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The 5 best Khmer soups (Samlor) you must try

Written by André Ruys on 08/16/2022. Posted in cooking class, eat in Siem Reap, eat with locals, food in Cambodia, Kambodscha, Khmer food.

Khmer soups (samlor or samlar) are an important part of Cambodian food. There are different reasons: They can be made fast, only one pot and one fireplace is needed, and you can throw in whatever is available. We listed for you the 5 best samlor we think Cambodian cuisine has to offer. There are, however, lots of more soup recipes available.

Khmer soups are usually made from a clear broth or even water. However, samlor curry for example is a thick soup, while nom ban chock samlor trey is a classic breakfast dish where rice noodles and vegetables are added to the soup. We focus here on the clear soups and what we think are the 5 best Khmer soups you should try when in Cambodia – or cook at home.

We listed the recipes and ingredients as they are told us by our Khmer host families at Dine With The Locals. As in any food culture, those recipes are traded within families, so they differ. They also depend on the season and what is available on the market or in the backyard garden.

1. Samlar Korko

One of the most underrated dishes and yet popular in Cambodian families. What makes this soup so special is the palm sugar melted in oil and the roasted rice powder. Also, the use of young jackfruit slices might be new to you if you only know the sweet fruits.

Ingredients

Half cup Khmer kreung
tablespoon fish paste (prahok)
3 tablespoons of pa-ulr (rice grains, roasted and pounded)
Fish flesh, cleaned and sliced.
or 200g of chicken meat or tofu
Vegetables (pumpkin, green papaya, green banana, green jack fruit, long bean, eggplant, Khmer eggplant, chili leaf, bitter gourd leaf)
1 tablespoon of palm sugar
3 tablespoon of fish sauce
1 liter broth or water

How to make it:

Melt the palm sugar in hot oil in a pot, Once it’s liquid, add the krueng paste (here you can read how to make it). Stir until fragrant, then add the vegetables. Stir and let them brown a bit. Add the chicken and fish or tofu, the fish paste (prahok) fish sauce and water. Let it boil, then add the rice powder and simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Somlor Prohor

This is one of the soups where gourd is used. We call this one of the best Khmer soups because we think gourds are often forgotten and we just know cucumbers and pumpkins. In Cambodia, gourd – and in particular the luffa gourd we use here – growing in backyards and on fences of many houses in the countryside.

Ingredients

Meat: snakehead fish or smoked fish

Vegetables: Luffa gourd, winter melon, taro, pumpkin, pumpkin leaves or Ivy leaves, mushroom, rice paddy herb (some regions use it, some do not) lemon grass, turmeric, and garlic or kreung paste.

Soup powder or chicken broth, fermented fish (in Samlork, we use fish sauce), brown sugar, salt, and Kreoung

How to make it:

Melt the sugar in oil and add the kreung paste as well as the prahok. Add water with soup powder or broth, the just add all the vegetables. Bring it to a boil, then lower heat to simmer it for 20 minutes. Don’t stir because the fish will break down. Finally, add the leaves and simmer it for five more minutes.

3. Bitter melon with pork (one of the best Khmer soups in Cambodian cuisine)

Stuffed vegetables are common in many countries. I remember from Germany filled paprika aka bell peppers, where we stuffed minced pork and rice in together with salt and pepper and then let it get done in the oven. In Cambodia, the concept of an oven is not common, dishes are heated on fire, gas stoves or a grill. This Khmer soups can be done with bell peppers or gourd as well.

Ingredients

3 small bitter melons
1/2 lb ground pork
1 small bunch bean thread soaked wash cut to tiny pieces
3 cloves of garlic pound to paste in mortar
2 tbs of dried shrimp soaked set aside
2 tbs of dried turnip wash set aside
1 tbs of soy sauce
1 chicken bouillon cube
½ tsp salt
2 green onions chopped for garnish
4 ½ cups water

Best Khmer soups in Cambodia: Bitter melon soup with pork

How to make it

Peel the bitter melon, then cut into 8 cm long parts, then take all the seeds out and create a hole to stuff the meat inside. Mix the pork with garlic and pepper as well as the dried turnip and the bean threads and fill the bitter melon with it. Bring water to boil, add a cube of bouillon and the soy sauce. Add the filled bitter melon and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Add the shrimps and garnish with spring onions.

4. Beef sweet and sour soup with morning glory (Samlor Machou)

When you hear sweet and sour, you may immediately picture those two tastes together. But think about lemon juice with sugar. In Cambodia, sour and sweet go well together in the best Khmer soups like this one with beef. You can replace the meat with tofu and/or mushrooms or so called fake meat if you like.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of cooking oil
3 cloves of garlic
1 small bowl of lemongrass leaves
20 gr sliced beef
teaspoon of salt – 1 tablespoon of sugar
4 glasses of water
2 orange leaves Cut a knot about 1 inch long –
2 tablespoons ripe tamarind juice
2 spoons of fish sauce
1 bowl of fertilizer and sweet potato 4 peppers or can be put to taste
1 spoon of prahok

How to make it:

We assume you either know how to make kreung or you buy it at the market, so we will not include it in this recipe. First clean the morning glory and remove old leaves. Cut it in pieces and set aside.

Slice the beef and marinate it with the kreung paste, at least for 20 minutes. Fry the beef in oil for a few minutes, then move to a cooking pot. Add the water, some soup powder and 2/3 of the morning glory. Pound the other stems in a mortar or blend it. Let it simmer for a while, then add salt, prahok if you like, tamarind sauce and fish sauce. Finally, add the lemongrass – common in so many Khmer soups – to it. Let it simmer until it gets a dark green color.

5. Fish sour lemon soup (Sngor chrouk trei)

The word Sngor means just cooking, and while the word samlor means soup, different dishes and different names are also part of the best samlor soups in Cambodia. The last one in our list is simple, but can be found in nearly every household. One reason: not many ingredients needed, most can be collected near the house (at least at the countryside).

