One of the Vegetarian Cambodian Restaurants: Chamkar
It's
rather difficult finding Cambodian restaurants in Siem Reap that serve
only
vegetarian food, but this is one of them!This gourmet restaurant opened in the beginning of July ’08, and it’s a tiny place on the Pub Street alley (the Passage).
I went back and forth looking for it, but I missed it twice! It’s located right beside the Cambodian BBQ and exactly across from the gallery.
They say right on the menu that they don’t serve any meat with the dishes (unlike other restaurants that can whip up vegetarian dishes out of non-vegetarian ones). So if you’re a strict vegetarian, here you'll be able to eat only vegetables and fruits with the knowledge that there’s no meat at all in the kitchen.
And when I said that this is a gourmet restaurant, I meant gourmet. The menu has some unusual and unique dishes that you don’t see every day. It might take you awhile to decide what you want because each dish seems interesting and requires some thought. There's no automatic ordering here.
The menu also has French subtitles, so if you know a bit of French you get to practice it here. =)
The food
I ordered the grilled vegetable skewers, and WOW, they were absolutely delicious. Ordinary produce was completely transformed into something extraordinary.The skewers had banana, mushroom, chili, pineapple, onions, and eggplant, and although that might sound like a weird combination, the end result was just amazing.
One of the best foods I've tried in Siem Reap
It was served with white rice on the side, a bit of pickle, and a small serving of lime pepper sauce. Supposedly this was a Cambodian recipe, but other than the lime pepper sauce, it tasted ‘international’ to me (and that is not a complaint).
It did take a while for the food to come out (grilling in a low fire, I suppose), but if you are in good company (a person, a book, or something else) that should not be a problem.
The French owner also managed to get some gorgeous looking cutlery. And the table setting is really cute too; white crisp linen with little chilies for decorations.
This is in Pub St.?
Price
Price wise, the dishes are probably a tad bit more expensive than others around. The grilled skewers were $4.50, plus they charge a 10% tax on top of that.But still, considering how delicious the food tastes and how nice everything else is, you’ll leave feeling very satisfied, thinking that the meal was quite a bargain!
So in short…
Go here! Whether or not you're a vegetarian, do not miss out on some of the great food at Chamkar. This Cambodian restaurant is really a find.
Part of the menu of the main course at Chamkar
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What Other Visitors Have Said
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Chamkar - One of the best Cambodian restaurants
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This Cambodian restaurant just did everything right, from the decor and table settings to the beautifully presented menu. Our group were all meat eaters,...
Where would you like to go next?
Planning
To Try Cambodian Food?
Why not start with their national dish, amok? This coconut
based 'curry' dish is flavorful without being too strong, and is
familiar
enough to many tastebuds. The perfect choice for a first time encounter
with Cambodian food.
Return to Cambodian Restaurants in Siem Reap, where you can learn about other restaurants we've tried.
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