Stella Restaurant

The quest for halfway decent food in the Pham Ngu Lao area in HCMC continued yesterday. The town was heaving with the up-coming "Liberation Day" (North Vietnam "liberated" South Vietnam on this day in 1975) on the 30th of April; followed by May Day. All I wanted was a quick bite to eat so the first stop was at a "Subway" on Pham Ngu Lao proper. The conversation went something like this:

Young male sales person that would rather have been somewhere else (YMSPTWRHBSE): Good evening.

Yours truly (YT): Good evening.

YMSPTWRHBSE: What do you want?

YT: (looking around a branch of Subway): a sandwich I guess.

YMSPTWRHBSE: What bread?

YT: Rye?

YMSPTWRHBSE: Finished.

YT: Wheat?

YMSPTWRHBSE: Finished.

YT: Right, what do you actually have?

YMSPTWRHBSE: White bread (which I do not like).

YT: No choice, I guess.

YMSPTWRHBSE: (pointing at the displays behind him) Which sandwich?

YT: I'd like to build my own.

YMSPTWRHBSE: Cannot.

YT: The sign here says I can?

YMSPTWRHBSE: If you insist (unhappily).

YT: Bye-bye.

This little chat set the tone for the evening. Next stop was the Boston Pizza and Sports Bar on 175/6 on Pham Ngu Lao. I was getting hungry now but the visit here was short-lived too. What appeared to be the owner/manager was sitting at the bar working very hard to dislodge something from his teeth. This one I could have ignored, but I was not so happy with the waitress doing the "what do you want" bit. How about parting with my hard-earned cash to get some food and less questions? Whilst waiting for my Strawberry smoothie I took a couple of picture. Now the waitress got really rude; giving me the 3rd degree as to why I was taking pictures. So up I got and continued looking for food (yes, I did pay for the smoothie even though I did not actually have it.

Next stop a branch of Wayne's Texas BarBQ on Bui Vien. I hear the steaks are pretty good here, but I never got that far. Asked for an OJ: finished. Asked for fresh coconut juice: finished (in Vietnam, a country with more coconut palms than motorbikes).

Menu has a good selection without being worryingly large.

I was ready to go to bed and cry myself to sleep when I walked past the Stella on 121 Bui Vien. I had walked past this place a few times before, noting that they are not exactly bashful, with a big sign proclaiming they have the "Best coffeein town" and also thinking they should find someone to correct their sign.

The interior is not much to write home about, but I was greeted by a couple of very friendly waitresses. A clean and fairly extensive menu was presented in no time at all and once again the waitress was on the ball, quickly taking the order.

The interior does not exactly scream "Italian".

I ordered a Beef Carpaccio which at USD 5.00 was not the cheapest starter available. However, the Chef was not miserly with the beef, there was heaps of it. The color was a little strange, a bright pink, but the quality was very good. The lettuce the beef was on was fresh and the Parmesan was better than what many Italian restaurants serve. I would change the vinegar used in the dressing though. It was obviously a cheaper vinegar which was sour in a not so nice way.

Plenty of meat and yes, the color did look a tad strange.

I ordered Saltimbocca as a main dish, like most dishes it was around USD 5.00. Beers go from just over USD 2.00 with milk shakes and juices from USD 1.50 to USD 2.00. As this came with either vegetables or mashed potatoes, I ordered the potatoes and a "Insalata Stella". The Saltimbocca arrived after about 20 minutes and both meat and mashed potatoes were piping hot, the way it should be. The meat was excellent, though obviously not veal which is hard to get in Vietnam (and the menu did say that the meat was pork loin); well grilled without being dry. The sauce was great as well, though I did miss the sage. Not sure what the herbs were but they had little taste.

Excellent meat.

The salad was pretty good with decent Olives and Feta cheese; once again many Italian restaurants use awful Olives and plastic cheese; I'd go back for the salads alone. I will also have to go back for a coffee and verify their "best coffee in town" claim. Whilst I was having dinner a number of patrons came in just for the coffee, so maybe the owners are not exaggerating.