Ingredients

2 lbs (900 gram) of whole fresh basa, catfish or snakehead fish, cleaned and cut chunks
2 tablespoons of uncooked Jasmine rice, rinsed and drained
1 n lemon grass stalk, cut 5 inches in length and tied to bunches
4 cups of water
1/2 tablespoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
2 stalks of green onion, chopped
2 chopped hot chili pepper
1/2 cup of chopped mix herbs of sweet basil (chee korhom), and Asian coriander (chee xanghum)
1 fresh lime or lemon, sliced

How to make it

Cut the fish into cubes or thin slices. In Cambodia, fillet is rarely used, instead the fish is chopped up from head to tail. Add then fish, water, rice lemongrass, fish sauce, sugar black pepper and chili into a pot and bring to boil. Let it cook for 20 minutes – the rice should be soft. Add then the herbs and the lemon juice. Simmer for 5 more minutes and then serve with rice.

Conclusion – Khmer soups in Cambodia

Every restaurant in Cambodia offers Khmer soups. If you stay longer than two night, you should really try the variety of those dishes. Also, many regions make different versions of them. They can be eaten as a main dish – with rice on the side – or they are part or a large order of different dishes for a party of 3 or more people, as it is common in Asia when people go out for dining.

Jomno, one of the best Khmer restaurants in Siem Reap

The 5 best Khmer restaurants in Siem Reap 2022

Written by André Ruys on 07/26/2022. Posted in cooking class, eat in Siem Reap, Food adventure, food in Cambodia, Kambodscha, Khmer culture, Siem Reap, Siem Reap Höhepunkte.

While we still think that Dine With The Locals provides you the best experience regarding Khmer food, we understand that going out is also important while visiting Siem Reap. Therefore we checked who is still there after Covid-19 and who are the best 5 Khmer Restaurants in Siem Reap. We did an extensive research and found some not well known places tourists usually don’t have on their list – or which aren’t mentioned in – mostly outdated – travel books and blogs.

Our most important criteria for a good restaurant is of course the food. It has to be local food, authentic and well prepared. We also like a twist, something that stands out. The environment plays also a big role – plastic chairs should be the exemption. And we care about a good service, because this is what make you feel comfortable in the best restaurants in Siem Reap.

The price range isn’t that wide in Siem Reap, since we do not cover street food here (but soon in another post). You get decent meals in a range from 3 to 8 US-Dollar for a main dish.

Jomno – modern Khmer cuisine

This place started in a small side street behind Wat Damnak with a street food concept, but moved to a bigger house next to the Deihoy market. Jomno offers fine Khmer food with a twist, a modern approach but still authentic. They have a nice garden, but also indoor seating. It is accessible for wheelchairs and strollers.

You have small bites like a frittata or fresh marinated fish. For the meat eaters, we recommend the Battambang sausage. What makes it to the top of the list of the best Khmer restaurants in Siem Reap is not only the presentation of the food, but also the creative and extensive vegan menu. Try the meat ball lok lak or the plant bases sausage roll. Starters are around $3 dollar, while main courses are in the $8 range. It is (for now) open every day from 11am to 10 PM.

Battambang sausage as Jomno — Jomno, one of the best Khmer restaurants in Siem Reap

Banllee – vegetarian Khmer food

We think it’s time to make a change, so this vegetarian restaurant is also on the list even if they aren’t serving some of the traditional Khmer meat dishes. The restaurant is located in Street 26 and survived Covid-19 with a focus in vegetarian Khmer food – a good decision. Banlle has some other dishes as well, but if you a craving for Khmer noodles, this is the place to go.

Out top favorite is the vegetarian Prahok Ktis. Prahok is a Khmer fish paste, and at Banlle they make it from fermented tofu. An absolute delight with fresh vegetables on the side. Talking about veggies: Many of them are grown in the garden, and you may watch the chef cutting your greens before preparing the food for you. Prices are in the $3 to $5 US-Dollar range. Opening times are 7am – 9pm, Tuesday they are closed.

The Christa – family owned restaurant near Pub Street

The owner Rak moved his restaurant from behind Wat Damnak to the street 7 right behind Pub street. It is a shop house with steep steps to reach the first floor, but a great place to watch people go by. There is even a rooftop with tables.

The Christa offers affordable Khmer food in a wide range. Our favorites are the machu ktis, a dish with tamarind sauce and the Cha Kreung, mixed vegetables with Khmer spice paste. The kitchen offers all main Khmer dishes, like Amok and beef stew, but we would recommend some less known meals, like the Khmer curry. We like that you can choose if you want meat or tofu for most dishes. They do have good cocktails as well. Opening times are every day from 11.30am to 10 pm.

Temple coffee ‘n bakery – one of the best Khmer restaurants in Siem Reap

The Temple group owns nowadays half of Pub street, but the venue at the riverside is less popular with tourists – but great when it comes to Khmer food. You can go there for breakfast and enjoy a well done fried rice with pork (somehow called school children breakfast) or for lunch or dinner some of the more fancy dishes.

They are popular with younger people, in particular in the evening. What stands out are the comfortable lounges upstairs and the rooftop bar with a pool – best place for sunset. The quality was never an issue for us in the last six years, but they did raise the prices. Expect $5 to $9 for a dish. Recommended are the Khmer noodles and the Prahok Ktis.

Tevy’s place

Tevy started her restaurant as a basic street food stall between the two Wat Damnak temple areas. Just before the Covid-19 pandemic she moved to street 7 and opened a new place. She is a hardworking woman, employing a few Khmer women now and became very popular with expats in Siem Reap. Her food is all freshly made, she has Khmer dishes but also offers some western food. You should try her fish amok and her Samlor Koko, a traditional Khmer soup. It’s open everyday from 730 am to 9.30 pm.

