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

Tucked into a difficult-to-spot shophouse on Street 178 in Phnom Penh within spitting distance of Phnom Penh’s National Museum, Warung Bali only has nine tables. So before we go any further, you have to promise not to go there when we want dinner. Deal? At first sight, hidden a few doors up from the corner of the … read the full post

Phnom Penh is full of secret places — alleys and entrances and little squares that you’re unlikely to ever notice. Most tourists never take the risk of getting lost wandering in this hidden side of the city. But if you venture down a typical alleyway on well-known Street 240 and turn the corner, you’ll find … read the full post

A short ramble from the riverside on Street 172 in Phnom Penh, Laughing Fatman is an old backpacker favourite in an upcoming tourist hotspot. Formerly Oh My Buddha at Lakeside, moving close to Wat Ounalom required a name change that wouldn’t upset the monks. Seems they have no problem with self-deprecation, then. Mr Fatman, aka … read the full post

Two minutes from Independence Monument and wrapping the corner of Golden Street (St 278) you’ll find the Khmer-owned Samaky Restaurant and Lounge, a recently new addition to this popular Phnom Penh street. The ground floor restaurant doesn’t have much in the way of walls but still provides plenty of protection from the elements (research undertaken during a … read the full post

A short stroll from Independence Monument, Villa Khmer is situated on a leafy side street off Norodom Boulevard. The red and black décor adds a chic touch which emphasises that this isn’t just another cheap eatery. There’s a choice of seating in the airy bamboo courtyard, including a cabana with a low table for relaxed … read the full post

Let’s say you’re going to be in the vicinity of the Phnom Penh Airport sometime soon, and you’re feeling peckish. I’ve been doing a lot of airport runs lately, so this is not actually theoretical to me. Of course there are lots of eating options inside the terminals and at the public concourse, but just … read the full post

Some people complain about how many Americans there are in Phnom Penh, but the upside of their presence is the excellent supply (and demand) for American-style Mexican food. For the purpose of this review, when I say Mexican food, I mean California-style Mexican food, which is outstanding but perhaps closer to what you’d find in … read the full post