Massive salad and not stingy with the cheese.

The restaurant has an air-conditioned area; not common on Pham Ngu Lao but a welcome relief as it was stinking hot yesterday. Inside and air-conned also means some respite from the ever-present touts and trinket sellers that prowl the back-packer ghetto.

I saw some comments on the web that the Stella is too expensive. It might be a little bit more expensive than some of the dives in the Pham Ngu Lao area, but both service and quality of food are also considerably better. My total bill was less that USD 20.00 and I was close to bursting as the portions are certainly not small.

Update 18/05/2011:

The "best coffee in town" could not stand unchallenged so I went back for lunch today.

The Mozzarella salad was OK; the tomatoes were fresh and tasty but the Mozzarella was a little "blah".

The Tagliatelle al Funghi on the other hand were excellent. The sauce was expertly seasoned with the taste of the mushrooms really coming through. I'll go back for that one.

The coffee: couldn't order one last time as I went for dinner; if I have a coffee after 16:00 I'll be dancing the jitterbug all night. Today all I had to look forward to was a tedious meeting in the afternoon; perfect to try a coffee. I ordered a Cappuccino but I am still not sure if it is the best in town; haven't had enough coffee in HCMC yet.

One thing is for sure though, it has to be one of the friendliest coffees in town; first time a Cappuccino wished me a "Happy Day":

Service: **** Friendly and attentive.
Food: ****
Ambiance: ***
Value for money: ****

Recommended: Yes.

Khmer Food, home-style

Off to the market.

OK boys and girls, something different today, I will not review a restaurant but talk a little about Khmer food. And when I say Khmer food I do not mean the "Fish Amok" or "Beef Lock Lack" served to tourists on Pub Street. This is more about where, and how, to eat real Khmer food.

Fried beetles.

Like all Asians, Khmer like their food fresh and thus the first hurdle to good local food is to get up early and visit the market. Forget Psar Chaa, or Central Market, this is just a tourist trap these days. The place to go is Psar Leu, a couple of kilometers outside Siem Reap along Route 6. Activity here starts around midnight when the farmers come in from the surrounding areas to sell their wares. No need to go that early, but 06:00 is a good time, both for the variety of goods, and to beat the heat.

Great veggies on sale.

The market would also be a good educational tour for Western kids that think all meat comes shrink-wrapped, chicken are born as McNuggets, and milk is something in Tetra packs. Nothing of that here, fish is so fresh that the vendors occasionally have to race after them and chicken are slaughtered on demand. Not for the squeamish but I believe in knowing where my food comes from. And I should think that the animals at least had a better life than the mass-produced stuff kept in tiny cages back home.

Pickled Fish.

The market is a riot of colors, smells, and sounds and usually very busy. Come with patience and good negotiating skills. It is totally acceptable to touch, prod, and smell the products before choosing, and the choice is vast.

Khmer herbs.

I am a big fan of Khmer herbs and vegetables as they taste much better than the stuff that comes from Dutch greenhouses. The choice of fish is also amazing, most of them from nearby Tonle Sap Lake and many of which I do not know. The meat and poultry can be tough as it is usually very fresh. If you have a fridge and the time, let it rest a little before using.

No Khmer meal would be complete without"Prahok". Often referred to as "Khmer Cheese" on account of its smell, it is actually made out of salted and fermented fish. A very aquired taste but, once one gets over the smell, it is actually pretty good with vegetables and barbecued beef. Psar Leu offers a wide range of Prahok, the difference being the quality of fish used (and obviously the price).

Prahok.

With all the regular shopping done, it is time to look for some more unusual ingredients not found at this market. Well, they do sell things like chicken ovaries and coagulated blood at the market, but in Cambodia this is not considered unusual.

Pretty much anything can be skewered.