What else? Some others of the best restaurants in Siem Reap

With close to 1,000 restaurants and eateries, picking just the 5 best Khmer restaurants in Siem Reap is not an easy task. Most other places offer good local food as well. We can recommend Khmer Kitchen and Khmer Grill as a well as Haven. The latter has also lovely vegetarian and vegan dishes and is a training restaurant – you eat for a good cause there.

Another runner-up is Romsai cafe next to the Salakamreuk village office. But if you want to try Fish Amok, one of the popular dishes, we have to recommend you Ms. Laum, one of our hosts in Siem Reap. She will show you how it’s made and share the meal with you. It is an extraordinary food experience!

If you would like to know more about Khmer food, check out our YouTube Channel and follow us on TikTok (@dinewiththelocals). You can reach us through the booking form on the host pages as well as through Telegram and WhatsApp. Or just send an email to feedme@dinewiththelocals.com.

Two ways to get around in Siem Reap: By tuk tuk or by rickshaw

5 best ways to get around in Siem Reap

Written by André Ruys on 07/05/2022. Posted in eat in Siem Reap, Experience Cambodia, Kambodscha, local life, Siem Reap, Siem Reap Höhepunkte.

Arriving in Siem Reap is breathtaking: Coming by plane you will see the vast area of the Tonle Sap lake and may get a glimpse of Angkor Wat. Traveling by bus, you will enjoy the countryside. But then comes the challenge how to get around in Siem Reap. The good news is: You have a lot of choices.UPDATE: We added a new e-bkk rental place. See below!

At Dine With The Locals we do not include transport to our hosts, but three families in Siem Reap actually offer the service – the husband is a rickshaw driver and will pick you up. If you don’t rent a car and driver for your stay (what is at least 30 Dollar per day) you need to arrange your transport but yourself.

Since there is not public transport like busses or hop-on-hop-of-services like in Thailand and other countries, you have only private transport option. But that doesn’t mean it is difficult to get around in Siem Reap – it’s actually quite easy, mainly because the city isn’t that big.

The most convenient way to get around in Siem Reap: Tuktuk and Rickshaw

Since 2019 the old tuktuk, a trailer pulled by a motorbike, is replaced by Indian style rickshaws – there-wheelers with a cabin. They are smaller, but offer a more comfortable and faster ride. On a hot day however the cabin warms up a bit – for a longer ride a tuk tuk would be a better option.

How to get a tuktuk or a rickshaw

You habe two options: Just check in fron of your hotel or guesthouse for drivers and negotiate with them. Or download one of the ride-hailing apps. Most popular in Siem Reap are PassApp and Grab, Tada is also gaining market share. The apps are convenient since they offer you a fixed price, the driver is know to them and you can see in a map where you are going (some freelance drivers take a longer way to ask for more money).

If you want a day trip, for example to visit the temples in Angkor Wat, it’s best to hire a rickshaw or a tuk tuk for the day. They cost about $25 to $30 per day, depending where you go. If you book our hosts Ms. Vannarith, Ms. Sokvy or Ms. Chan Mony, their husbands can make you a good offer for a trip and they also speak English, so you don’t need a guide, and they know the way around).

These Indian rickshaws can be ordered with an app

Renting a motobike in Siem Reap

There are shops in Siem Reap renting out motobikes. While many tourists love the idea of driving around the temples or through the ricefields in Cambodia, there are some thing to know. First, technically you need a Cambodian driving license to operate a motobike. An International Driving licence is not recognized. Also, because you would drive illegally, your health insurance may refuse to pay in case of an accident. The police regularly stops tourists in Siem Reap, but mostly for traffic violations like turning when its not allowed or not wearing a helmet (all passengers have to wear one).

Then there is traffic: Cambodia it’s one of the highest death rates form traffic in the world. Rules are not respected like in western countries, and especially on overland roads and at night driving is dangerous. For locals motorbikes are the best way to get around in Siem Reap, but for foreigners it might come with a risk

And last but not least the shops renting out motobikes are not always trustworthy. Usually you have to leave your passport as a deposit, although we recommend to refuse this and leave money instead. Some shops will then complain about damage when you bring it back – this can ruin the day or even the stay here.

Many shops offer motobikes and bicycles for rent in Siem Reap.

There is a legal solution we recommend: Rent an electric bike. The E-Green shop at Sivutha road in downtown rents out two models, a smaller one and a scooter like Vorlagen Matrix. The latter is as good as a motobike, the charge is sufficient for a day in Angkor Wat. You don’t need a driving license.. Top speed is up to 50 km/h on the highest setting – but that will drain the battery fast. Go with setting 1 and you are fine. We still recommend to wear a helmet.

UPDATE: THE NEW KOREAN POPLE BIKES

Recently a Korean shop opened not far from the National museum on the Charles-De-Gaulles-Road. It’s called Pople and they rent out quite nice looking electric motobikes. They charge $10 for 1/2 day tour and $15 for a full day or $30 for three days. What is impressive beside the building quality of the e-bikes is the charging station. They do battery swaps, so if you are running out of juice you can just switch the battery pack. Also, the electricity for the charging comes from solar panels the installed on the roof top of the building – which also hosts a coffee shop and community space. They even sell Carbon-certificates.

The project is funded by the Korean government. It is definitely worth a try. Get more information at www.facebook.com/CafeandTour or on INstagram @poplestation.

Renting a bicycle in Siem Reap

The most environmental friendly and cheapest way to get around in Siem Reap is by bicycle. There are many shops in the city where you can rent a push bike. Some hotels and hostels even offer them as a service to guest. We recommend to get a new mountain bike style bike. Old city bikes often have broken brakes and aren’t well maintained. The costs is around $6 per day. We recommend Angkor Cycling Tour in Tapul road for renting bikes – they also offer bicycle tours around Siem Reap.

