting and that it’s boring. Contrary to what they say, I
found Khmer cuisine really charming!
Kampot Pepper |
Khmer
cuisine is sooo fragrant to the point that it’s stimulating! Like the pungent
Kampot pepper coupled with lime juice; or the combination of Kaffir leaves,
lemongrass and turmeric; or the fusion of tamarind’s tang with coriander,
turmeric and lemon basil. Just thinking about these makes me real hungry!
![]() |
Beef Lok Lak Dish: The fragrant combination of Kampot Pepper and Lime Juice |
But what made me love
Khmer cuisine is the way they prepare their curry. I’m not fond of curries and
food with coconut milk that it’s almost a hit-or-miss experience, however, I
found Cambodia’s curry delicious—in fact very delicious!
Khmer Surin Restaurant's water feature |
On to the food, Fish
Amok, Cambodia’s National dish is cooked in kroueng paste (or curry) with
coconut milk. Since it’s the national dish, it’s a must try (even if it sounded
too ominous for my taste buds).
Searching for
restaurants with the best amok, I found Khmer
Surin Restaurant.
Khmer Surin is a 3-storey
building with a 10-room guesthouse and 2 restaurants. The main restaurant is
the Khmer Surin while the other is the South Gate Restaurant.
Khmer Surin’s ambiance
is impressive, like royalty. The theme is old Khmer style with antique
furnitures and colorful silk in a lush, tranquil garden. The furnitures also differ;
some are made from rattan, while some are wood.
Khmer Surin Restaurant
is also divided into 3 unique settings, which is ideally, located in its 3
floors. The 1st floor is a low table seating in lush garden; the 2nd
floor is Cambodian style, sitting in cushions; while the 3rd floor
is in an open air setting.
Green
Mango Salad with Catfish. A Thai appetizer with a Khmer twist.
In Thai, the catfish is fluffed then fried to a crisp while in Khmer, there are
strips which is a bit hard to chew. Also, the Khmer version is a little too
salty for my taste.
Fish
Amok.
$5.00. Fish Amok is a curry steamed in banana leaf. Usually, catfish is used,
steamed in coconut milk with curry paste, lemongrass, kaffir leaves, galangal,
fish sauce and dried chilis. Egg is also added to have a thick consistency then
topped with coconut cream.
Khmer Surin’s fish amok
is very flavorful and creamy, the best amok I’ve had in Cambodia. I tried 3
amoks, all from restaurants famous for their amoks, but Khmer Surin’s was way
too good than the other 2.
I also ordered fresh
coconut and a bowl of rice.
My total bill was $13,
around P550.00, for a well-spent meal in my budget backpacking trip. After
paying for it, I was anticipating dinner—wondering what my next Khmer food will
be.
If I get to visit Phnom
Penh again, I won’t hesitate to visit Khmer Surin. It’s just too good to
miss.:)
Additional pictures from Khmer Surin Restaurant's website:
Khmer
Surin
House #9, Street 57, Sangkat Boeung Keng Kang I,
Khan Chamkarmon, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Look like a very pleasant place, tables are also placed in a very attractive way. I will definitely visit there soon.
ReplyDeletePeaceful place and I believe a paradise for gourmet. If they have Kampot pepper and best amok in town.. Let's go!
ReplyDelete