To get an idea what can be thrown on a grill in Cambodia, get your butt out of Pub Street and head for Route 66 (it is actually Route 60, but I think 66 sound better). This is a very popular place with locals who will go there once the sun has almost set and have snacks and beer. Sit down on one of the Bamboo mats, grab a draught beer and then check out the different stalls.

Chicken ovaries and chicken blood.

Apart from regular skewers, you will come across the ovaries again, but grilled this time, fried frogs (so-s0), fried crickets (good), fried beetles (yuck) and "green eggs" (barf). The later really make my stomach turn, it is basically an egg due to hatch and the chick inside is pretty well developed. Certainly not for the faint-hearted....

"Green Egg".

I am sure pretty much everybody has heard of spiders being eaten. These are usually from Skuon, ca. 200 kilometers from Siem Reap. If you want to try, get live ones and prepare them yourself. I am not a big fan as the consistency is horrible, but here is a quick recipe:

They don't look it, but the spiders are alive.

Unlike these ones.

20 Spiders

Water

Oil

Lettuce

Kill spider by cutting through the back with a sharp knife (try not to get bitten). Clean well in water to remove the hears. Heat oil in a large wok until smoking and dump in the spiders. Fry until a nice golden-brown. Remove spiders, drain oil, and arrange on a lettuce leaf.

Like the spiders, insects are seasonal and are most easily found during the dry season.

Snake is available throughout the year, but it is actually illegal though this is not really enforced (like many laws in Cambodia). Unlike Vietnam, many of the snakes are caught wild and this is why I suggest you stay away from it. The same goes for all the other "bush meat" more or less openly available. There is intense hunting pressure and many of the animals served up are both protected and endangered.

A couple of tips for choosing am authentic restaurant: firstly, avoid anywhere within a 2-kilometer radius of Pub Street. Secondly, choose a restaurant that is filled with Khmer. Refrigeration is probably non-existent and you want to eat in a restaurant that has a high tuen-over.

Khmer BBQ.

Personally, I prefer to eat with a few friends at someone's home. So, after the market, it is time to get some (lots) of beer, order a whole cow on a spit, and head to the countryside. Khmer sure like partying and boozing, and there is nothing better than spend a Sunday afternoon lazying about, swilling a few cold ones and tucking into some beef.

Lunch with friends.

When it comes to barbies, basic is best. The cow will usually be already partially cooked and marinated, so it is just a matter of putting the spit over some hot coal and pass the time with a couple of Angkor Beers. Inevitably someone will jump (be pushed) into a nearby pond to catch some fresh fish. A word of caution: as a friend found out last time, catfish have a very nasty bite. With a bit of luck, a couple of frogs will get netted as well, they go on the grill too. Small fish go straight from the water onto the grill, the larger ones are gutted and cleaned.

Preparing the frog.

Whilst all this is going on, someone climbs a coconut tree for some fresh juice whilst the ladies are busy preparing Prahok (it is chopped and mixed with chillies, lemon-grass, garlic, and water to make a dipping sauce) and veggies to be eaten raw.

Once everything is cooked, it is time to kick back and enjoy. By now the traditional band will have gone through lots of beers and have found their tune. It will only be a matter of time before people start dancing; this will go on for the next few hours and I have had some of my best meals in Cambodia this way.

Give me a smoked ham anytime.

The Beef is pretty good after a week in the fridge.

Dried fish. ready to go.

The Chef stirring it up in a local restaurant.

Too many beers.

Entertainment during the barbie.

Crazy Buffalo, Saigon

The good thing about the Pham Ngu Lao area, home of banana pancakes, fisherman's pants and dreadlocks, is that my expectations are very low when it comes to food. Every so often though, even these low expectations are not met.

The "Crazy Buffalo, on the corner of Bui Vien and De Than certainly fits the bill. Impossible to miss with the garish neon lights and the very loud music. Getting closer, you will also notice the service staff being busy chatting with each other, screaming across the restaurant, and generally not being very interested in the guests. Don't get me wrong, they are friendly enough; but I guess this is what you get when you hire inexperienced high school kids.

