The gastronomy of this small town now a city of about 250 000 inhabitants and about 2 plus million visitors reflect the other geopolitical factors that affect travel to Angkor Archaeological Ruins, the main reason people visit Siem Reap.
When I began visiting Siem Reap, like many things, the reasons for visit have changed. Obviously the first visit was to the Archaeological ruins and the connection to South India of this magnificent complex.
At that time most of the visitors to Siem Reap which was no more than a village, were from France, UK and Australia with some Yanks.
The successful introduction of AIR ASIA to the South East Asian skies gave the chance to local people of the region to visit each other and nowhere was the effect seen than in Siem Reap. My Burmese "brother' Ko Maung Maung who ran Mandalay Inn and now runs Beyong Yangon Boutique Inn, explained that in a short period of time most of the lodgers at his facility were Malaysians and Singaporeans. That surge did not last long and the The Giant up north was waiting. Currently the majority of visitors to Siem Reap are from China, with Vietnamese and Thai visitors taking distant second and third places. France England Australia USA are all well down in the rankings list, number 10 downwards.
At the time of the Backpackers, they dictated the culinary tastes and a whole host of cheap eateries opened many of which survive to this day. Pub Street was the place where the backpacking crowd hung around.
The Food was basic Khmer (cooking) and the ubiquitous Pizza/Grilled Meat/Hamburger joints sporting signs such as the best Pizza east of Italy etc.
Fine dining was but a dream.
Composition of visitors from the West also began to change and I notice that at Beyond Yangon Boutique Inn, a notch up the socioeconomic ladder from the West.
This coincided with the arrival of innovative Chef/Owners, introducing a Khmer based fusion cuisine and I was so excited to meet one of them during my stay.
The baby faced Mork Mengly on the right is the brain behind the two restaurants in Siem Reap both called POU which is khmer for Uncle.
Ko Maung Maung on the left (the other person is U Aung Khant from La Habana, Cuba!) had mentioned this restaurant and i decided to go in to taste the fare.
I couldnt believe what i was tasting: fusion Khmer, spices from the hinterland of Cambodia with memories of good and bad times of the past.
Khmer Rice Cakes
I also made friends with the manager of both places and the delightful server, Hong, at the Wat Damnak Branch.
If you look up Mork Mengly, it is obvious that he is one of the up and coming Chef/Executive in the Khmer Gastronomy. In the past few years there have been an outcropping of excellent Khmer cooking (Malis, Khema etc).
I made a point of visiting his other restaurant and I was well received by the staff there.
We had a delightful chat, he is humble and sweet, the defining characteristics of Khmer culture. His ideas of Khmer gastronomy is very innovative.
Fresh river fish grilled with tamarind sauce
The day after I met him, he had an open house at the Pou Kitchen and Cafe and he had expected visits from a hundred guests mostly Khmer and also some of the other stars of the Khmer Cooking in Siem Reap.
He wondered whether I would join him and I told him it would be a pleasure
For visitors to Siem Reap especially people who consider themselves FOODIES, I invite them to visit POU at its two locations, one in the town itself near Artisans of Angkor and the other, leaving the river behind you and crossing into the Wat Damnak area. This is where Hong the pleasant server works. you might also see the manager there, and occasionally the Chef himself may drop in .
Mackerel
I am here for two more days, that allows me two more visits and savour Chef Mengly's khmer fusion food..
Bon Apetit!
Tomorrow I might invite Stefane Delapree,the Naive Art painer from France who has Happy Cambodia Gallery in town as well as Ko Maung Maung owner operator of Beyond Yangon boutique Inn to partake the lunch at POU.
When I began visiting Siem Reap, like many things, the reasons for visit have changed. Obviously the first visit was to the Archaeological ruins and the connection to South India of this magnificent complex.
At that time most of the visitors to Siem Reap which was no more than a village, were from France, UK and Australia with some Yanks.
The successful introduction of AIR ASIA to the South East Asian skies gave the chance to local people of the region to visit each other and nowhere was the effect seen than in Siem Reap. My Burmese "brother' Ko Maung Maung who ran Mandalay Inn and now runs Beyong Yangon Boutique Inn, explained that in a short period of time most of the lodgers at his facility were Malaysians and Singaporeans. That surge did not last long and the The Giant up north was waiting. Currently the majority of visitors to Siem Reap are from China, with Vietnamese and Thai visitors taking distant second and third places. France England Australia USA are all well down in the rankings list, number 10 downwards.
At the time of the Backpackers, they dictated the culinary tastes and a whole host of cheap eateries opened many of which survive to this day. Pub Street was the place where the backpacking crowd hung around.
The Food was basic Khmer (cooking) and the ubiquitous Pizza/Grilled Meat/Hamburger joints sporting signs such as the best Pizza east of Italy etc.
Fine dining was but a dream.
Composition of visitors from the West also began to change and I notice that at Beyond Yangon Boutique Inn, a notch up the socioeconomic ladder from the West.
This coincided with the arrival of innovative Chef/Owners, introducing a Khmer based fusion cuisine and I was so excited to meet one of them during my stay.
I couldnt believe what i was tasting: fusion Khmer, spices from the hinterland of Cambodia with memories of good and bad times of the past.
I also made friends with the manager of both places and the delightful server, Hong, at the Wat Damnak Branch.
If you look up Mork Mengly, it is obvious that he is one of the up and coming Chef/Executive in the Khmer Gastronomy. In the past few years there have been an outcropping of excellent Khmer cooking (Malis, Khema etc).
I made a point of visiting his other restaurant and I was well received by the staff there.
We had a delightful chat, he is humble and sweet, the defining characteristics of Khmer culture. His ideas of Khmer gastronomy is very innovative.
The day after I met him, he had an open house at the Pou Kitchen and Cafe and he had expected visits from a hundred guests mostly Khmer and also some of the other stars of the Khmer Cooking in Siem Reap.
He wondered whether I would join him and I told him it would be a pleasure
Bon Apetit!
Tomorrow I might invite Stefane Delapree,the Naive Art painer from France who has Happy Cambodia Gallery in town as well as Ko Maung Maung owner operator of Beyond Yangon boutique Inn to partake the lunch at POU.
