The Nest

This restaurant has been around for over a year but I must admit that I was reluctant to go in there at first as it appeared a little too "design" for me. Nothing wrong with design of course, but experience has shown me that often the more design, the lousier the food.

There are exceptions to every rule and I am glad to be able to report that The Nest certainly is one of those exceptions. Situated right in the middle of Sivath Boulevard, it starts with a great location; perfect place to duck into after having done the shopping at the nearby Angor Market.

The good impression starts on arrival where we were greeted by friendly staff and let to a table every time we have been there; certainly something many restaurants in Siem Reap should take note of. In more than one restaurant I have been to, not only was there nobody to greet and meet, I had to find and/or wake up the staff.

Restaurant interior.

One can choose to sit at tables or lounge in huge couch thingies. I tried the latter but find that, whilst they might be OK for a drink, they are not very comfortable to eat on; at least not for stiff old me. The whole design of the restaurant is very open, which I like. It does obviously pose a problem though when it is either very hot (they use fans with water spray, but even that is not enough when it is really boiling) or when the rain really hammers down and comes in sideways. However, minor inconveniences for a real al Fresco experience.

You can choose to dine here.

The menu is heavy on steaks and I suggest that this should be the main reason for any potential diner to come. Whilst the Khmer food is not bad, there are plenty of Khmer restaurants around. It is also a sort of Khmer fusion which just does not convince me. But the Steaks, oh my God the Steaks!!! They certainly must be amongst the best in town. Therefore, do not waste your time and head straight for the steak menu.

Beef Tenderloin, very yummy.

Service is friendly and very attentive throughout. Cold face towels and pretty good warm bread come straight away. The one time we had to wait a little longer, the staff came, apologized, and explained that a group of about 30 people had just ordered. I have no problem with waiting, especially in a restaurant that has German Erdinger Weissbier on promotion (Newsflash: that promotion is currently no longer available, darn).

Al Fresco dining, not advisable during the rainy season.

Prizes are around USD 4.00 for starters, USD 5.00 - 8.00 for noodle dishes, USD 12.00 - 22.00 for mains, and Steaks are from USD 15.00 - 18.00. The drinks menu is extensive with soft drinks and beers starting at USD 2.50 and going all the way to USD 40.00 for some very decent bottles of wine. There is also a large cocktail menu; probably just the thing for those lounge chairs. Go for a Champagne Cup at USD 250.00 a pop; it serves 45 drinks and I am sure that by the time you are done, the bill becomes but a minor nuisance.

Caprese with Buffalo Mozzarella.

If you do order a starter, and keep in mind that the steaks are quite big, try the Caprese of ripe plum tomatoes and Buffalo Mozarella. Unlike in many places in Siem Reap (including Italian restaurants) the salad comes with real Mozarella and not the plastic-like cheap Ersatz cheese so many restaurants prefer. I also liked the Pork Gyoza though they could have been a tad warmer.

Pork Gyoza.

We inevitably order Steaks each time we are there. They are all good and they are all decent chunks of meat at 300 grams each. Side dishes come extra (USD 1.90), I can recommend the Pumpkin and Risotto Croquettes. There are 6 different sauces to choose from, the Pink Peppercorn and Passion Fruit Sauce is very good, as is the wild Mushroom sauce (though the latter could have used more mushrooms last time I was there). Hard to say which steak is the best, but if I had to choose a single one, it would probably be the Australian Beef Tenderloin. I suggest you order the meat one stage less cooked than you usually do (i.e. if you normally order medium, order medium-rare here). Not only will you do justice to the quality of the meat, but as the steaks come in pretty solid chunks you risk that the outside of the meat is overcooked otherwise.

The Missus did try the Mackerel for a change last time we were there, whilst the Couscous was very good, the fish was a tad dry; as I said earlier: stick to the meat.

Pan-fried Mackerel.

Not a big fan of desserts personally, and the selection is pretty small, but the Mango with Sticky Rice is sinfully good. Probably worth a few hundred calories, but if you have made it until here, than you just know it will be salad and gym for the next couple of weeks anyway.

Tempura ice-cream, 412 points at WeightWatchers.

Overall, a great dining experience. If there was one thing I could change, it would be the uniforms. Both waiters and waitresses were these baggy, past-the-knee shorts that might look OK on back-packers on Khao San road but which are totally out of place in this restaurant.


Rating (out of 5):

Service: *****
Food: *****
Ambiance: *****
Value for money: ****

Recommended: Oh yes! Whenever the carnivore in me awakens, it is inevitably The Nest I head for to sink my teeth into a bloody piece of cow.