I loved traditional Cambodian food. I found it to be similar to Thai food with curries, satays, fried rices, and flavored with lime, cilantro, and lemongrass. On our day of visiting temples, we stopped at a restaurant for lunch and had a classic Khmer dish, Amok, pictured on the right, and served in a coconut. This was a rich and flavorful fish curry. Our second dish was bok choy with beef which was light and a nice contrast to the Amok. Of course nothing accompanies a meal like this better than a bottle of the local beer – Angkor. We did a happy dance over this meal.
Breakfast was our favorite meal of the day. Our resort, The Golden Temple Hotel, had an adequate buffet with French pastries, tropical fresh fruits, a variety of American breakfast standards and an omelette and coconut waffle station. But what stole our hearts was the noodle soup station. We initially just thought we’d give it a try. You pick a meat and noodle option and it’s made fresh. You can add onions, chilis, lime, and other condiments. The flavoring of the broth was out of this world. We ordered it everyday.
On our final night, the resort treated us to a three course meal. All courses were beautifully presented and highlighted classic Khmer flavors.
Appetizer: Green Mango Salad with calamari and shrimp; vegetable egg roll
Entree: Spiced beef with cilantro sauce, fried rice, and roasted pumpkin
Dessert: Apple cake with poached apples and vanilla gelato.
The stand out here was the green mango salad. I have always seen it on menus but never had it before. This salad is such a refreshing appetizer; balanced with sweet mango, tart lime, and savory calamari and shrimp. Every bite was exquisite. We certainly ended our visit on a high note.
Curly Vagabond 