If you want to explore Angkor Wat by bicycle, be prepared for a longer ride. It’s around 10km from the city to the main temple. The small circuit is 17 km long, the grand circuit is 26 km long, plus 10 km to get back into town. The roads are in a good condition and its flat, and the trees in the Archeological Park are cooling down the air.

Cheapest way to get around in Siem Reap: Rent a bicycle.

To get around in Siem Reap on a bicycle you can use your phones map for orientation. There are now bicycle lanes in downtown you can and should use. Make sure you lock the bicycle when you take a rest properly – they can get stolen.

All of our hosts in Siem Reap can be reached with a bicycle. We will give you the coordinates and a description, so you can take a ride from your hotel and enjoy the local houses and scenery along the way.

Cambodian crispy rice with pork floss

Written by André Ruys on 09/28/2021. Posted in cooking class, eat in Siem Reap, eat with locals, Experience Cambodia, food in Cambodia, Khmer culture, Khmer food, News and Updates, Online-Experience, Siem Reap.

Rice is something like the staple food in Cambodia. It is served at every meal. Most people eat regular cooked rice, but there are also variations, for example in delicious desserts. Another specialty is pot-fried Cambodian crispy rice with pork floss. Pork floss is soft, dried meat fibers from the pig. You find this dish on special occasions, but a restaurant in Siem Reap specializes only in it. It is not cheap: a large portion costs 10 dollars. Our host Vorleak researched a bit for you and made a step-by-step instruction how to cook Cambodia crispy rice at home.

How to cook Cambodian crispy rice with Pork Floss

First of all, you take normal rice and wash it three times. Then you pour it into a pot with a thin bottom. Take so much rice that it covers about one centimeter of the bottom. Then add water and boil the rice for about 20 minutes. The rice must become very soft. A gas stove or open fire is best.

When it is done cooking, take a wooden spoon and start spreading the rice from the center to the edge of the pot. It should form a rim about five centimeters high, but the rice must still cover the bottom. Spread everything smoothly.

Now put the pot back on the stove and let the rice bake. First on the bottom, then you have to take the pot in your hand and hold the edges over the flame. Be careful not to burn yourself. It would be best if you kept swirling the pot until the rice has darkened and is clearly browned on the pot (but it shouldn’t burn).

Let the Cambodian crispy rice burn a bit

Meanwhile, crack two eggs and whisk them with salt, pepper and chili powder or homemade chili sauce to taste. Cut spring onions into small pieces.

Heat about 150 ml of oil. When it’s hot, carefully pour it into the rice pot (turn the flame back on) and swirl the pot so the oil gets everywhere. You need to keep doing this until the rice looks crispy. Then pour off the rest of the oil.

Now take the eggs and pour them over the bottom of the crispy rice. Spread them evenly and let the mixture fry briefly until the egg has set. Now let the pot cool down a bit. Hold the bottom of the rice with a wooden spoon, tip the pot over and carefully catch the rice.

Poor eggs and onions on the rice and let it get solid.

Place it on a plate and sprinkle with Pork Floss.

Take the Cambodian crispy rice carefully out of the pot

You need these ingredients

200 gr rice
2 eggs
200 ml cooking oil
salt
pepper
chili powder
2 bunches spring onion
4 tbs porkfloss

The Red Piano in Siem Reaps Pub Street is closed

Siem Reap is under construction

Written by André Ruys on 06/23/2021. Posted in eat in Siem Reap, Kambodscha, News and Updates, Siem Reap.

The Covid 19 pandemic has turned Siem Reap into a ghost town. On Pub Street, almost all bars and restaurants are closed, and the road to the airport is lined with hotels with a “For Sale” or “For Rent” sign on the drawn bars at the entrance gates. The number of foreign tourists has dropped by over 90 percent. Small stores that once sold cold coconuts and fried bananas at Angkor Wat now offer face masks.

At the same time, a gigantic construction project has begun. In 2020, the central government in Phnom Penh had decided to renovate 38 roads in Siem Reap. A budget of $150 million has been set aside for this – most of the money comes from the sale of state-owned land.

Workers replaced the tourists in Siem Reap

For several months now, excavators have replaced the tourist buses, construction workers with helmets and high-visibility vests stand where Chinese visitor groups once ran after their guides. Sivutha Road in the heart of Siem Reap is also being renovated, as is Airport Road. New sewage pipes are being laid in Pub Street. Where once Angelina Jolie drank a cocktail, the shutters are now down. The Red Piano has opened a second branch on Sok San Road, which is already completed.

The road between Pub street and Sivutha Road in Siem Reap

There were protests here and there because some houses were built into the street or stalls took up a few meters of public space. But the otherwise so good relations did not help, some hotels had to rebuild their driveways or even lost their reception.
The new streets will not only get a new surface. The project includes laying most of the cables in the ground. At the same time, the roads will be widened to their original width, and many will even get a sidewalk.

The once famous Elephant Hotel gets an overhaul

Currently, around June 2021, most water and sewage pipes have been laid, and the trenches and holes have been filled in again. At Jajavarman Hospital, the first sections are already finished. Likewise, the Airport Road is already getting its asphalt in some areas.

A new city will emerge

When tourists return to Siem Reap in 2022, they will certainly see a different picture than before. In a video, City Hall painted the picture of magnificent boulevards and boats on the Siem Reap River. Even if some doubt, in any case, Siem Reap will look different.

But tourists are still a long way off. The numbers with new infections are nationwide in the middle three-digit range, in Siem Reap between 20 and 30 daily. There is a ban on alcohol sales; also a ban on gatherings, and a curfew between 10 pm and 4 am. Vaccination is currently underway in the main city of Phnom Penh and the worst affected provinces. The rate is 20 percent, and most of the vaccines come from China, SinoPham, and SinoVac. Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced plans to have all citizens vaccinated by 2022.