Not exactly subtle.

Sitting down, I eventually managed to get the attention of one of the waitresses and got the menu. The drinks list is pretty extensive, with 13 different beers ranging from USD 2.00 - 3.00. Their "Outstanding Wine List" (their words, not mine) is less impressive, but I suppose one cannot expect much for USD 20.00 a bottle. Shakes and juices are USD 2.50, which I find rather expensive for Saigon and spirits are around USD 3.00, plus another Dollar if served with a mixer.

Good selection of juices and beers, at a price.

Food is mostly run-of-the mill with all the tourist restaurant staples: Pizza, Pasta, Burgers, and some Asian dishes. Again, not exactly cheap. Starters are on average USD 4.00, Burgers around USD 5.00, Pastas USD 4.50, Pizzas USD 7.00 and Western mains from USD 6.00, which is not too bad. Vietnamese dishes will set you back around USD 6.00.

PNL staples: Pasta, Pizza, Burger.

Prices do not include 5% service charge, and they tag on an additional 20% after midnight; this was a new one for me.

As I am no fan of fast food, I ordered the "Pan Seared Old Fashion Fish". Purportedly Sea Bass with "Fermanted Yazu crsusted" (they should pay some backpacker a beer to check their menu) with Polenta Cream and Smoky Sauce. Sounded pretty appetizing and I was looking forward to it.

The food came quickly enough, maybe too quick. I like my veggies crunchy, but the vegetables I got were raw and ice cold. The piece of fish was minuscule and I now know where the "Old Fashion Fish" comes from; the fish I got had been out of the water for a looong time. It was well cooked however, but smothered in salt. Still not sure what "Yazu" is, maybe Japanese for salt?. This is more than could be said for the Polenta cream; not only did it have the consistency of wet cardboard, it also tasted like I would imagine wet cardboard tastes. As for the "Smoky Sauce", I failed to detect any taste of smoky; actually I failed to detect any taste at all. The meal will go down as one of the blandest I have ever eaten; I had better food on planes or in hospitals.

Both presentation and taste pretty naff.

During all the time, the music was good (all 70's stuff) but way too loud. The owner needs to decide if he wants to run a restaurant or a club, both at the same time doesn't work. In particular as the waitresses shouted their orders right across the restaurant. They were also quite pushy, on more than one occasion they almost knocked me out of my chair as they passed.

The restaurant also serves Shisha (water pipe or Hookah), and the guy setting them up seemed to be the best staff in the restaurant. However, USD 10.00 a pipe is pretty exorbitant in my opinion.

Overall, not too great an experience even if one keeps in mind that the restaurant is located in the middle of the backpacker ghetto. The quest for good food in the Pham Ngu Lao area continues.

Service: ** Friendly, once you manage to get their attention
Food: *
Ambiance: * to *** Great for people watching, but too noisy and constant hassle from people trying to flog their wares.
Value for money: **

Recommended: Nope

Punjabi, HCMC, Vietnam

Located on 40/3 Bui Vien Street, this restaurant sits right in the middle of the Pham Ngu Lao backpacker area; an area where cheap food is more important than good food. My expectations where therefore not exactly high when I entered the place; a feeling not exactly helped by an interior reminiscent of a airport waiting lounge.

Typical Pham Ngu Lao Charm

Upon arrival, I was greeted by a friendly waitress who very promptly took my order of a Mango Lassi that turned out to be pretty good. The menu is fairly extensive and I decided to order dishes that I had never eaten before, apart from the Chicken Samosas I ordered as a starter. Said Samosas took 35 minutes to arrive, which I thought a bit long, and were pretty tasteless. As there were no condiments apart from a very thin mint sauce, there wasn't much I could do about it, either.

