A few blocks and a world away from sweaty and crowded Phsar Toul Tom Poung (Russian Market) food court, Aquarius Dessert Cafe revels in cutesy pastel colours, fancy furniture and effective air-con. On a quiet Phnom Penh side street, not far from the Flicks movie house, step into one of the new breed of Cambodian … read the full post

If you’re travelling around Asia for a while, the time comes when fish sauce, rice and curries lose their novelty, and your mouth starts craving new taste sensations. Fortunately, Phnom Penh has a world of cuisine available at reasonable prices, so there’s no need to tame your tongue. Near the Post Office Square at the … read the full post

Showing plenty of foresight, Java Cafe and Gallery has been open since 2000, well ahead of the curve which has seen a new coffee shop open almost every week in Phnom Penh recently. Java is centrally located just two minutes’ walk from the Independence Monument, with views over Sihanouk Boulevard park. We love the mid-price tasty … read the full post

Following on from the lowdown on cheap eats, this particular Phnom Penh provider of good value nosh deserved to have its praises sung a little more loudly. Restaurant Phsar Kabko is almost opposite the market it’s named for on Street 9, just off Sihanouk Boulevard east of Independence Monument. In the best tradition of canteen food, it … read the full post

Every so often in Phnom Penh, you pass something that makes you look twice. Granted, it’s often an overladen motorbike or a T-shirt with words you are sure the wearer doesn’t understand. But the Botanic Cafe on Street 19 also prompts a double take. When you first spot it, nestled behind a explosively pink bougainvillea, you may think you’ve accidentally ended … read the full post

Phnom Penh has always been ahead of the curve with a wide range of international cuisine for a city of its size. So it was no surprise to learn that a specialist Japanese restaurant had recently been added to the mix. What did take me aback was the reaction when I mentioned the Uraetei Yakiniku … read the full post

We all know that you don’t go looking for Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris finds you. Well, he’s certainly found clubbing central in Phnom Penh and is serving up dim sum to dancers and divas until the early hours of the morning. Almost opposite Heart of Darkness on Street 51 and just around the corner from … read the full post

The streets behind Phnom Penh‘s riverside are a microcosm of the city — there’s karaoke, street food, hostess bars, fast food joints, hairdressers, hotels and tailors. In all the excitement, it might be easy to overlook The Empire, a small bar and restaurant and cinema squeezed into a regular sized shopfront two blocks from the … read the full post

Two minutes from Phnom Penh‘s riverside, just around the corner from perennial tourist favourite the FCC, you’ll find the small but perfectly formed Lucky Pho. If you’ve crossed from Vietnam and have a hankering for soup, you won’t be disappointed here. The price may be higher than on a Hanoi street, but then again, so are … read the full post

Confucius said, “All good things are difficult to achieve.” I don’t wish to contradict the wisdom of the ancients, but let’s just say that fortunately, The Spirit House isn’t excessively difficult to find, even though it is a darn good thing if you love a sunset. Because, while there are bars aplenty on the western … read the full post