
Highlights
- Taste delicious fish and meat dishes
- Cambodian food is rich in seasonings and herbs
- Every dish is a perfect combination of diverse flavors
- Try the most renown of the traditional Khmer cuisine: the street food
Cambodian cuisine is rich in flavors and has been influenced by a lot of different cultures. The dishes are fairly simple, but full of nutrients and perfect for a well-balanced diet. There is an abundance of tropical fruit to make fresh juice with exotic taste.
The flavors of Cambodian meals are strong and contrasting, with a lot of spices (often fermented) and fresh fish coming directly from the numerous rivers around the country. Rice, vegetables and especially fruit are an imperative for every Cambodian meal.
Here is a guide for eating and drinking in Cambodia, without forgetting table manners. Check it out!
The core of Cambodian cuisine is water, rice and fish. The Mekong River runs through the country with huge flows of water, and the rural life revolves around it.
Khmer cuisine has been heavily influenced by Thai and Vietnamese food, though it still conserves its traditional flavors.
Other strong influences come from 1) France, who dominated the country for 90 years: baguettes and many colonial products from South America such as butter, broccoli and chocolate, are its heritage; and 2) China: variations of rice noodles are extremely widespread.
Among the most common ingredients are:
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You measure the quality of a tour company with how they handle the bumps along the way. Encountering unexpected baggage fees from Cambodia Angkor Air in Siem Reap.Albee without hesitation agreed to cover this cost. MoreBob Bosshard, Mar 2020
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A truly magical experience
We have just returned from an amazing trip to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Our travel adviser Albee Ning prepared a wonderful itinerary taking us to great locations with creative activities highlighting local culture. MoreBob Bosshard, Mar 2020
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We had already booked two trips in China with China Highlights. Both trips were a great experience. So when planning our trip to Cambodia we immediately thought of Asia Highlights because they offer a trip to Vietnam MoreFrank & Nadia, Nov 2019
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My husband and I just returned from an 8 week trip thoughout China- Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and also Singapore and Phuket. I worked with Ruby of Asia Highlights for months designing my dream independant private trip. MoreBarb, May 2019
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I have travelled for years personally and professionally and I have to say that Ruby and Asia Highlights are one of the best operators I have ever encountered. MoreBarb, May 2019
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We traveled with Asia Highlights 14 days through Cambodia and Myanmar. Leo from Asia Highlights made the itinerary and organized everything perfect ! We really enjoyed the tour, the hotel selection was great ! MoreStefan H, Feb 2019
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worthwhile to visit Cambodia and Vietnam
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Cambodian food is a combination of Thai, Vietnamese, French, Chinese and Khmer cuisine. Street food is extremely important.
Breakfast often consists of rice porridge or noodles. Broth with meat or fish is usually served during lunch or dinner, along with stir-fried dishes with beef, pork or chicken. Desserts often consist of fresh fruit such as coconut, banana or mangos.
Fish Amok
The most famous Cambodian dish is delicious stewed catfish with a curry-like cream, made of lemongrass, ginger, turmeric and coconut milk. The fish is soft and melts in your mouth. It is usually served in a basket made from banana leaves.
Everyone in Cambodia has a family recipe for this dish.
Lap Khmer
This popular dish is a beef salad, marinated in lime juice. It is seasoned with garlic, shallots, fish sauce, basil, mint, bell peppers and a lot of chili. It is extremely fresh and spicy, with a strong flavor that is hard to forget.
Nom Banh Chok
You can find this dish on the streets early in the morning. A lot of people eat it for breakfast. It is fresh and simple: Rice noodles in a green fish broth are topped with a lot of bean sprouts, cucumbers, banana flowers and other greens.
It costs about US$1 and is the perfect breakfast or a delicious afternoon snack.
A meal in Cambodia usually consists of more than one dish. People combine dishes of contrasting flavors, cooking styles, and ingredients.
Breakfast is eaten quite early in the morning, and lunch will be quick. The main meal of the day is dinner. Rice, meat and fish will be served, and there will be around five different dishes.
Rice is the staple of Cambodia, and it is used both as a side dish or as an ingredient. Plain white rice is served with every meal, but rice is also used to make desserts or street food snacks, such as deep-fried rice cakes.
In Cambodia you can find a type of restaurant that you may not find anywhere else: Training restaurants. They try to teach disadvantaged young adults some useful skills. Among the most famous are:
Or try the traditional restaurants. If you are in Phnom Penh, it is recommended to check out Mok Mony to taste some delicious Khmer food at a reasonable price.
Because of the high temperatures, it is important to drink enough. You can find a wide variety of drinks, ranging from fruit juices to local beers. Tea and coffee are very popular, mostly because of the French influence.
Fruit is important to the local cuisine: Fruit juices are a must when you are travelling around the country.
Iced lemon tea and lemonade are the most popular fruit drinks. Smoothies are popular as well; they are an important part of night life. There are juice stalls everywhere, with their blenders and fruit displays. You can choose to add coconut milk, sugar syrup, condensed milk or a raw egg.
The two most famous Cambodian beers are Anchor and Angkor. Beer Lao and Tiger are also popular, but mostly among foreigners.
Cambodian beers are really affordable and offer a wide range of qualities.
Angkor is brewed in Sihanoukville, and it is considered Cambodia's national beer. The beer is light and refreshing; a must for many locals and tourists during hot days. The Extra Stout variety has a strong coffee-like taste and a dark, dense color.
Other popular brands are ABC, another dark beer with a strong flavor; Cambodia Lager, brewed with European ingredients, it has a golden color and is very drinkable. Klang Beer is extra strong and smooth: it is easily recognizable because of the elephant on the can.
When travelling to a foreign country, it is important to know and respect local customs, especially when eating. It is easy to overlook local customs if you don't know them. Here a quick guide:
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