The Return of Cambodian Food

Taking refuge from the sweltering sun in a dimly lit restaurant in Siem Reap, I found myself eating Amok for the third day straight. Claiming the honor of Cambodia's National Dish, Amok is a curry fish stew wrapped in banana leaves. Over 5 short days, I grew quite fond of Cambodian cuisine, which tasted like a milder and sweeter cross between Thai and Vietnamese.

Back in New York, I was still craving the flavorful but not too heavy Amok. I headed to Cambodian Cuisine in Brooklyn, only to find a BBQ restaurant in its place. I found out that they attempted to move to Manhattan 3 years ago, and due to construction and permit problems, never managed to open. Cambodian food in New York had ceased to exist.

5 months later, word was out that Cambodian food was back. Not only one, but two restaurants – the former Brooklyn eatery finally reopened in the Upper East Side, and Kampuchea, a trendy Cambodian-inspired lounge debuted downtown. We decided to sample the more traditional fare uptown.

Walking down Third Avenue, to 93rd street, I was puzzled by the move – I thought their former location was better – more prominent at a busier intersection in a neighborhood with more students and young people that would eat out. Greeted by a flowery scent as we opened the door, we entered a large, modestly decorated space – with high ceilings and a bar on the side. With only a few Cambodian instruments and photographs highlighting the walls, it felt somewhere between a Thai lounge and pizzeria, reminding me of the austere family-style restaurants in French colonial buildings in Siem Reap. Traditional music trickled out from the back, faint enough that we could just about hear our voices echo off the open front space.

The staff was earnest and attentive. I started with Cambodian Ice Tea, which tasted exactly like Thai Ice Tea. We ordered Mee Bamphong – crispy rice noodles, and of course, Amok, only that instead of fish, it was a chicken dish. The waitress told us that they couldn't find the specific fish for Amok, and to keep everything fresh, they substituted with chicken. The noodles, fried with bean sprouts and peanuts, had a distinct coconut aroma and tasted decent, but didn't really stand out. The Amok was surprising – though in my short time in Cambodia I had already encountered various forms of Amok, this one was a flat chicken patty topped with flower shaped red pepper, resting on a bed of collard greens. When I took a bite though, it did indeed taste authentic aside from the main ingredient, laded with lemongrass and galangal, and topped with rich coconut milk curd. The chicken was tender and juicy, and I didn't have a problem with it not being fish. The only complaint was that it was undersized for the price.

Afterwards, the friendly hostess came over to thank us and I told her I would definitely return, and try the many other items on the long menu.