Lining up for an hour for a meal was never an option for us as we lived in Vancouver all our lives. Booking a table for two isn’t possible at Phnom Penh so we reluctantly decided to stand in the waiting area, expecting a seating within 45 minutes. After exactly an hour and seven minutes (this was on a Friday night), we finally got our table! Since we had the menus beforehand, we hastily ordered as the tea was set down. Can we say that it was worth the wait? Here’s the review:
金邊酥炸蝦 Phnom Penh Deep Fried Chicken Wing - $7.95 (S)/$12.50 (L) (6/7)
This is one of the “must-order” dishes at Phnom Penh. The salty crisp skin is fried to perfection while the tender meat inside can be devoured in a single bite. On top of the dish is a combination of spices, green onions, and loads of MSG. Although we must say the wings were absolutely exquisite and addicting, we found that after eating 4-5 pieces, they were a bit too salty. Next time, ordering the half size instead of the full size would be sufficient.
牛片焗蒜油醋 Marinated Butter Beef - $12.85 (5/7)
**We were too busy GORGing that we forgot to take a picture**
Raw beef; thinly sliced, slightly seared, and covered in a tangy sauce making a worthwhile dish that melts in your mouth. This is the Vietnamese take on the classic “Beef Tataki” dish that is served at Japanese Izakaya restaurants. The portion they serve is absolutely gigantic! We honestly could barely finish the entire plate and at the end of it, we were just a bit sick of the raw beef. We will probably stick with beef tataki.
金邊乾撈粿條 Phnom Penh Rice Noodle (no broth) - $6 (4.5/7)
This is a classic Vietnamese dish which is comprised of meat, seafood, and dried noodles. Frankly, we’ve had better elsewhere. It’s not exactly a complex dish to make and the taste was only mediocre. Adding hot sauce to it definitely amplified the taste though!
In conclusion, we believe Phnom Penh is quite overhyped. Only the deep fried wings are worth the wait but if you really had a craving, just head down to Richmond and eat them at Wu Fung (Aberdeen food court). Phnom Penh also does take out so that’s an option as well!
Random, miscellanous pictures. …. Because we can. (L-R)
Cooked bean sprouts, free soup provided with the noodles, chili sauce, cover of their menu
Ratings:
Food: 4.5/7
Value: 5.5/7
Service: 5/7
Phnom Penh