The barkeepers at Bar 43, one of the best five bars in Siem Reap 2020

The five best bars in Siem Reap 2020

Written by André Ruys on 08/18/2020. Posted in eat in Siem Reap, Experience Cambodia, Kambodscha, Siem Reap, Siem Reap Höhepunkte.

In Siem Reap, cocktails are served on every street corner. Since the beer was reduced to 50 cents a few years ago, cocktail prices went down as well. But the venue operators could only do that because they used cheap spirits. Those who drink a Pina Colada for 2 dollars hardly get a good rum in it. Additionally, as it is so often usual in Asia, every bar and restaurant has the same offers on the menu. The standards and the shooters. But there is light on the horizon. We found the top five bars in Siem Reap 2020 that make more than just gin tonic and margarita. We went out to look for quality and style, and we found some real gems!

Bar 43: The creative bar

Midnight monk cocktail at Bar 43 in Siem Reap

You can tell how good the drinks are just by looking at the bottles on the shelf of a bar (https://web.facebook.com/Bar43REP). In the new Bar 43 you will not find any of the usual suspects like Jameson or Gordon’s Gin. Instead, premium ingredients are used here. There you can eve have a Japanese whiskey in a cocktail. The menu is small but very creative. There’s also very fancy gin, rum and whiskey for those who like a neat drink. Standards are also offered. The ambience somehow takes the visitor into a French road movie of the 70s, also because the two owners look like they just jumped out of this movie.
Recommended cocktail: Midnight monk
Location: West Alley 43, a small side street near the Pubstreet

Miss Wong – the classic bar in Siem Reap 2020

Miss Wong is something like an institution. She definitely belongs to the five best bars in Siem Reap 2020, if only because of the decoration. The bar has just moved to 26nd Street, and has become even more beautiful. The interior reminds of a middle-class Chinese house and is a colorful mixture of decoration and design. The cocktails have it all, the ingredients are exclusively premium spirits. For the small hunger there is Dimsum.
Recommended cocktail: Rose & Lemongrass Martini
Location: Street 26

Menaka Lounge the quietest of the five best bars in Siem Reap 2020

Menaka Lounge is the only Speakeasy place in Siem Reap — Menaka Lounge is the only Speak-easy place in Siem Reap

Finest Japanese whisky is on the shelf at Menaka lounge

The only real speakeasy bar in Siem Reap is not easy to find. Opposite the Old market you have to walk through the Menaka Bistro and then climb up the stairs, but the climb is worth it: Old leather sofas in English club style invite you to stay. In the Menaka one has his quietness, even if it is only a few meters away from the party mile Pubstreet. On the menu there are own creations of cocktails that are sorted according to the different eras of Angkor Wat. Accordingly, ingredients such as Jackfruit and Kampot pepper are found. There are also some rare Japanese whiskeys and excellent rum.
Recommended cocktail: Don’t Miss Me Baby
Location: 2 Thnou Street, Old Market Area

Elephant Bar Raffles: For fine spirits

The Raffles Hotel in Siem Reap is one of the best addresses and since its renovation has been brought up to date without forgetting its colonial history as the Grand Angkor Hotel. State guests and royals stayed here. The Elephant Bar is accordingly legendary. The barkeepers are discreet enough to name names, but they can tell a story or two what happened here. Sitting in one of the leather armchairs, you feel like you’ve been transported back to the times when European business people discovered Asia. The assortment is top class, only the finest whiskies are available here as well as gins and other spirits.
Recommended Cocktail: Airavata
Location: Roya Garden, opposite Palace

Chi at the Anantara Hotel – best whiskies

T he Chi is actually the restaurant in the luxury Hotel Anantara, but it also has a bar where you can take a seat and enjoy excellent spirits. Most cocktails are standard, but with premium ingredients. Whisky lovers will get their money’s worth here, though, as there are a few rarities of single malt and Japanese drops on offer. It’s best to go straight to the bar and see what’s new in the range.
Recommended drink: Macallan 12 fine oak
Location: Airport road, next to ferris wheel

Summary:

Our favorite of the best five bars in Siem Reap 2020 is Bar 43, followed by Miss Wong and Menaka Lounge. All have excellent cocktails and an impressive selection of spirits. Also, the interior is inviting and relaxing, and prices are very reasonable.

10 false tourist assumptions about Cambodia

Written by André Ruys on 07/28/2020. Posted in eat in Siem Reap, food in Cambodia, Kambodscha, Khmer culture, Siem Reap.

When you travel to Cambodia, you will certainly look for information in travel guides and on the website of the Foreign Office. What diseases are there, how to behave, what is allowed and what not. But many assumptions about Cambodia are outdated today and therefore we want to help you to get a realistic picture.

1. No ice cubes in the drink

Today the ice for drinks comes from a specialized production and is made from filtered drinking water. You can put ice in your drink today without hesitation. Furthermore, beer is often drunk with ice instead of being cooled.

2. Drinking water cannot be used for brushing your teeth

That too is outdated today. Phnom Penh has an excellent drinking water supply, and the water is constantly being tested. This is also the case in Siem Reap. In the countryside, water often comes from a groundwater pump. When brushing your teeth or taking a shower, this is no problem.

3. You must help Cambodians

Even though Cambodia is a poor country and the majority of the people here live from one day to the next, they also have their pride. Distributing books and pens to children is no longer appropriate today. It is better to finance a child’s education through an organization (Green Gecko), or to go to local restaurants run by locals. You can always leave a tip.

4. There is a tuktuk on every corner

Since about 2018, Cambodia has had Passapp, and now Grab. With this apps you can call a rickshaw (motor tricycle) or a tuktuk. This is cheaper, faster and you get a fixed price. Many tuktuk drivers have taken advantage of tourists again and again and charged far too high prices. You are free to tip here as well.

