A visit to Siem Reap can’t be considered complete without a meal or two at Mie Café. The restaurant is in a traditional wooden Khmer house — that of the chef’s grandmother — a few minutes north of the Angkor National Museum, between downtown Siem Reap and the Angkor temples. It can be reached via a nice walk along the riverside from most Siem Reap hotels, or a short tuktuk ride.
Entering from the road, your eyes will be pulled through the garden into the wooden house and the areas set with tables and, in the evening, candlelight. But stop and linger in the courtyard before you sit down. Amongst the ponds and trees are organically-grown vegetables and herbs which are used daily in the kitchen. See if you can identify what’s in season for a preview of what might soon appear on your plate. Sit on the bean bags chairs in the garden for a pre-dinner cocktail (or if you’re in need of a between-courses cigarette).
With Cambodia’s tragic history, the capital can bring out all sorts of emotions in visitors to its streets and alley ways. Phnom Penh can be heartbreaking, it can be moving, it can be inspiring. To run the gauntlet of all the emotions, here’s our tips of ‘must sees’…
The sleepy riverside town of Koh Kong is becoming a popular outdoor destination amongst travellers to Cambodia. With easy access to the pristine Cardamom Mountains, the town makes a good base for exploring the area. There’s something for everyone, even if you’re not feeling too energetic. Fat Sam’s, a Cambodian/Western run restaurant and bar is an excellent source of information on the ground, and can help you organise trips, or a driver.
When people talk about crab in Cambodia you will inevitably here that the best is in Kep, and they’re not wrong. Although they don’t look like much, the crab shacks down by the Kep Crab Market serve up some of the most delicious crab I’ve ever eaten. Visiting one of these waterfront wooden restaurants was the first thing I did when arriving in town (after checking into my Luxury and Boutique Hotel, of course!).
Continue Reading →