Khmer Food Village: a Khmer-style restaurant

Published: 2nd January 2012

PHNOM PENH (Cambodia Herald) - Sitting on the riverbank opposite Nagaworld, the only casino in Phnom Penh, Khmer Food Village enjoys a prime location where tens of thousands pass every day.

Opened a few months ago, the restaurant is run by CBM Corporation Co Ltd, which also operates BB World, Pizza World and T&C, and has become a popular place for those seeking Khmer food and a country atmosphere during lunch or dinner from 10 a.m. to late evening.

At the entrance, customers are welcomed by two large statues of white horses by an oxcart. Inside, smiling waiters in black uniforms and two hostesses in traditional dress offer formal greetings and give customers a plastic card to record transactions. A hostess then helps customers choose a table with beds or long benches before they select their food.

The open-air restaurant is decorated with palm leaves, bamboo, wooden furniture, cartwheels, fans and fishing gear such as nets and traps. With its dark roof, warm light and fresh air from the river, customers can experience authentic Cambodian country life without the insects (insect-reppellant lamps are used, especially in the evening).

More than a hundred dishes are sold from about 20 counters which have Khmer-English menus displayed with each dish usually costing from $2 to $3.50. Orders are recorded on the plastic card and delivered to the table when cooked, which can take some time at peak hours around noon and early evening. Customers pay as they return the card when they leave.

"The decorations here are uniquely Khmer, especially the palm leaves. And the food is quite good,” said first-time customer, Loeung Kim Teng, a translator.

Chan Ravuth, a government official, said he liked the variety of the food and the atmosphere. "I'll definitely come here again, especially when I want to have Khmer food,” he said.

But many customers complain about the dust. "That's the disadvantage of an open-air restaurant," said manager Chea Theary. But "we want customers to be able to enjoy nature like the fresh air from the river." Although waiters are supposed to clean tables every 15 minutes, "sometimes we have too many customers so we have to prioritize our services."

Chea Theary said Khmer Food Village gets between 150 and 250 customers each day of whom up to 30 percent are foreigners. "We want to promote Khmer food," she said. "Customers can recall old memories, especially those who come from the provinces. They can enjoy the countryside-style food and atmosphere."

Asked about food quality, the manager said: "Our cooks are experienced, and they have to follow our recipes. They have to wash their hands, and wear uniforms. And our ingredients are fresh and kept properly."

While Khmer Food Village mostly features rural music, the toilets are modern, not the rural variety. Because of its prime location, it can be difficult to access, especially in the early evening when crowds gather around Hun Sen Park.

"The taste of the food at Khmer Food Village is not much better than other restaurants, but the atmosphere here is unique,” said Pin Manika while eating grilled chicken and fishballs.
Many customers agreed.