5. A restaurant is good if there are many guests

Many cafes and restaurants with high ratings are run by foreigners who are more familiar with social media. But that does not mean that you get better food. The rule that a restaurant is good because there are many people there is only true to a limited extent. Tourists go where they see tourists, without this having anything to do with price and quality. In case of local restaurants it is different, there, a visit is worthwhile.

6. The Khmer Rouge trauma

Although the time of the Khmer Rouge was a traumatic event for the Khmer living at that time, most young people today know little about it. It is part of history, but Cambodia is more than just the few years of reign of terror.

7. Cambodia is a combination destination

Die New Cambodian Arrists — Die New Cambodian Artists

Many combine Cambodia with a trip to Thailand, Vietnam or Laos. You can also spend two or three weeks in Cambodia. There is more to see here than just Angkor Wat. Siem Reap alone has many other destinations, and then there are the beaches, the city of Battambang and the great forests.

8. Siem Reap is Angkor Wat

Of course, Siem Reap is known by Angkor Wat, and you just have to have seen it. After all, it is the largest temple complex in the world. But there is much more to see and experience. For example a meal with locals, or a bike tour through the rice fields. You can explore the temples in the outskirts or spend the night in the forest. There are great yoga classes and you can meditate with monks.

9. Cambodian food is simple

When you come to Cambodia, you will of course try Fish Amok and Beef Lok Lak. But there are many other dishes. Especially when it comes to soups and curries, Cambodia has a lot of culinary delights to offer. The pork is especially good here and if you like you can also eat fried insects.

10. You have to support an NGO

Cambodia is a developing country, and particularly in terms of health care and education, it lags far behind other countries. However, even the many aid organisations have not been able to change this. If you want to help, support Cambodian shops and drivers. If you really want to donate, we recommend the Kanta Bopha Hospital or the Angkor Children Hospital. They do a great job.

Cooking class for children in Cambodia

Written by André Ruys on 01/18/2020. Posted in child friendly, childsafe, eat in Siem Reap, Experience Cambodia, kids friendly.

If you are traveling with children to more exotic countries like Cambodia or Laos, you will surely consider whether it is safe and interesting. We have had some families with children as guests at Dine With The Locals. The kids had a lot of fun, and our hosts were also happy. We don’t just do a cooking class for children in Cambodia, we bring travelers and locals together.

You get to know the hosts together with the children. Some also have children themselves and they like to play with new friends. The child friendly hosts will lead you and your family through the house and the garden, if available. There is already a lot to discover here and many questions will probably be asked. After all, different plants grow in Cambodia than in your home.

Learn new skill at our cooking class for children in Cambodia

Then it’s time to cook. Depending on their age, the boys and girls are happy to help prepare the dishes. You can wash and cut vegetables, or help make the Cambodian spice paste Kreung. The various ingredients must be pounded in a mortar. Our cooking class for children in Cambodia should be a change from watching and that’s why we want you and your fellow travelers to actively participate.

We have hosts who are a little tighter, and then someone from our team comes and tinkers with the children, for example. You will learn how to make funny glasses from a coconut palm leaf. You can bake a Cambodian waffle with Ms. Laum. With Mrs. Dary you can braid a collar made of pal leaves. In Phnom Penh you can learn how to spin a spinning wheel for silk. In Battambang you can even paint with Ms. Mony.

Waffles are made at the cooking class for children

If you want to do a cooking class with children in Cambodia we can make you various offers in several cities. We also respond to your individual wishes. If the children don’t want to eat local dishes, we can of course cook something else. Some of our hosts can also change the menu to vegetarian and if desired we can replace chicken, pork and beef or fish with tofu.

Advantages of our cooking class for children in Cambodia:
Have fun and entertainment
Age-appropriate offer
Children under the age of 10 only pay half
Host and team offer additional entertainment
Individual adaptation of the experience to your wishes
Different food options
Find new friends
Learn about life in Cambodia
Play with peers

You can find all of our hosts here. When booking, you can simply enter your wishes or send us a message if you have any questions. We can best be reached via email and Whatsapp as well as Facebook Messenger (between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.)

Authentic cooking class in Siem Reap

Written by André Ruys on 12/26/2019. Posted in cooking class, eat in Siem Reap, eat with locals, Environment, food in Cambodia, Khmer culture, Siem Reap.

A cooking class in Siem Reap is a unique experience if you want to get to know the local cuisine. If you’re in a country like Cambodia, cooking can help you get to know the country’s culture much better. You will also learn more about the special features of Cambodian cuisine and its dishes.

Our cooking classes are slightly different from those offered by restaurants and hotels. We want to offer you an authentic experience and that’s why our focus is on homemade food that is prepared together with a family. You learn above all how to cook here at home a delicious Cambodian meal.

Learn how to make Kreung paste in our cooking class in Siem Reap

We want to bring people together with our cooking classes in Siem Reap, which is why we have hosts all over Cambodia. In Siem Reap you can cook with a former Apsara dancer and prepare a cozy dinner in the forest near Angkor Wat.

At our cooking classes in Siem Reap you will learn how to traditionally cook a meal in a Cambodian family.

Book now your cooking class experience!

Course of the cooking course in Siem Reap:

1. On arrival at the Cambodian house, the family introduces itself to you. In most families, at least one member speaks English and will explain what to expect. You can come for lunch or dinner.

2. After the greeting you will be shown the house and usually also the garden. For some families, you can even help pick or pick the herbs and vegetables yourself. You can also learn how to breed chickens, see crocodiles or later make small souvenirs.

3. Then it goes into the kitchen for the cooking experience. Each family has selected three dishes that they want to prepare with you in the Siem Reap cooking class. In most cases there is chicken and pork or fish, but we also have two families who can prepare a vegetarian meal on request.

