Stung Treng
Eat and meet
Stung Treng
Most travellers stick to their guesthouses, but there are a few freestanding options, including Mekong Blue at the weaving cooperative, which we didn't try but hear is worth the short trip north.Venturing into the market you will find kralong-coconut-flavoured rice wrapped in bamboo as well as an impressive assortment of fruit for such a quiet town.
The standout restaurant in town is now the unfortunately-named Stung Treng Burger. Open from 07:00 to 22:00 and situated across the street from Sok Sambath, it looks out-of-place among the motorbike shops and karaoke bars. Run by a savvy young Cambodian woman who knows what foreigners like, modern photos and plants line this brightly painted restaurant. Oddly, old beehives still attached to tree branches also decorate the place. The menu features an array of Khmer, Western, and Indian food, including English breakfast, pumpkin soup, cottage pie, various masala dishes, Mekong fish, burgers, and homemade yogurt and ice cream. You can also buy $3 bottles of Mekong Whiskey and Mekong Vodka. Recommended.
Dara specialises in French cuisine but also has the same Khmer/Western menu as most guesthouses, with a focus on fried rice and banana pancakes. Its fruit shakes are above average, however.
Riverside's food is slightly worse, catering to travellers who are in a hurry to transfer buses en route from Laos south. Even the fried rice here was sub-par -- greasy and flavourless. Riverside is best for cold drinks, traveller information, and friendly conversation, whereas Stung Treng Burger offers the best dining option in town.
