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I have lived in Cambodia for over a year and travelled a little bit. Everywhere I have eaten, food is almost always dreadful (compared with its neighbouring countries anyway). In Phnom Penh where I live, I have spitted out food a few times. Ok-ish food, which one can regard as acceptable, is usually overpriced, like the Pho noodles at 136 you can buy in Vietnam for cents.

This post isn't a critique about what it is flagrantly obvious: Cambodian food is, most of the time, trash. What I want to an enquiry is if anybody has been in some region, city, area where eating street food isn't a revolting experience.

In short: If you had to get lured somewhere here because of its cuisine, where would it be?

Thanks

I am one too certainly agree with you on this subject. I have tried over the years eating street food at different locations and different city's and towns, mostly with bad results, and that meaning at times the food has made me vomit violently, diarrhoea and stomach upsets for days too follow. I have had some decent things, such has the small birds and insects, small veg and meat snacks. But none of the of the street food can be compared with that what you could get in Thailand.
I have listened to stories and tails about how the people lost all knowledge of their cooking since the time of the Khmer Rouge. I have found some respectable restaurants along my travels, one of the best for my choice, but a little pricey is the Jaan Bai in Battambang, but my last visit was five years ago. I think personally food costs are expensive for whatever you get, and I have only just seen some restaurants here in Phnom Penh that are way above my price range too. It's not only traditional khmer food that is bad or up to standards, its international foods too.

Street food Cambodia = 2 minute noodles

AndyKK wrote: ↑Sat Aug 29, 2020 2:54 am It's not only traditional khmer food that is bad or up to standards, its international foods too.

Agreed, with regards to everything you said. I think the better food I've had that wasn't expensive(and proportionally very overpriced compared to Cambodia's economy) was what I guess I'd call generic Asian food. Khmer food is pretty much always barely eatable, but you can get some decent fried rices, curry that isn't khmer, etc, for a fairly decent price. Unfortunately you do often have to spend money eating at several bad places to find the decent ones.

i have always felt in Cambodia you eat to live
while eating in Thailand is a pleasure

There's very very few places i have eaten in Cambodia and said, "I'll eat here again"
( there is one pancake place (more like crepes) with various filings in kep that is amazing)

Electric Earth wrote: ↑Sat Aug 29, 2020 8:13 am

AndyKK wrote: ↑Sat Aug 29, 2020 2:54 am It's not only traditional khmer food that is bad or up to standards, its international foods too.

Agreed, with regards to everything you said. I think the better food I've had that wasn't expensive(and proportionally very overpriced compared to Cambodia's economy) was what I guess I'd call generic Asian food. Khmer food is pretty much always barely eatable, but you can get some decent fried rices, curry that isn't khmer, etc, for a fairly decent price. Unfortunately you do often have to spend money eating at several bad places to find the decent ones.

The problem is I find, when you try several bad places to find the decent ones, then you automatically return too the good one or two from the bunch. But the good one has now followed suit and is transformed to one of the bad bunch, so start again or give it up?

Thorix wrote: ↑Sat Aug 29, 2020 1:30 am I have lived in Cambodia for over a year and travelled a little bit. Everywhere I have eaten, food is almost always dreadful (compared with its neighbouring countries anyway). In Phnom Penh where I live, I have spitted out food a few times. Ok-ish food, which one can regard as acceptable, is usually overpriced, like the Pho noodles at 136 you can buy in Vietnam for cents.

This post isn't a critique about what it is flagrantly obvious: Cambodian food is, most of the time, trash. What I want to an enquiry is if anybody has been in some region, city, area where eating street food isn't a revolting experience.

In short: If you had to get lured somewhere here because of its cuisine, where would it be?

Thanks

Battambang
3 places on street 9 opposite temple. The one with red chairs has a good selection

Agree on street food that you cant compare with TH or VN. But seafood in Kep or Kampot is the best in SE Asia imho. Crab amok in Kep is die for.

^Yes, I do belive I forgot about Kep and the crab market, good Kampot pepper crab.

Chuck Borris wrote: ↑Sat Aug 29, 2020 9:24 am Agree on street food that you cant compare with TH or VN. But seafood in Kep or Kampot is the best in SE Asia imho. Crab amok in Kep is die for.

sorry, but disagree, at least if ur referring to the restaurants next door to the crab market, ( over the years have sampled all of them)
As Kep is my home away from home, have found the GF does a much better amok than any of those places which are to watered down,( not enough coconut milk) and at times no spiciness at all.