Many famous Cambodian dishes

4. Cooking with locals in Siem Reap: you learn how to cook on a charcoal fire, how to stir food in an Asian wok, in which order the ingredients are added to the meal. Of course you can always ask questions about authentic Khmer food, our hosts will answer the best possible.
Some dishes are:

5. Eating together

Eat together after the cooking class in Siem Reap

After cooking, of course, they eat together. We wrote a small article on customs in a Cambodian household that tells you more about how to behave properly. In Cambodia, the food is either brought to the table all at once or as it is being prepared. The rice is on an extra plate. There are rarely knives, but if you want one your host will be happy to give it to you. Our course includes drinking water or tea, some hosts also like to sell you a Coca Cola or beer.

6. Other activities
A cooking class alone can bring you closer to culture. However, we would like to help you create more memories. Our hosts can teach you the essential steps in the Apsara dance, you can make a souvenir together or bake Cambodian waffles.

The authentic cooking class in Siem Reap takes about 2 hours. Transport is not included, but it is easy to get a tuktuk in Siem Reap.

What do you need to know when attending a cooking class in Siem Reap

Be open to new things. A kitchen in Cambodia is often outside the home. The process is a little different than you may be used to.
Spray yourself with mosquito spray
You are welcome to tip the hosts later.
Our families are also happy about children
Our cooking classes in Siem Reap are well suited for women who travel alone

How to eat with locals in Cambodia

Written by André Ruys on 11/28/2019. Posted in eat in Siem Reap, eat with locals, food in Cambodia, Khmer culture.

If you’re coming home to a Cambodian family for the first time and want to eat with locals, you’ll probably wonder about the customs. Eating with locals also means knowing how to behave correctly and not commit a faux pas. We have a little guidebook on what you can do in a Cambodian house and what not. Before we go into detail, there’s something else about gifts: she’s not expected. Khmer sometimes bring some fruit when visiting relatives. We recommend our guests to give a generous tip. The family doesn’t really want souvenirs.

The art of the Sam peah

When you approach the house, the family will usually be waiting and waiting. In Cambodia, as well as in Thailand and Laos, people greet each other with hands clasped together, held in front of the body. In Cambodian it is called “Sam peah”. How high your hands are held depends on the other person.

Sam peah, the Khmer greeting for friends. Important to know if you visit a house and eat with locals.	Sam peah, the Khmer greeting for monks
Sam peah, the Khmer greeting for older people	Sam peah, the Khmer greeting for the king

If the other person is younger or the same age, you hold the clenched hands directly in front of the chest.
If the person is older than you, your fingertips are almost touching your chin.
If you face higher-ranking people, like a village elder, a professor, a politician, then your fingertips are at nose-high.
You greet Monks with the flat hands at about eye level.
If you should ever meet the king, then the hands must be folded over the head, often the head is also bent forward.
It is just with younger members of the family sometimes handed the hand, then shake it, but with a very light handshake. But wait, until this is offered to you.

If you can say something in Khmer, welcome with “Jem Reap sua”.

Take the shoes off

In a Cambodian house no shoes are worn, so you will have to take them off, but you can keep the socks on. A small exception is a terrace in front of the house. Most of the time you can see a lot of shoes where you should take them off. When entering the house best not to touch the threshold, which brings bad luck.

Takes shoes off before enter a Khmer house

If you help our hosts with cooking, the kitchen will usually be outside and you can start shoes. It is a bit unusual that guests cook, so there are not many rules. Our hosts are very relaxed and will tell you what you can do. Do not be afraid to do something wrong, you will be rewarded with a hearty laugh.

Eat with locals in their house

At meals, there are some rules of hospitality that mainly affect the locals. A guest is an important person in a family and should be treated accordingly. There is no fixed seating arrangement, but one waits out of courtesy until the oldest person has sat down. Most of the time you are sitting on the floor. Men sit cross-legged while the women have their legs bent to the left or right. Most of the times you will sit in plastic chairs those days.

Guests after cooking with locals in Phnom Penh — Guests after eat with locals in Phnom Penh

First you will get a glass of water, sometimes in a small silver bowl. The water is purified drinking water, so you do not have to worry. Then rice is served, mostly by the wife in the family. The oldest person gets rice first, then mostly the guests. The rice is placed directly on your plate. The small bowl, which stands most next to the plate, is for the soup.

If everyone got rice you can start to take something from the different dishes. Apart from a clear soup, everything is eaten together with the rice on a plate. The food in Cambodia is cut in small pieces, so you will not see a knife. Eaten with fork and spoon. Chopsticks are actually only available for pasta dishes, which are usually also served in a large bowl. Incidentally, you are welcome to sip noodles here.

You signal the end of the meal

If you eat with locals, you will be asked again and again to eat more. But you are waiting for a signal that you are full. It is common practice to stop eating when the guest finishes the meal.

After eating you can get up, stretch your legs and look at your house and garden. The first floor is mostly taboo, unless it is explicitly offered to you (here is the bedroom and ancestral shrines). In the house look at everything, but ask if you can touch something. For everything that looks religious, it’s best to keep your hands off it.

If you get a dessert, it will be taken while sitting. Cambodian desserts are delicious. The mother of our host Sareth makes various desserts and sells them in the market. If you come for lunch, you will be able to taste it.

Say good bye and wave

When you say goodbye after you eat with locals you will stand with the family in front of the house. It is customary to thank you again, and to do some small talk. The farewell phrase is “Jem Reap Lia”, and you will fold your hands again as you would on arrival. Always start with the oldest person. Children will often wave, then wave back. Sometimes you will also get a small farewell gift to eat a fruit or a snack.