The Samosas tasted like they were presented: dull

For the main course I ordered Chicken Karahi (with tomatoes, onions, and ginger), Mutter Pilao (rice with green peas and spices) and a Methi Nan (Nan with Fenugreek). These dishes came considerably faster than the Samosas and turned out to be pretty good. The chicken curry had plenty of meat in it, from what I saw at neighboring tables all the portions were pretty large. The Nan was very good though I realized that Fenugreek is not my thing, especially as most of it was blown all over the table by the fan under which I was sitting. Only the peas in the rice tasted like they had come frozen, but I might be wrong. Once again, I would have liked some Chutneys or pickles to spruce things up a little, but I guess at those prizes one cannot ask too much.

Again zero points for presentation, but actually pretty good

Whilst not the best Indian food I have ever had, it is good value for money. Starters range from VND 18.000 to VND 40,000, a whole Tandoori chicken is VND 140,00, and mains start from VND 65,000 for curries. Drinks are also more than reasonable, with the Mango Lassi at VND 30,000 and Beers at VND 18,000.

But very good value for money

I ordered another Lassi after the meal which took 20 minutes to arrive. I took a look at the kitchen under the pretext of looking for the bathroom and understood why some dishes took so long: the kitchen is minuscule and there is only one blender. Hats off for providing food to the 20 or so persons that were eating when I was there. Speaking of bathrooms: would be nice to have a towel or tissues and a decent soap; I eat my Indian food with my hand and do not really like wiping it on my shorts once I am done. Total bill for more food than I could eat was VND 225,000.

Service: *** Friendly service, but let down by poor organisation
Food: ***
Ambiance: *
Value for money: ****

Entertainment value: ***** The long waits are made bearable by watching the zoo that is Pham Ngu Lao pass outside.
Recommended: Cannot fault the place for decent, cheap food.

Zero condiments though

Ban Khun Mae, Bangkok, Thailand

A recent break from Siem Reap saw us end up in Bangkok. Whenever we are in Bangkok, some things are just inevitable: we will shop (lots), go to the cinema, drink Singha Beer, and have at least 1 meal at the Ban Khun Mae Restaurant; the latter for neigh on 8 years.

Located on Siam Square Soi 8, just a stone's throw away from MBK and the Siam Square Malls, this restaurant is a welcome relief from the hustle and bustle of the area. The building alone, styled after a traditional Thai wooden house, already makes a change from all the concrete and glass all around. The theme is continued on the inside with dark wooden tables interspersed with shelves and cupboards filled with all sorts of bric-brac.

From the outside, just next to the Novotel Siam Square.

Whilst customers are inevitably greeted with a loud "Sawasdee Kha/Krap", the sercvice can admittedly be a little hit-and-miss. Of course they have a good excuse: the restaurant is always humming, and not just with tourists either. A couple of years we took our best friends here, both Thai, and they both agreed that the food was excellent (after initially being a little worried that this would turn out to be an overpriced tourist trap.

The Interior.

Speaking of which, I saw comments that this restaurant was very expensive. With most dishes in the 120-150 Baht range, I think it is actually pretty good value for money; especially considering the location and certainly a fair alternative to the horrible food courts in the malls. Sure, one could probably eat much cheaper at the food stalls in the road but a) they are pretty thin on the ground around Siam Square and b) I am not a big fan of sucking exhaust fumes during my meal.

Fried Fish with Sweet n' Sour, excellent.

The menu is extensive, this also includes Thai desserts which the restaurant is known for. The staff do ask for the degree of spiciness. I would skip the bravado and go for "mild" to "medium"; the "spicy" dishes will melt cutlery, destroy stomach linings, and will certainly come back to haunt you the next time you are in a restroom.

Service is fast and efficient, if not always too heavy on the friendliness. Don't bother with ordering starters and mains separately as everything will arrive at the same time anyway. The cold drinks start from 50 Baht for a fruit juice, via 95 Baht for a Singha, to 150 Baht for one of the many old-fashioned cocktails (though why anyone would want to drink an Eggnog with their Red Curry beats me).

Everything is good here.

