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I have always taken a bit of sadistic pride in watching my groups squirm when I talk about the wackiest local food available. One of Cambodia's specialties is fried tarantula, specially imported from Kompong Cham province. What makes the tarantula experience even more incredible is where I take my groups to eat it: Phnom Penh's extraordinary Romdeng restaurant.
This is no ordinary restaurant. Romdeng is only one venture of Mith Samlanh's many programs. As a non-profit, non-government and non-denominational organization, its mission is to restore safety, health, dignity and education to Cambodian street children. At Romdeng they receive training in the culinary and service arts, thus giving them the means to raise income for themselves.
The restaurant's atmosphere is wonderful and the food delicious (and that includes the tarantula). On a warm Phnom Penh evening you can take advantage of the open terrace dining area, and the interior adorned with paintings by the trainees themselves is incredibly welcoming and peaceful. War-torn Cambodia needs more support for grass roots organizations such as Mith Samlanh.
Because of Cambodia's horrific genocide during the Khmer Rouge times of the late 1970s, the population is amazingly unbalanced: more than half of Cambodia's people are under the age of 18 and more than a third of its population lives on less than one dollar per day. Given the intense poverty of the country, the tarantula experience at Romdeng is more than just a good travel story.
If you like the idea of chowing down for a good cause, then join Intrepid as we put our money where our mouth is and frequent many great restaurants and cafes in the regions we travel: KOTO in Hanoi, a successful hospitality training centre to keep kids off the streets; Baan Unrak where you can buy bread and weavings to assist the Thai orphanage and local school; Ananda and Modern Nomads restaurants in Ulaan Baatar where profits go to street kids and the Lotus children's orphanage; and another great favorite in Cambodia is the Khmer Kitchen, a restaurant which helps support a local women's group.
If the cuisine at Romdeng sounds a bit too challenging, then Friends restaurant is the perfect Phnom Penh alternative, as funds raised go to the same organization, Mith Samlanh, which helps an average of 1500 children per day rise above adversity.
Favorite Dish: Fried tarantula because it is so exotic and I wouldn't normally eat it at home.
Written Jul 25, 2008
Address: Phnom Penh
I ate and ate and ate in Cambodia, and lo and behold, I did not get a touch of travellers diarrhea. Now I took necessary precautions that all travelers take, and I avoided any distress. Cambodian food is a delight. Enjoy. Try to avoid touristy spots, as always, for authentic experience. I was very tickled that when eating at a diner in Phnom Penh I left two dollars for our very nice waitress. She chased us down in the street to inform us that we had forgotten our money. I tried to explain to her that it was a tip, and it was for her, and thank you for your nice service. She didn't understand initially, but after I insisted she keep it she walked back to the resteraunt with a huge smile. That alone made the meal worth it, nevermind the food was delicious!
Written Jun 19, 2008
Best place to get a good deal of food. At US2.50 per plate with rice, you can consider it's a full meal. Venue is near the old market but harder to notice if you are not searching for it as it's overshadowed by lots of western cafes. Be sure to see it's crowded every night!
Written Aug 20, 2007
excellent value, delectable food that is mostly Cambodian / French fusion, wide selection of affordable wine, great location on the riverfront with outdoor cafe seating.
Favorite Dish: I liked the river fish in spicy sauce, do not recall exact name.
Written Jun 23, 2007
Address: riverfront PP
excellent value, delectable food that is mostly Cambodian / French fusion, wide selection of affordable wine, great location on the riverfront with outdoor cafe seating.
Favorite Dish: I liked the river fish in spicy sauce, do not recall exact name.
Written Jun 23, 2007
Address: riverfront PP
Helpfulness
On the way to Siem Riep we stopped to lunch on restaurant few kilometers before Skoun, There we eat the best fish soup that I test before. there was also good list of another sea food courses. For these that like freaky food near restaurant you could find fried in deep oil with garlic ,black Tarantula spiders.
Updated Jun 22, 2007
Address: near Skoun
Khmer Kitchen - cheap and good local food.... near river market, off main street...
InTouch -- on main pub street, more pricey, compared to others... the best PadThai I've had outside of BKK..... mixed fruit shakes.. perfect...
AMOK - alleyway off main PUB st...... so exquisite....
Cambodian BBQ - we had snake, ostrich, kangaroo..... hot pot like cooking....
Happy Pizza.... you want to be happy... you can get it here... and you get happiness.....
restaurants near temples -- all have good basic food -- if the tuk tuk driver takes you there... prices tend to be a bit higher.... US$2-3, instead of 1-2..... if you are in a budget.. .that makes a difference... but locals get charged lower prices.....
Banana Leaf -- has great ice cream.....
Indochine -- pricier -- great fish Amok..... main avenue towards AW main entrance.....
Favorite Dish: all rests had their enchantment...
lovely people work at them.....
group of 5 - hard for some to make up their minds.... everyone was pleased at some point or another....
Updated May 8, 2007
Address: Main street towards river and Pub Street....
Helpfulness
They have ice cream -- home made....
ginger nougatine/caramel cashew/mango/coconut, etc... start salivating....
the pastries.... very close to what you have in France.... extremely close I mean!!!
so good... every nite we bought our bfast for the next day - at half price.... so good, yummy, delicious... the best way to end and begin a day.....
Favorite Dish: everything is good....
prices are good.....
you need to have it....
Written May 8, 2007
Address: On Main Street towards River market
if you see a man pushing around a bright orange ice box with a phnom penh ice cream written on it, BUY ONE. it's only 500 riel. dont get ripped off. most of the vendors couldnt speak english, so we resorted to gesturing. just fyi, the white icecream is coconut, the white with orange bits is jackfruit, there's also coffee and others. i had that almost every time i saw it! Excellent stuff!
Updated Mar 26, 2007
this guy was formally a top chef. we were amazed when we stopped by for some supper (he opens at 6pm and closes when he sells out), and found that he had the "shake the wok" technique. you know, the one where chefs dont just stir the food, but flips it all around to spread the taste. he spoke excellent mandarin as he had worked for chinese restaurants before that. his cousin who helps out at the stall speaks excellent english, having worked at intercontinetal before they opened this stall.
he serves friedrice and noodles, and they come with a GENEROUS serving of meat and vegetables. locals pay 3000r, but despite knowing this we paid 5000r as he was really a nice and hardworking chap. he tells us that he makes 10USD a day, a far cry from what he used to earn as a top chef.
Updated Mar 26, 2007
Address: Bantaey Srea
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