How to make Num Pom (Khmer waffles) and other sweets

Written by André Ruys on 11/26/2019. Posted in eat in Siem Reap, eat with locals, Experience Cambodia, food in Cambodia, Khmer culture.

Whether you’re in a market or just walking along a busy street, there are street stalls selling small desserts everywhere. Many sellers open already in the morning, from 7 o’clock and until 9 o’clock some are already sold out. There are many different types of these fried desserts and treats. We want to introduce three of them here, most importantly, Num Pom, the Khmer waffles

Our host in Siem Reap, Ms. Laum, sells homemade waffles in Siem Reap in the morning. In Khmer they are called Num Pom, and unlike European waffles they are not round but rectangular.

How to make Num Pom

Ms Laum makes Nom Pom, the Khmer coconut waffles

Mas laum makes Nom Pom, the Khmer coconut waffles — Ms Laum makes Nom Pom, the Khmer coconut waffles

Ingredients for Num Pom:

2½ cups rice flour
½ cup palm sugar
2 pinches of salt
3 eggs
1 cup coconut cream
½ fresh coconut flesh, grated

The dough is made from rice flour, eggs, palm sugar, salt, coconut cream and coconut meat. It is stirred like a regular waffle dough for about 5 minutes. The waffles are available in different quality. The cheap waffles are made with the thinner coconut milk and just a few coconut flakes. But Frau Laum buys the thicker coconut cream and fresh and coarsely grated meat.

With a ladle, the dough is then placed in the waffle irons that lie over a charcoal fire in a traditional Cambodian ground grill. The fire heats the irons very hard, so it does not take long for some crunchy waffles to finish. Traditionally they are served on a banana leaf. A good waffle costs 1000 Riel, about 25 cents.

Flat disks (Num chak chon)

Fried in the fat dough slices, which are called in Khmer Num chak chon. They consist of rice flour, half of which consists of glutinous rice flour, palm sugar and normal sugar, coconut milk and eggs. If you eat with locals, there is a good chance they offer you them during the day. Here is the exact recipe:

Ingredients:

Rice flour 250 g
Glutinous rice flour 100g
Sugar palm 100 g
Sugar 20 g
Coconut milk 120 g
Water 185 ml
Egg 1
Salt1 / 3 tsp
Oil for fry

How to make Num chak chon

First mix flour, salt and sugar, then stir it. Add a beaten and stirred egg and gently add the coconut milk. Gradually add half of the water. In the next step, the palm sugar is stirred gently until it has dissolved, about 10-15 minutes long. Now you add the rest of the water. The dough then has to rest for about 4-5 hoursm thats is different from Nom Pom.. Then small round pancakes are baked from it, which must be slightly brown at the edge.

Bullfrog Bread (Num Hing, Hollow Donut)

Num Hing got the funny name because it looks like a bloated bullfrog. It is especially in the morning for coffee eaten and is often sold out after an hour. To do it, you have to fry it in oil, preferably in a big wok. It tastes best if you still garnish it with sesame seeds.Other than Nom Pom you will use yeast here.

The ingredients:

2 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 tsps. of dry yeast
1 tsps. of baking powder
1/4 tsps. of salt (or 1 / 2tsp)
1/2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup of water (add little bit more of dough gets dry)
1 egg

How to make Bullfrog bread

Mix all ingredients at room temperature and knead them into a dough. If this is supple enough, you have to let it go covered for one hour in a not too cool place. Then you shape a long roll on which small slices about 2 cm thick are cut off. Put it on a plate and let it rest for another 15 minutes. Then you roll the small dough pieces flat and put them immediately in the hot fat. It is best to roll only one piece of dough at a time. It has to float in fat, like in a deep fryer. When completely bloated, remove and drain. After a short cool, they can eat the donuts.

If you like to make the Nom Pom waffles yourself, book lunch or dinner with Ms. Laum in Siem Reap. You will additionally learn how to make fish amok and other Khmer dishes and have a great meal with our host. It will be a unforgettable memory and a truly authentic experience.

Make your own Num Pom and delicious Khmer food in Siem Reap

It’s about the experiences

Written by André Ruys on 11/01/2019. Posted in eat in Siem Reap, eat with locals, Experience Cambodia, food in Cambodia, Khmer culture.

We live in the age of bucket lists and Instagram-enabled places. When traveling, a moment lasts as long as the upload to the social network. Even in remote areas we have a high speed internet connection. Our digital experiences don’t last long.

And yet we are looking for deceleration. The difference between the tourist and the traveler is that the latter takes time. Travelers want to get to know people, discover places, look for the new and the unusual. Travelers want to make experiences that are authentic. Travelers want to connect with people, build relationships, socialize. Travelers bring not only pictures home, but new friendships and memories.

Cooking at a organic farm in Battambang is an unforgettable experience.

You cant’t forget experiences

Whenever we travel, it is the people we remember. The tour guide in Buthan, who took us home. The hotel owner in Kathmandu, who made a career as an environmentalist. The DJ in Japan who rarely saw Tokyo in their club. The student in Vietnam, who liked to wear colorful clothes.

We want to connect people in Cambodia with travelers. When you come to our hosts, do not book lunch or dinner. They book an extraordinary experience that is hidden from the tourist. We give you time and space to talk to our host families, cook and eat together.

A common meal is the first way to connect people in all cultures of the world. Essen connects and is at the same time a starting point for an exchange of cultures. In Cambodia we had guests from India, from Taiwan, from America and from Germany and many other countries. Many guests exchanged their Facebook addresses with the families, some went out together after dinner or enjoyed the view of the rooftops of Phnom Penh.

We create something special

If you come to Cambodia or Vietnam, we offer you a truly authentic experience. Each of our hosts not only cooks delicious local food with you, but also introduces you to the culture and way of life. We have former apsara dancers, organic farmers, silk producers and modern artists. Our hosts are carefully selected so we can offer you an exclusive experience.