The Best Cambodian Restaurants in Siem Reap

There are plenty of stellar Cambodian restaurants in Siem Reap which cater for every taste. You can enjoy a gourmet dinner or a fast-food dish, with top recipes from the local cuisine. Tourists love Cambodian food because of its exquisite taste and unique blend of flavors and aromas. But since there are so many Cambodian restaurants to try, let’s see if we can help you choose the best meal!

Lok Lak

Lok Lak is made with cubed marinated beef that’s stir-fried with a mix of delicious red onions. The mixture is served on a vegetable bed of cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce. The lime juice makes this food more succulent, while the salt and black Kampot pepper give it a specific aroma. In some places Lok Lak is served with chips and fried eggs instead of the usual rice.

Amok

If you ask tourists what their favorite Cambodian meal is, most of them will say Amok. This dish is prepared with snake head fish or another freshwater fish like Mekong catfish. The fish fillet is covered in a mousse that adds to its distinctive flavor and moist texture. This mousse is made with pounded shallots, garlic, lime, and lemongrass, plus roasted peanuts, eggs, and coconut milk. These ingredients are covered with banana leaves and steamed to achieve an aromatic, succulent taste.

Khmer Curry

Khmer curry has an appealing yellow color which shows the rich mix of vitamins from healthy ingredients like turmeric and lemongrass. While the turmeric adds an earthy taste to this mixture, lemongrass is particularly flavored. Other delicious ingredients consist of summer rolls filled with crunchy vegetables for a contrasting texture. Spices like mint, coriander, and fresh basil improve the aroma of Khmer curry. This dish is served in many Cambodian restaurants with meals like jasmine rice.

Kuy Teav

Kuy Teav is a broth-like dish made with pork and rice noodles. Believe it or not, you usually have this for breakfast instead of lunch or dinner. Kuy Teav is served with rich garnishes made from lettuce, scallions, bean sprouts and is spiced with lime juice, aromatic caramelized garlic oil, and black Kampot pepper. There are two versions of Kuy Teav, one where the garnish is mixed with the soup, and one where the soup is served separately. In Siem Reap, this meal is richer, with added toppings like pork belly, pork offal, fish cake, congealed pig blood, and squid.

Num Banh Chok

You can enjoy this dish at street side fairs and markets, as well as various restaurants. Also known as Khmer noodles, this popular meal is usually served for breakfast. What’s special about the noodles is that they’re pounded from rice and served with a tasty curry. The curry mixes fish with lemongrass, kaffir lime and turmeric root, for a sour, earthy taste. Other ingredients add an interesting contrast to the texture and aroma of the fish curry, like mint, beans, green veggies, and banana flower.

Chhnang Plerng

The famous fire pot is another popular dish among tourists. This broth-based dish mixes meat and a variety of vegetables, but there are different varieties you can try. In Siem Reap, Chhan Plerng is known as the volcano hot pot, where the traditional Cambodian barbecue is served on a grill for the meat and to drip its juices in the broth.

Tur Tim Krop

This dessert can complement any meal. Translated as red lotus seed jelly, the sweet, aromatic jelly with a ruby red color is as appetizing as it is good looking. Made with coconut milk, water chestnut, tapioca flour, shredded jack fruit, and jellied coconut flesh, Tur Tim Krop is usually topped with shaved ice to make it more refreshing.