The Spicy Salads are all very good, our favorite is the Spicy Glass Noodles Salad for 120 Baht. We then move on to a curry, the Green Curry for 130 Baht always hits the spot. Every fish dish we have tried was very good and what is never missing is the Fried Rice with Shrimp Paste for 85 Baht. I don't know where they get the small dried shrimps from, but they are delicious and I just cannot find them in any shop. Portions are a very decent size; we will never learn and end up ordering too much food most of the times.

I am no big fan of desserts in general and Asian desserts in particular as they are usually too sweet for me. However, on those rare occasions when our eyes were not bigger than our stomachs, the boiled Tapioca topped with Coconut sauce (40 Baht) will certainly have us roll out of the door; ready for some more shopping.

Though the desserts are as sweet as they look.

In the evenings there is live entertainment in the form of traditional Thai music; I believe this starts at 19:00.

We can certainly recommend this restaurant and sincerely hope that it will not be replaced by a hotel or yet another shopping mall as long as we still go to Bangkok. Apart from excellent food, this place is great to get away from the craziness of the nearby shopping area; and if it is to just gather strength for more shopping.

Rating (out of 5):

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

Recommended: Absolutely

Contact details:

Ban Khun Mae
Address: 458/7-9 Siam Sq., Soi 8, Pratunam, Bangkok
Phone: (662)250-1952-3
E-mail: contact@bankhunmae.com
Web: www.bankhunmae.com/index.html

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.

Master Suki

Master Suki, Green Suki, Angkor Suki, Hawaii(!) Suki, SK Suki. Many different restaurants all over Siem Reap serving basically the same thing: hot-pot. Electric plate in the middle, pot with broth on top, and then you order whatever you would like to chuck in there. A simple enough concept and one that is very popular with locals as well as with Asian visitors. It is fast, cooking your food is fun, and prizes are pretty reasonable.

We went to Master Suki, the only reason being that it is close to where we live; as far as I am concerned the food tastes all the same in the different Suki restaurants. The only diffence is that in some restaurants the food comes on a conveyer belt, much like in a Sushi restaurant, and in others it comes on small plates.




Like in all the Suki restaurants, the decor is pretty basic; I guess it is the Asian-influenced answer to Mickey Dee's or KFC. The punters are supposed to come in, eat, and bugger off to make room for the next guests. Service is also spotty. They were all very friendly, but I am guessing the girls are hired from the booneys as they are cheap; this shows in both the feet-dragging and the absence of English. No worries though; the menu comes with lots of pretty pictures.

The individual dishes are all around USD 1.50 each, but portions are small and you would have to order quite a few if you are hungry. As with all hot-pots, this is best enjoyed with a few people as that makes it possible to order a wide variety of dishes. Add some veggies and mushrooms and you are laughing. If you do not like hot-pot very much, then there is always the option of meat, fish, or fried rice dishes. Prizes vary according to the meat and size of the dish, but range from about USD 3.00 to USD 6.00. Juices are around the USD 2.00 mark, as are the beers.

This particular restaurant also has a Chippie connected to it; good if you cannot face anymore Asian food. The fish is really not bad and decent value for USD 5.00. I couldn't tempt my daughter with it, so she went ahead and ordered "Bowels Beef (sic)", Pig's Intestine and Jellyfish. Just kidding, she may be half Vietnamese, but she prefers to stick to more conservative food.


As usual in Suki restaurants the food arrived about 2 seconds after we ordered. The hot plates are very efficient, bringing everything to a boil in no time at all. Is the food tasty? It really depends on you and what you dump into the broth, you can make it as yucky or as yummy as you wish.



Now if only they could do something about the uniforms:





Rating (out of 5):

Service: **** staff appear little motivated, but are very friendly and willing to help
Food: From * to ***** depending on what one chooses
Ambiance: *
Value for money: ****

Recommended: If you want a quick meal, do not like KFC, and think it is normal to eat hot-pot when it is 37 degrees outside: yes. Seriously, it is actually quite good and at least the food is fresh.